SD-WAN Migration

Question 1

Following the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

What was the Situation of the SWAN project?

Answer 1

We ran MPLS for WAN connectivity across 150+ branch locations, MPLS was costly, and hard to scale.

Additionally, I found gaps in our enviroment:
- Re-IP LAN
- LAN refresh
- WIFI refresh
- OOB solution

We needed a solution that would reduce costs, improve network performance, increase security, and ensure scalability for future growth.

Question 2

Following the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

What was the Task of the SWAN project?

Answer 2

As part of the network engineering team, my task was to migrate the company to an SD-WAN solution using Cisco Viptela, integrate Cisco Umbrella for security, and oversee a network refresh project for all branch locations, including a re-IP to align with the new network design.

Question 3

Following the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

What was the Action of the SWAN project?

Answer 3

• SD-WAN Migration Project:

Led the SD-WAN migration, replacing legacy MPLS with Cisco Viptela.

Integrated Cisco Umbrella for DNS-layer security, ensuring secure web access and threat protection.

• LAN Infrastructure Refresh:

Managed network refresh for branch LANs, including upgrades to switches, routers, access points, and re-IP to align with the new SD-WAN design.

• Pilot Deployments:

Ran pilot deployments at select branches to validate SD-WAN configuration and failover functionality between SD-WAN and traditional connections.

Tested Cisco Umbrella integration and worked closely with security and IT teams.

• Deployment and Coordination:

Rolled out Cisco Viptela SD-WAN in phases, prioritizing high-impact locations.

Coordinated deployment to minimize network downtime and completed re-IP and LAN upgrades during off-hours to prevent operational disruption.

Question 4

Following the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

What was the Result of the SWAN project?

Answer 4

The SD-WAN migration and network refresh were completed successfully, with the following outcomes:

• Reduced network costs by 30%.
• Improved network performance and application optimization.
• Enhanced security through the integration of Cisco Umbrella.
• Successful re-IP of branch LANs.