How can you ensure your LAN-WAN integration supports business continuity?

1 Assess your network requirements

Before you integrate your LANs and WANs, you need to understand your network requirements and objectives. What are the business functions and processes that depend on your network? How much bandwidth, latency, reliability, and security do you need? How many users, devices, and applications will access your network? How will you monitor and troubleshoot your network performance? These questions will help you determine the best LAN-WAN integration strategy and solution for your business.

3 Implement network redundancy and backup

One of the key aspects of business continuity is network redundancy and backup. This means having multiple network paths and devices to ensure that your LAN-WAN integration can withstand failures and disasters. For example, you can use dual WAN routers, load balancers, failover switches, and backup power supplies to prevent network downtime and data loss. You can also use multiple WAN providers, technologies, and locations to diversify your network resources and reduce the impact of external factors. Additionally, you should have a backup plan for restoring your network functionality and data in case of a major disruption.

4 Secure your network traffic and data

Another critical aspect of business continuity is network security. This means protecting your network traffic and data from unauthorized access, interception, modification, and theft. For example, you can use encryption, authentication, firewalls, antivirus, and intrusion detection and prevention systems to secure your LAN-WAN integration. You can also use VPNs, MPLS, or cloud-based services to create secure tunnels or segments for your network traffic. Moreover, you should follow the best practices for network security, such as updating your software and firmware, enforcing strong passwords and policies, and educating your users and staff.

5 Monitor and optimize your network performance

Finally, you need to monitor and optimize your network performance to ensure your LAN-WAN integration supports business continuity. This means measuring and analyzing your network metrics, such as bandwidth, latency, jitter, packet loss, throughput, and availability. For example, you can use network monitoring tools , such as SNMP, NetFlow, or Wireshark, to collect and visualize your network data. You can also use network optimization tools, such as QoS, WAN optimization, or SD-WAN, to improve your network efficiency and quality. Furthermore, you should regularly review and adjust your network configuration and settings to meet your changing network demands and conditions.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?