Managed or DIY:

Which SD-WAN solution is right for you?​ 

Deciding who should manage your network can be difficult for any enterprise. Discover whether a managed SD-WAN service or a DIY approach is right for you in this six-question interactive quiz.
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Question 1 of 6

Do you prefer to pay for on-premises equipment upfront all at once or over time with a smaller monthly fee?


Larger upfront cost

✓

Smaller monthly fee

✓

Your budgeting preference matches a DIY approach

 

Procuring on-premises equipment and software licenses for SD-WAN can require a significant investment. If you have the capital to pay a large, upfront cost, the DIY route may be right for you.
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Your budgeting preference is suited to managed SD-WAN services

 

Procuring on-premises equipment and software licenses for SD-WAN can require a significant investment. Managed SD-WAN services can help you stretch your budget and flexibly allocate resources as needs evolve with a cost-effective monthly plan.
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Question 2 of 6

How many locations require continuous network access and/or have critical applications?

 

Few locations

✓

Many locations

✓

Your number of locations matches a DIY approach

 

Maintaining high network availability and business continuity across multiple sites can be a challenging, costly and labor-intensive task. If you have few locations, a DIY approach may work for you.
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Your number of locations is suited to managed SD-WAN services

 

Maintaining high network availability and business continuity across multiple sites can be a challenging, costly and labor-intensive task. Managed SD-WAN services offer more reliable network access, improved performance of critical business applications, enhanced security and greater visibility.
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Question 3 of 6

Do you expect network traffic to remain static or grow in the future?​

 

Remain static
 
 

✓

Grow in the future

 

 

 

✓

Your network traffic matches a DIY approach

 

Many businesses find that network traffic frequently changes based on business demands and peak operational hours. If you expect network traffic to remain static, the DIY option may be appropriate.
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Your network traffic is suited to managed SD-WAN services

 
Network traffic frequently changes based on business demands and peak operational hours. Managed SD-WAN services can help you keep pace with digital business growth and prepare for more dynamic needs.
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Question 4 of 6

Does your IT department have the resources and experience to deploy and manage SD-WAN​?

Yes

✓

No

✓

Your IT resources match a DIY approach

 

Scoping, designing, configuring, deploying and managing SD-WAN and related networks requires significant technical knowledge, experience and time—it’s not simply plug-and-play. If your business has the appropriate staff and resources, you might consider the DIY route.
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Your IT resources are suited to managed SD-WAN services

 

Scoping, designing, configuring, deploying and managing SD-WAN and related networks requires significant technical knowledge, experience and time—it’s not simply plug-and-play. For businesses that want the freedom to allocate IT resources to other projects, managed SD-WAN services offer highly skilled, hands-on experts to manage your network for you.
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Question 5 of 6

Are you prepared to work with multiple vendors to manage your different connectivity types​?

Yes

✓

No

✓

Your vendor and connectivity preferences match a DIY approach

 

Designing and managing various connectivity types with multiple vendors requires significant coordination. Dealing with more than one operations team and billing department can often cause confusion. If your business wants to handle these logistics, the DIY approach may work.

 

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Your vendor and connectivity are suited to managed SD-WAN services

 

Designing and managing various connectivity types with multiple vendors requires significant coordination with more than one operations team and billing department. Managed SD-WAN services can help communicate with vendors, oversee multiple connectivity types and bundle services into a consolidated bill.

 

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Question 6 of 6

Do you have the resources to maintain secure network connections and mitigate the risk of cyberthreats?

Yes

✓

No

✓

Your security preferences match a DIY approach

 
Safeguarding your network from cybersecurity threats requires continuous effort and sophisticated tools. If you feel confident taking on this responsibility, DIY could be the option for you.
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Your security preferences are suited to managed SD-WAN services

 
To minimize the risk of ever-changing network threats, many businesses take advantage of managed SD-WAN services that provide advanced cybersecurity solutions and trained professionals to handle evolving IT demands.
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A DIY approach to SD-WAN may be right for you

 
Based on your answers, a do-it-yourself SD-WAN approach may work for you. But remember that implementing and managing your own network has many risks. Before making a final decision, be sure to carefully review your options.

 

Managed SD-WAN services can help you:
  • Improve business agility by providing greater visibility and control over network traffic, application and user behavior
  • Help maintain better and more consistent network and application performance
  • Reduce resource requirements, capital expenses and business risk associated with network transformation and operation
  • Provide highly skilled, hands-on experts to help design, configure, deploy and manage your network
  • Increase network utilization and uptime, allowing you to flexibly operate and seamlessly integrate multiple connectivity types
  • Minimize the risk of cybersecurity threats by simplifying and improving overall security posture for your distributed environment

Services not available everywhere.© 2024 CenturyLink. All Rights Reserved.

Managed SD-WAN services are right for you

 

Based on your considerations, you’re a great fit for managed SD-WAN services that can:
  • Improve business agility by providing greater visibility and control over network traffic, application and user behavior
  • Help maintain better and more consistent network and application performance
  • Reduce resource requirements, capital expenses and business risk associated with network transformation and operation
  • Provide highly skilled, hands-on experts to help design, configure, deploy and manage your network
  • Increase network utilization and uptime, allowing you to flexibly operate and seamlessly integrate multiple connectivity types
  • Minimize the risk of cybersecurity threats by simplifying and improving overall security posture for your distributed environment
Whatever your networking needs, CenturyLink can help you transform your network with SD-WAN, amplifying performance and visibility while managing security risk and minimizing costs.

Services not available everywhere.© 2024 CenturyLink. All Rights Reserved.