Insights

Introduction

 

Digitalizing public services is a logical step for the Philippine government in order to keep pace with technological advancements locally and abroad. This transition involves a virtual, digitalized approach to connectivity and security, with software-defined wide area networks (SD-WAN) leading the top options for upgrading and scaling systems and processes. 

 

However, transitioning to SD-WAN can be complex, especially if your office has been using legacy systems and manual processes. As such, a network provider in the Philippines specializing in SD-WAN integration, like InfoBahn Communications, Inc., is a necessity. Read on to learn how you can choose the right vendor to hire for your scaling and upgrading plans.

 

 

What Is SD-WAN and Why It Matters for Government Infrastructure

 

A software-defined wide area network, or SD-WAN, is an approach that uses software to manage wide area networks. This mode of management enables virtualized connectivity between your agency’s branches and the data centers where applications are accessed and information is stored. 

 

In the case of a statistics office, you may use an enterprise database to input updated data for a citizen. Instead of manually updating a separate, offline file, you can update the database online and synchronize the branch’s data with the main database, ensuring information is up-to-date in real-time. 

 

Such an upgrade in connectivity enables smoother workflows between office branches, and at times, between departments. In addition to its centralized approach, an SD-WAN enhances your network security. With easy connectivity comes increased attack vectors, so this type of network infrastructure ensures that every channel connecting your branch to applications, platforms, and databases is adequately protected. 

 

With efficiency and security in place, SD-WAN also enables your public office workers to perform well. This performance extends to the public you serve — a streamlined system means faster and more efficient delivery of services to the citizens, raising public trust, saving operational costs, and reducing backlogs. 

 

To ensure that all your offices enjoy these benefits, consider a network solutions provider in the Philippines that specializes in SD-WAN models. The following sections will further describe the features that make SD-WAN a boon in agencies and explore the ways you can find the right one for your organization.

 

Key SD-WAN Features That Benefit Public Sector Agencies

 

Transitioning to SD-WAN and leveraging its features provides government offices with a competitive edge in operations and delivery. With this approach, branches benefit from the following:

 

Centralized Management

 

SD-WAN’s virtualized approach enables centralized network management, allowing system administrators to configure, monitor, and troubleshoot the network using a single interface. Administrators gain a clear overview of all activities across the entire network, enabling them to identify and address anomalies more quickly.

 

Application-Based Routing

 

SD-WAN’s application-aware routing helps your network perform at its best at all times. It utilizes intelligent bandwidth management to ensure that your most used applications and platforms get the resources they need to operate smoothly. The approach helps optimize your various connections, ensuring that performance and delivery are unhampered, and public service is duly delivered to constituents.

 

Real-Time Visibility

 

A direct result of its centralized management capabilities, SD-WAN enables administrators to have a comprehensive view of everything happening in the network through a single interface, including real-time changes, updates, and issues. This feature helps your team address any potential disruptions as soon as possible. The real-time visibility also contributes to efficiency in monitoring everyday operations.

 

Bandwidth Optimization

 

An SD-WAN approach optimizes bandwidth utilization to ensure that critical applications receive the necessary resources for optimal performance. That way, latency is reduced and data is delivered promptly, ultimately resulting in on-time, unhampered delivery of services. This is especially important for public platforms used by multiple users, such as online ID registration and tax payment services.

 

Integrated Security

 

The key strength of SD-WAN is its advanced security features. The approach is primarily preferred for its next-generation firewalls, secure gateways, and intrusion prevention capabilities. These features are crucial elements for networks that connect the public to government systems, protecting the data privacy rights and maintaining public trust.

 

 

Choosing the Right SD-WAN Network Provider in the Philippines

 

Hiring an SD-WAN provider in the Philippines is the right move if you want to improve your office’s network operations. The question, however, is how to choose the vendor for the job. To ensure the third-party won’t put your organization at risk and actually help improve your systems, consider the following:

• Get a Local Expert. Improving a government agency’s network requires a deep understanding of the system and an awareness of the norms prevalent in the public sector. Thus, a vendor with deep local expertise and a proven track record of successful projects in the country will be more beneficial than hiring a foreign vendor who might inadvertently introduce practices unsuitable for Filipino departments and end-users.
• Look for a Partnership. Your SD-WAN provider will likely serve you well into the future, not just for the initial system overhaul. The provider you choose will provide technical support when issues arise and collaborate with your internal team to address them. As such, you should look for partners, not just contractors, who understand that the success of your system translates into larger benefits, such as serving the public well and solidifying trust in the government.

 

 

What Sets Top SD-WAN Vendors Apart

 

Your office should hire trustworthy third-party companies, and a way to find them easily is to review the list of top SD-WAN vendors in the industry. The best ones would exhibit the following qualities and prove their mettle with previous successful projects:

 

Scalability

 

Reliable SD-WAN vendors provide a platform that can cater to organizations of all sizes, whether you need system upgrades for your local government unit office or national headquarters. The platform they use enables smooth and systematic scaling of operations. For instance, if you want to increase the number of branches that connect to your office’s central server, the tech provider should be able to integrate the additional offices without overhauling or disrupting existing systems. The same principle applies when you need to consolidate offices for downsizing and streamlining purposes.

 

Support

 

Complex SD-WAN solutions are best deployed when handled by experts. Your vendor should provide comprehensive support to plan and deploy this network approach, as well as stay available for troubleshooting, support, and technical guidance. Expect that these solutions will evolve over time, too, so ensure that you are hiring a vendor who will keep you updated on advancements and upgrades without requiring prompting.  

 

Compliance

 

The best SD-WAN vendors prioritize compliance; after all, it’s how they can continue to operate and deliver solutions to Philippine organizations that need network upgrades and support. As the client, it is essential to equip yourself with knowledge about the laws and regulations governing network deployment and security. This is important since you will be transmitting government-owned information through these virtual channels — keeping them safe and secure should be the primary mission for you and your chosen vendor.

 

Integration With Existing Infrastructure

 

Unless you are using a legacy system, which can be rigid and will require replanning and overhauling, SD-WAN is relatively easy to integrate with your existing network infrastructure. The primary objective of the service is to enhance your network by streamlining data transmission, service delivery, and transaction processes, making them faster, more efficient, and more secure. The end-users, including your office workers and the public using your system, should not feel like they are using an outdated system rife with delays, errors, and security risks. Instead, users should be able to complete their tasks smoothly, whether that involves updating a database or entering their information in an online application form.

 

Cybersecurity

With hyper connectivity comes cybersecurity risks, so your SD-WAN vendor should have measures in place to mitigate or eliminate these threats. Your network should be protected against unauthorized access, fraudulent attacks, malware, and other threats that may result in disruption or worse, downtime. Your hired third-party team must present measures, such as data backups and secure segmentation, to prevent malicious actors or software from successfully penetrating your network and compromising your entire system. As a public service provider, you cannot risk a full-scale shutdown; otherwise, the public will bear the brunt of the inconvenience.

 

 

Choose InfoBahn as Your SD-Wan Network Provider

 

The public sector is in need of advanced network solutions to keep up with today’s technological developments. InfoBahn Communications, Inc. is one such provider that focuses on enhancing government office operations to ensure connectivity and streamline operations among branches, ultimately helping to deliver services that the Filipino public deserves.

 

We rise to the challenge with our secure and scalable SD-WAN solutions, simplifying multi-branch connectivity and strengthening network reliability in agencies. Our team has decades of experience supporting local operations, and we are amenable to customizations to better serve your needs and requirements. We are more than ready to provide the solutions your organization needs to thrive in the country’s growing digital landscape!

 

 

Conclusion

 

Smooth and secure interconnectivity between public office networks in the Philippines is possible with SD-WAN solutions. With a software-defined approach, your organization is better connected, data transmission is faster and more secure, and the delivery of services to end-users, namely the Filipino public, is more efficient and reliable. Improving the lives of Filipinos starts with your government agency taking the initiative to enhance processes with such digital technologies. 

 

Fortunately, it is not too late to get started with your system upgrades. InfoBahn is here to help you. Contact our team today to discuss your network requirements!