Given the plethora of snazzy, state-of-the-art SD-WAN technologies available on the market, it can be easy to set a laser focus on developing the overlay when building a cloud-ready network for your organisation to scale into fresh markets. However, it’s key to ensure that this doesn’t come at the cost of neglecting the all-important underlay.

Indeed, your SD-WAN overlay must be complemented by a sturdy, consistent and well-integrated Internet underlay. This is especially so given the current working environment, in which enterprises are deploying hybrid-WAN configurations – including the Internet – to facilitate blended working arrangements.

How exactly does the Internet underlay impact your cloud-ready network? Read on to find out more, and for some tips on how to best implement it.

A consistent, high-performing Internet underlay provides the all-important foundation to support your hybrid-WAN requirements. This is essential to enable seamless links to cloud providers, and to keep your organisation well-connected across multiple worldwide offices and disparate sites.

To architect this, work with a provider that has an extensive network of resilient submarine and terrestrial cables, plus multiple Points of Presence (PoPs) in vital business cities along with a strong worldwide Internet backbone. They should also have a solid and far-reaching ecosystem of global and local partners – in order to deliver end-to-end service with deep domestic reach to support high-quality network functioning.

As you expand your network across new territories, it’s crucial to not only maintain but enhance the performance and reliability of applications. To pull this off, you need a robust underlay.

For optimal functioning and consistent Internet performance, deploy an underlay with a boosted Internet backbone – think enhanced PoPs across important geographic regions, and Direct Internet Access (DIA) so that traffic is routed on a preferred, consistent path at all times. Furthermore, you can enlist a provider that offers a “next-hop” AS network concept through strategic collaboration for lower latency and jitter, as well as speedier packet delivery.

One of the biggest challenges you may encounter when building a cloud-ready network is poor network visibility. This happens when the overlay and underlay aren’t integrated, or when the underlay hasn’t been designed with the necessary visibility. All of this makes it harder to carry out the proper monitoring, management and troubleshooting.

This can be fixed by designing an underlay with the appropriate visibility to generate actionable insights. With real-time data on Internet performance and traffic paths, you can proactively monitor your network and compare Internet functioning across key cloud providers.

And with added path visualisation, you get better Internet and cloud visibility to identify potential problems along the path of traffic so as to address them in a timely and targeted manner.

Middle-mile problems are one of the most common connectivity conundrums. They can be a pain to fix, and cause lag issues that affect the running of mission-critical operations. But this too can be overcome with the correct underlay setup.

For starters, you can route Internet traffic through a private network that leverages multiple, strategically placed global gateways for improved functioning. Your underlay should include proactive alerts when customer-Internet capacity exceeds the threshold, and a self-service portal to activate on-demand private-network services as required.

A robust underlay holds the key to a successful cloud-ready network. It can assist in the smooth running of the SD-WAN overlay by enabling integrated, cross-system visibility; help you achieve optimised Internet-traffic routing and application performance; allow you to gather real-time data for enhanced network monitoring; and ensure consistent Internet quality across your entire network.

Eliminate potential performance issues during deployment by selecting the right provider from the get-go. With its comprehensive portfolio of technology, solutions and expertise, Singtel is the ideal partner to help you design the optimal Internet underlay for your cloud-ready network.