Untying the Gordian Knot, Unlocking Your Future Network

The TeleGeography team began benchmarking networks almost a decade ago. 

Back then, the big use case was making sure that carrier and customer were on the same page about how much MPLS and access prices had fallen over the life of a contract, and how far prices would probably fall in the next several years.

We still do some benchmarks that look like this. But, more often than not, benchmarking is much more complicated these days.

Enterprises often have some idea of the network they need to accommodate changes in IT—but the path to get from here to there, and the costs of the journey—are far from clear.

To help us bring order to the chaos, we're glad to welcome back Ian Calderbank of Calderbank Consulting. Ian chats with Greg about legacy networks, related pain points, evolving business needs, and contours of the "target state" network that WAN teams should work toward.

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Key Takeaways

A Complex Architectural Transformation

Moving from a network based mostly on MPLS to one incorporating cloud-first strategies, local internet breakouts, and SD-WAN is significantly more complicated than the old approach of just benchmarking for lower prices. It involves transforming from an "old school MPLS design" to a comprehensive solution incorporating DIA, SD-WAN, SASE, and cloud-based infrastructure.

The focus shifts from just price reductions to determining the "right mix of products" and their impact on the bottom line in a much more complicated environment.

Maintaining Business Continuity Requires Careful Planning and a Dependency Map

The transition cannot be executed by simply "taking a sword" to the existing network because business continuity must be maintained. The challenge lies in safely getting from the current state to the target state without disruption. This requires setting aside time for strategic thinking, separate from daily firefighting.

A crucial step is creating a dependency map to understand which parts of the infrastructure rely on others and which pieces can be moved first without causing the network to collapse. It may even be necessary to introduce interim infrastructure components that aren't part of the final architecture but serve as a safe place during the transition.

Outside Expertise and Data are Crucial

The complexity of this transformation and the demands of daily operations often make it difficult for internal teams to focus on strategic planning and execution.

Bringing in an outside perspective and data can be extremely helpful. External experts can provide a fresh view, analyze the current situation, and help draw the transition map, allowing internal teams to concentrate on keeping the lights on.

Leveraging external data—such as information about carrier locations, peering points, submarine cables, and pricing—can inform critical decision-making throughout the process.