Cisco SD-WAN Routers Simplify Network Security and Management

Cisco SD-WAN routers simplify network security and management by providing a centralized dashboard for monitoring and controlling all branch networks. This allows IT teams to easily manage and troubleshoot issues remotely.

With Cisco SD-WAN, you can ensure that all branch networks are securely connected to the main office network, protecting against cyber threats and data breaches. This is achieved through advanced security features such as encryption and firewalls.

Cisco SD-WAN routers also provide a single platform for managing and monitoring all branch network devices, reducing the complexity and cost of network management. This is particularly useful for large enterprises with multiple branch locations.

By simplifying network security and management, Cisco SD-WAN routers enable IT teams to focus on more strategic initiatives, such as improving user experience and driving business growth.

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The Cisco ASR 1000 Series Aggregation Services Routers offer a range of models, including the ASR 1001-HX, ASR 1001-X, ASR 1002-HX, and ASR 1002-X.

The ASR 1001-HX and ASR 1002-HX models support Cisco IOS XE SD-WAN Release 16.9.1.

The ASR 1001-X and ASR 1002-X models support Cisco IOS XE SD-WAN Release 16.9.1 and Cisco IOS XE Release 17.9.x.

The Cisco ISR 1100 and ISR 1100X Series Integrated Services Routers come in several models, including ISR1100-4GISR1100-4GLTEISR1100-4GLTENAISR1100-4GLTEGBISR1100-6G and ISR1100X-4GISR1100X-6G.

These models support Cisco IOS XE Release 17.4.1a for the ISR1100-4GISR1100-4GLTEISR1100-4GLTENAISR1100-4GLTEGBISR1100-6G model.

The ISR1100X-4GISR1100X-6G model supports Cisco IOS XE Release 17.4.1a and Cisco SD-WAN (Viptela OS) Release 20.4.2.

Here are the supported software releases for the mentioned models:

Cisco SD-WAN routers offer a centralized approach to provisioning and management, allowing network administrators to easily manage the network as a whole. This eliminates the need to deal with individual devices one at a time.

With Cisco SD-WAN Manager, you get a graphical dashboard that provides network-wide visibility, making it easier to view statistics such as VPN performance from a single point. This is a huge improvement over manually reading configurations and output from individual devices.

Here are the key benefits of using Cisco SD-WAN routers:

LTE Support is a crucial feature in SD-WAN deployments. It allows for rapid provisioning of new small branches and can be used as a backup link.

LTE is associated with 4G standards, developed by 3GPP. This organization sets the standards for mobile networks.

One of the benefits of LTE is its ability to provide fast speeds. According to the table, the USB dongle supports up to 75/50 Mbps, while the pluggable module can reach speeds of up to 150/50 Mbps.

The pluggable module also supports LTE Advanced, which offers even faster speeds. In fact, it can reach speeds of up to 300/50 Mbps. This is a significant improvement over the USB dongle.

The embedded module also supports LTE Advanced, with speeds of up to 300/50 Mbps. This makes it a viable option for SD-WAN deployments.

The table below summarizes the LTE support offered by different products:

This table highlights the different LTE support options available, along with their corresponding speeds.

Automated Network Security is a game-changer for businesses that want to protect their networks without breaking the bank. The Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN fabric automatically encrypts traffic between sites, eliminating the need for manual configuration of encryption keys.

This means that the fabric itself authenticates all devices participating in the network, which is a crucial step in securing the infrastructure.

The fabric automatically exchanges encryption keys associated with the transport links, making it easier to manage complex network security. This eliminates the hassle of configuring thousands of pair-wise keys, which can be a daunting task for even the most experienced IT professionals.

The fabric ensures that the network is not prone to attacks from the transport side, providing an additional layer of protection against cyber threats.

Here are some key features of the Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN fabric's automated network security:

Provisioning and managing a network can be a daunting task, but Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN makes it significantly simpler. By centralizing and streamlining the process, network administrators can efficiently manage the entire network from a single point.

Cisco SD-WAN Manager provides a graphical dashboard that allows network administrators to monitor, configure, and maintain all Cisco vEdge devices and links in the overlay network. This eliminates the need to manually provision and monitor devices one at a time.

The GUI dashboard offers a templated view of various configurations, making it easy to provision a service with a single click. This approach ensures that all common elements, such as AAA and company-specific servers, are pushed to multiple devices at once.

Here are the key benefits of simplifying provisioning and management with Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN:

TLS 1.3 offers stronger security compared to TLS 1.2, making it a significant improvement for control connections.

This is particularly important for Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN control connections, where security is paramount. TLS 1.3 reduces the number of round trips required for initial connection setup, which in turn reduces latency and speeds up the establishment of a secure connection.

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This results in improved overall performance for control connections. In fact, Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN automatically selects one of the following cipher suites for control connections: TLS-AES-256-GCM-SHA384, TLS-AES-128-GCM-SHA256, TLS-AES-128-CCM-8-SHA256, and TLS-AES-128-CCM-SHA256.

By using TLS 1.3, control connections benefit from stronger security and improved performance. This is especially beneficial for networks with a large number of devices, where the hassle of configuring pair-wise keys can be a significant challenge.

You have three options to choose from when it comes to SD-WAN functionality: DNA Essentials, DNA Advantage, and DNA Premier. DNA Essentials is the entry-level subscription that supports up to 50 devices licensed with perpetual Network Essentials.

The terms for all subscription tiers are 3- or 5-years. This means you can choose the duration that suits your organization's needs. DNA Advantage provides all features of DNA Essentials and additional network and application assurance, as well as unlimited segmentation.

To use DNA Premier and DNA Advantage features, individual devices have to be licensed with perpetual Network Advantage license. This is an important requirement to keep in mind when selecting your subscription tier. DNA Premier provides all features of DNA Advantage plus advanced security features, including Cisco Threat Grid and Cisco Umbrella Insights.

Here are the subscription tiers with their respective part numbers:

Bandwidth is also a licensed parameter with SD-WAN platforms, which needs to be correctly selected once the subscription level is selected. This ensures that you get the right amount of bandwidth for your organization's needs. Cisco Smart Account is required for license activation, and it offers benefits such as license portability.

Software versions play a crucial role in determining the compatibility and functionality of your network devices. Specifically, IOS XE SD-WAN and Viptela OS version numbering don't match, and there are minimum requirements for controllers to support newer versions of IOS XE SD-WAN devices.

Each device also has a requirement to have ROMmon version compatible with the IOS XE SD-WAN image. The table below summarizes the supported hardware and features for each version of IOS XE SD-WAN.

It's worth noting that the software versions listed above are specific to the devices mentioned in the table.

The Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN solution is made up of four fundamental components: Cisco SD-WAN Manager, Cisco SD-WAN Controller, Cisco SD-WAN Validator, and Cisco IOS XE Catalyst SD-WAN and Cisco vEdge Devices.

The Cisco SD-WAN Manager is a centralized network management system that lets you configure and manage the entire overlay network from a simple graphical dashboard. It runs on a server in the network, typically situated in a centralized location, such as a data center.

The Cisco SD-WAN Controller is the centralized brain of the Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN solution, controlling the flow of data traffic throughout the network. It works with the Cisco SD-WAN Validator to authenticate Cisco vEdge devices as they join the network and to orchestrate connectivity among the edge routers.

Here are the four fundamental components of Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN:

The Cisco ASR 1000 Series Aggregation Services Routers are a range of devices that play a crucial role in network infrastructure. They are designed to provide high-performance routing and aggregation capabilities.

One of the key features of these routers is their ability to support various software releases. For instance, the ASR 1001-HX and ASR 1002-HX models support Cisco IOS XE SD-WAN Release 16.9.1, while the ASR 1001-X and ASR 1002-X models support Cisco IOS XE SD-WAN Release 16.9.1 and Cisco IOS XE Release 17.9.x.

Here's a breakdown of the minimum and last supported software releases for each model:

The centralized controller plays a key role in the Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN fabric, centralizing routing intelligence and eliminating scale challenges associated with full-mesh routing on the transport side of the network.

The Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN solution is made up of four fundamental components: Cisco SD-WAN Manager, Cisco SD-WAN Controller, Cisco SD-WAN Validator, and Cisco IOS XE Catalyst SD-WAN and Cisco vEdge Devices.

Cisco SD-WAN Manager is a centralized network management system that lets you configure and manage the entire overlay network from a simple graphical dashboard. It runs on a server in the network, typically situated in a centralized location, such as a data center.

The Cisco SD-WAN Controller is the centralized brain of the Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN solution, controlling the flow of data traffic throughout the network. It works with the Cisco SD-WAN Validator to authenticate Cisco vEdge devices as they join the network and to orchestrate connectivity among the edge routers.

Cisco SD-WAN Validator automatically orchestrates connectivity between edge routers and Cisco SD-WAN Controllers. If any edge router or Cisco SD-WAN Controller is behind a NAT, the Cisco SD-WAN Validator also serves as an initial NAT-traversal orchestrator.

Cisco IOS XE Catalyst SD-WAN and Cisco vEdge Devices are the edge routers that sit at the perimeter of a site, such as remote offices, branches, campuses, or data centers, and provide connectivity among the sites.

Here are the components of an edge router:

Control Connections are the backbone of any network, and Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN is no exception. They refer to the communication channels that control and manage the operation of a Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN network.

These connections are established between Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN control components and Cisco IOS XE Catalyst SD-WAN devices. Starting from Cisco IOS XE Catalyst SD-WAN Release 17.13.1a and Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager Release 20.13.1, the control connections in Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN support the Transport Layer Security protocol version 1.3.

The TLS 1.3 version provides stronger security than TLS 1.2, thus improving network performance and efficiency. If the Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Control components are using Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Control Components Release 20.13.1 or later, and devices are using Cisco IOS XE Catalyst SD-WAN Release 17.13.1a, they establish a TLS 1.3 connection between them.

In the absence of a TLS 1.3 connection, these components negotiate and establish a connection using TLS 1.2. For control connections, Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN automatically selects one of the following cipher suites:

This allows for secure and efficient communication between the control components and devices. The benefits of using TLS 1.3 in Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN control connections include stronger security and reduced latency, which improves overall performance.

A TLOC, or transport location, is identified by an IP address-color pair, written as the tuple {IP-address, color}. This pair consists of a system IP address and a fixed text string that identifies a VPN or traffic flow within a VPN.

The primary property of a TLOC is its IP address-color pair. This unique identifier helps edge routers connect to the WAN transport network or to a NAT gateway.

OMP advertised TLOCs using TLOC routes.

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Setting up a Cisco SD-WAN network is a straightforward process, involving creating configurations for each network component and ensuring key authentication files are in place.

To begin, you'll need to perform the initial bringup of the Cisco vEdge network components, which involves configuring the Cisco SD-WAN Validator function on one of the vEdge routers, and optionally configuring a top-level Cisco SD-WAN Validator to act as a ZTP server.

A DHCP server must also be present in the enterprise network, and you'll need to install signed certificates on Cisco SD-WAN Manager and download them to the Cisco SD-WAN Controller. Additionally, you'll need to install the vEdge router authorized serial number file on Cisco SD-WAN Manager and download it to the Cisco SD-WAN Controller.

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Here's a step-by-step overview of the initial bringup process:

The Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Portal is a game-changer for network administrators. It's a cloud-infrastructure automation tool that simplifies provisioning, monitoring, and maintaining Cisco SD-WAN Controllers on public cloud providers.

You can use the Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Portal to provision three types of controllers: the Cisco SD-WAN Manager, the Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Validator, and the Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Controller. This makes it easier to manage your network from a single point.

The Portal provides a quick and efficient way to configure and maintain your network, saving you time and reducing errors. You can access the Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Portal from the Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN menu in Cisco vManage Release 20.9.1 and later.

Here are the controllers you can provision using the Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Portal:

By using the Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Portal, you can simplify your network configuration and setup, making it easier to manage your network and troubleshoot issues.

The initial bring up and basic configuration of a Cisco vEdge network is a straightforward process. You'll need to create configurations for each network component and ensure that authentication-related files are in place.

To perform the initial bring up, power up the vEdge router and plug in a cable to connect the router to the network. The remainder of the bring up occurs automatically via a zero-touch-provisioning process.

As a network administrator, you'll perform several tasks as part of the initial bring up. These tasks include configuring the Cisco SD-WAN Validator function on one of the vEdge routers, optionally configuring a top-level Cisco SD-WAN Validator to act as a ZTP server, ensuring that a DHCP server is present in the enterprise network, and installing the signed certificate on Cisco SD-WAN Manager.

Here's a step-by-step list of tasks to perform during the initial bring up:

The configuration process is a critical step in setting up your network. By following these steps, you'll ensure that your network is properly configured and ready for use.

The setup of the IPsec data plane happens automatically, no configuration is necessary. This is a convenient feature that saves you time and effort.

A two-way IPsec SA is set up as a result of the automatic setup, meaning there is a different key in each direction. This ensures secure data encryption.

For every TLOC on a vEdge router, a symmetric key is advertised for encryption. This key is then reflected by the Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Controller and advertised with the TLOC.

Data traffic automatically starts to use the IPsec tunnel once it's up. This is a significant advantage as it minimizes downtime and ensures continuous data transfer.

BFD (Bidirectional Forwarding Detection) automatically starts on the tunnel once it's up. This ensures fast data plane convergence in the event of a transport network failure.

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The system IP address is a crucial part of network configuration, and it's assigned to each edge router and Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Controller.

This address identifies the physical system independently of any interface addresses, similar to a router ID on a regular router.

You write the system IP address as you would an IPv4 address, in decimal four-part dotted notation.

This means you can renumber the physical interfaces as needed without affecting the reachability of the Cisco vEdge device.

The system IP address provides permanent network overlay addresses for edge routers and Cisco SD-WAN Controllers.

A site within a Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN overlay network is a physical location with a unique identifier, known as a site ID. Each Cisco vEdge device at a site shares the same site ID.

Each site ID is a unique integer that identifies a particular physical location, such as a branch office, data center, or campus. Within a data center, all Cisco SD-WAN Controllers and edge routers are configured with the same site ID.

A branch office or local site typically has a single edge router, but if a second one is present for redundancy, both routers are configured with the same site ID.

In a Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN overlay network, each site is identified by a unique integer called a site ID. This site ID is the same for all Cisco vEdge devices at a site.

A site can be a branch office, a data center, or a campus. Each site has its own unique site ID, which is used to identify it within the network.

The site ID is used to configure all Cisco SD-WAN Controllers and edge routers at a site with the same ID. This ensures consistency across the site's devices.

Within a data center, all edge routers and SD-WAN Controllers are typically configured with the same site ID. This simplifies management and configuration.

A branch office or local site usually has a single edge router, but if redundancy is needed, both routers are configured with the same site ID.

A domain ID is a unique integer that identifies a logical grouping of edge routers and Cisco SD-WAN Controllers.

Each domain can have only one domain ID, and you can configure only one domain in a Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN overlay network.

Within a domain, edge routers can connect only with the Cisco SD-WAN Controllers in their own domain.

The Cisco SD-WAN Validator is aware of which Cisco SD-WAN Controllers are in which domain, so it can point new edge routers to the proper domain.

An organization can divide its network into domains to serve desired business purposes, such as large geographic areas or data centers.

Domains can correspond to a data center and the branches for which it is responsible, containing each data center and its branches within a single domain.