For years, on-premises server solutions such as ERP, HR or file service systems were the standard for data storage and exchange in the corporate network. However, these systems require high hardware investments and a large maintenance effort. In addition, on-premises solutions require a lot of space for server rooms and a network infrastructure that is designed for large internal data traffic. For these reasons, we see a strong trend towards cloud systems. Cloud solutions such as Azure or AWS provide external server space without taking up physical space in their own locations. This greatly reduces the demand on the company's own network infrastructure and the associated maintenance effort. However, in order to take advantage of cloud solutions, a connection must be created between the local network and the cloud.
VPN as default cloud connection
The current widespread standard for establishing the connection between a company's own network and the selected cloud solution is VPN. Here, a secure communication is established via VPN tunnel (IPSec) from the company location to the cloud. Either a VPN gateway or firewall system is implemented in the cloud for this purpose. The prerequisite for this is that a VPN device for establishing the IPSec connection also exists at each site.
Communication via VPN or IPSec has a high certified security standard with one disadvantage: each data packet sent in the VPN tunnel contains a tunnel protocol. This so-called overhead takes up 30% of the available bandwidth and is therefore relatively inefficient.
Do without tunnel protocols with NConnect
This is where we pick up with our product NConnect. NConnect is Netpoint's individual network solution, which is based on Juniper's SD-WAN technology. In this case, software is installed from the cloud store into the customer's cloud environment, and the customer's sites are equipped with the associated SD-WAN hardware. In this way, a connection can be created via the local Internet connections to the cloud environment that has equally high and certified security standards as IPSec. However, the security of the connections is not realized via individual tunnel protocols that take up their own bandwidth, but via Secure Vector Routing (SVR) technology. Here, security networks are spanned over the entire data connection, which can save VPN overhead (up to 30%).
NConnect can also be used to implement additional underlay products such as MPLS lines or 4G or 5G mobile radio lines. This increases flexibility and makes it possible to prioritize individual connections.
Another advantage is the so-called session-smart routing technology. The software used is able to recognize and prioritize important sessions, which means that relevant company activities always receive the best possible connection. Please read our article on the topic of Session Smart Routing.
If you are interested in our NConnect product and would like to learn more about the wide range of services we offer as part of a managed service, please contact us without obligation. We will advise you on all service areas and create a service package for you that is precisely tailored to your infrastructure.
