Ask Me Anything - Getting to know Cisco SD-WAN

[ciscomoderator]

This topic is a chance to clarify your questions about the Cisco Software-Defined WAN (SD-WAN) solution, its historical roots, the drivers behind SD-WAN adoption, benefits, evolution, and the inner mechanisms that make it attractive to business. In addition, experts will explain and answer questions about SD-WAN on-boarding activities and daily operations.

To participate in this event, please use the button below to ask your questions

Ask questions from Wednesday 11th to Friday 20th of December, 2019

Featured Experts

David Samuel Peñaloza Seijas works as a Senior Network Consulting Engineer at Verizon Enterprise Solutions in the Czech Republic. Previously, he worked as a Network Support Specialist in the IBM Client Innovation Center in the Czech Republic. David is an expert interested in all topics related to networks. However, he focuses mainly on data centers, enterprise networks, and network design, including software-defined networking (SDN). David has a long relationship with Cisco. He has been a Cisco Instructor for the Cisco Academy and was recognized as a Cisco Champion and a Cisco Designated VIP for 2017, 2018, and 2019. David holds CCNP R&S, CCDP, CCNA Security, CCNA CyberOps, and CCNA SP certification. Currently, he is pursing a CCDE.

Juan Rangel is a Technical Consulting Engineer on the Software-Defined WAN team at the Customer Experience (CX) Center. Before he joined the SD-WAN team, he worked on the Routing Protocols team. Juan has nine years of experience in networking and has in-depth knowledge of the America Mobile International Network. Before Juan joined Cisco, he worked at Telmex, Huawei, and Citi. He holds a degree in computer systems engineering from the University of the Americas in Mexico. Juan holds the CCNP Security and CCNP Service Provider certifications, a Huawei HCDA certification, an ITIL v3 Foundation certification, and a CCIE R&S certification (#62667). Juan likes languages and he is fluent in Spanish, English and Portuguese.

Juan Flores is a Technical Consulting Engineer on the Software-Defined WAN team at the Customer Experience (CX) Center. Before he joined the SD-WAN team, he worked on the Routing Protocols team. Juan specializes in Routing Protocols, Service Provider technologies (MPLS), switching, Nexus administration with routing protocols, and SD-WAN technologies. Juan holds a degree in computer systems engineering from the University of the Valley of Mexico. He holds a CCNA R&S certification and he is pursing certifications in CCIE R&S and CCIE SP.

Experts might not be able to answer each question due to the volume expected during this event. Remember that you can continue the conversation on the SD-WAN community.

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**Helpful votes Encourage Participation! **
Please be sure to rate the Answers to Questions

[chanmarcus]

How can I test SD-WAN as a demo ?

[David Samuel Penaloza Seijas]

Hello @chanmarcus 

You can test SD-WAN in Cisco dcloud. Its a fantastic place to try solutions and play around with those demos. The best part: its always on and free :)

I have filtered the available demos for you:

https://dcloud2-lon.cisco.com/content/catalogue?filters=s-enterprise-networks&search=sd-wan&screenCommand=openFilterScreen&isLoggingIn=true

I can see a couple of available demos for SD-WAN :D

Hope that helps,

David

[HashamM]

You can Test drive Cisco SD-WAN (Viptela) in your network today if you want to install from scratch. Please ask your Cisco Sales Rep about Try & Buy program for Cisco SD-WAN (Viptela).

[David Samuel Penaloza Seijas]

Thanks for this Hasham!

[russ]

Hi,

We are currently building two new private data centre environments, and installing four Cisco ASR 1000 routers, two at each DC. These will communicate with 300 remote routers/firewalls which are currently non-Cisco in a hub and spoke topology connected via our privately owned telco WAN, implementing BGP.
Would you recommended installing SD-WAN on the ASR’s or IOS, and is it still possible to use CLI while familiarising and learning SD-WAN features? Eventually we would replace the remote routers with SD-WAN routers; the vendor may or may not be Cisco, it could be a white-box NFV solution. The remote sites do not branch to the Internet; the primary reason for migrating to SD-WAN is automation.

Thank you

[juaflor2]

Hello Russ,

Thanks for your question!

I would recommend it yes, you're going to take advantage of the ASR's power while having SD-WAN's goods on it. Once you load the IOS-XE SD-WAN release, you can always choose to use vManage mode (templates) or CLI mode, please keep in mind that a vManage mode is a scalable mode for your deployment, while CLI mode since it is the traditional mode/way, you have to configure device per device (one by one); for a few devices is good, but once your SD-WAN overlay grows it'd be good idea to migrate the device to vManage mode.

Kind Regards.

[ericteyeet78586]

how would i get the ccna exam question

[juaflor2]

Hello Eric,

Thanks for your question.

If I understood correctly, are you asking about a CCNA for SD-WAN? If so, I'd advise to keep tracking Cisco's Certification site to know the latest updates about certifications and its topics.

Thanks!

[giovanni.augusto]

Hi,

I would like to have more information on how to integrate Cisco SD-WAN solution within GCP for hybrid connectivity, which type of virtual devices are supported in the GCP SDN and so on.

Thank you!

[juaflor2]

Hello Giovanni,

Thanks for your question! We'll check this doubt on our side and come back to you with an answer.

Thanks.

[ciscomoderator]

Hi David, Juan Rangel and Juan Flores
In behalf of the community thank you for delivering such a complete and valuable session.
Please help us to answer this question form the live session:

• Can you mix branch and vEdge devices in an implementation?

[David Samuel Penaloza Seijas]

Hello,

Yes, its possible. What must be considered, though, is the mixture of functionalities and features.

E.g. The IGP protocol of choice, templates.

EIGRP is supported by cEdge devices but not by vEdges, therefore, this has to be considered. Each one of the product families have a set of features that can be enabled, and they, certainly will work together as long as those features are mutually supported.

Templates are created for specific models, therefore, sets of templates will need a duplicate to mirror configurations whenever a vEdge and a cEdge will have the same configuration applied. This even applies for different models of vEdges themselves.

Keep an eye on factors that apply to specific models.

Hope that helps.

[Giuseppe Larosa]

Hello David,

+5 for you

very useful information about a mix of hardware based Edge that you call cEdge and vEdge nodes.

thanks to God I have just passed the 500-490 specialization exam for Cisco Gold Partner and I have studied the excellent study guide about Emerging Technologies by Nick Russo for CCIE recertification.

Can we compare the SD-Access and SD-WAN user*   experience with Meraki user* experience?

here with user* I mean customer's IT team not the end user.

Last question: we might have been close to each other at Cisco Live Europe 2018 in Barcelona during a CCDE presentation by Elaine Lopez?

I see Meraki in two recent installations having some limitations but very oriented to endpoint Visibility it can tell you the operating system of PCs or smartphones, the SSID etcetera.

Best Regards

Giuseppe

[David Samuel Penaloza Seijas]

Hello Giuseppe,

Nick's material is fantastic, glad you got the recertification cleared :D

Thanks for joining the thread! :)

Can we compare the SD-Access and SD-WAN user*   experience with Meraki user* experience?

I think they all target different areas with different approaches, therefore, doesnt seem fair or simple to compare them in a 1:1 fashion. In general, the dashboard is comprehensive in any of the solutions. 

SDA and Meraki might overlap in some areas, as both solutions offer an endpoint-driven approach. SD-WAN however, focuses more on sites and locations instead of endpoints. Although, it is compatible with functionalities like AMP and Umbrella to offer cloud-based endpoint protection, all of them have a different area to focus on.

Last question: we might have been close to each other at Cisco Live Europe 2018 in Barcelona during a CCDE presentation by Elaine Lopez?

I was there :D I do my best to not miss CLEUR or CLUS, and that one was special because of the CCDE session.

Looking forward on hearing from you again! Hope we can meet soon :)