SLT-Mobitel launches first-ever fully-managed true SDWAN services

• Embraces intent-based networking approach for enterprise customers

SLT-Mobitel, has launched its first-ever SLTMobitel SD WAN service as a fully managed service for large and medium enterprises and Government institutions. 

SLT-Mobitel undertook this endeavour in keeping with its mission to support enterprises and to encourage timely transformation across the digital arena, as the country’s leading Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) service provider.

Businesses view the cloud as a key part of their strategy and innovation. The larger the business, the more users, devices, and things consume applications. As the pace of business increases, this results in a highly complex and dynamic network. The preferred method of connecting users to applications is shifting from dedicated MPLS connectivity, which is a fast data carrying technique to access data centres, and less connectivity to using the internet as a result. Branch Internet Edge connectivity becomes business critical for cloud movement. 

These influences create opportunities for increased exposure to cyber threats. It also means that there is an opportunity for inconsistent user experiences as application access is no longer reliant only on private networks. Complexity in adapting to changes in business needs and technical realities increases as well. This is where SLTMobitel SDWAN becomes a core component of modernisation, secure application delivery and resilient business capabilities. SLTMobitel SDWAN services built on Zero trust model, which is essential for BFSI sector and large enterprise customers as underlay connectivity will be open to private and public connectivity domain. 

SLT CEO Kiththi Perera said: “SLT-Mobitel decided to bring this concept to fruition for the ease of our customers. Within the digital journey of enterprises across various verticals, we recognised that movement of applications to cloud was becoming a growing necessity. Being the country’s national telecommunication service provider, running an extended program connecting all the enterprises via fibre last mile, we believed it was our responsibility to address these growing demands from our customers, individuals and businesses alike. We look forward to our customers reaping the maximum benefits with the best possible network options and the digitisation of the WAN network.”

The current method of using wide area network (WAN) is to connect users from a head office or branch to applications hosted on servers in data centres. The MPLS approach helps ensure reliable connectivity along with security and internet edge via head office. Today, with the ongoing technological changes making waves in the digital world, applications are fast moving into the cloud and users access these applications by way of a diverse range of devices.

Today, a much-discussed topic is alignment towards digital transformation and all enterprise verticals; from banking to retail, are looking to evolve and transform within this digital landscape with the aim of increasing their productivity, achieving less costs and revolutionising customer experiences. When business verticals ultimately move towards a transformation, the network would require to undergo a modification in a way where it would align with the ultimate need of the business. Therefore, the infrastructure would need to work according to the business intent. 

SLTMobitel SDWAN, SLT Chief Enterprise and Wholesale Officer Janaka Abeysinghe stated: “SLT-Mobitel Enterprise has connected small and large-scale enterprises with robust MPLS for more than two decades. We have continuously built reliable and scalable networks across the island and have extended multiple submarine cables in the global arena. Partnering with Cisco, the leader in the routing landscape for more than 30 years, creates the strongest SLTMobitel SDWAN service ever to steer past current methods of connectivity and think beyond, to support Enterprises. With the introduction of SLTMobitel SDWAN by partnering with Cisco, SLT-Mobitel currently acts as an enabler to help with the digital transformation of enterprises in Sri Lanka, and provide comprehensive next generation connectivity services.  In future, we hope to expand these services to global customers as well.”

SLTMobitel SDWAN was created with a focus on providing customers with an extended range of benefits by operating WAN for various business intents. SLTMobitel SDWAN is an overlay technology running on different underlay networks with a capacity to centrally manage Edge Devices and overlay networks. This service will bring a level of effortless management, better visibility, better application experience, optimised cloud connectivity and a more secure WAN for private and public connectivity, among a host of other benefits to its users. 

This is where SLT-Mobitel Enterprise utilises Cisco’s Intent based Networking (IBN) approach for SLTMobitel SDWAN services with the aim of building infrastructure that works in tandem with the business goals and to help businesses to address key business and technological challenges that they have been facing and still face today. Since the goal is for the network to continuously adjust network performance and help assure the desired business outcomes, SLT-Mobitel’s strategy was to deliver an IBN across different domains. IBN would focus on helping to translate the business intent into a policy and build that policy to guarantee that marketing uses and applications, placed on a secure segment to receive the highest priority service. 

The main features of SLTMobitel SDWAN powered by Cisco include visibility, security and performance. For an all-encompassing SLTMobitel SDWAN solution, enterprise customers will also benefit from growing WAN with less operational expenditure (OPEX), greater business agility and responsiveness, increased application performance across the WAN, assure business intent with advanced application visibility and control and robust edge-to-edge security and micro-segmentation. Amongst the many features that SLTMobitel SDWAN also offers, is the Cloud OnRamp for public Cloud services such as Microsoft Azure, AWS and Google Services which can deliver optimal performance, user experience, and security.

SLT-Mobitel’s main service building blocks will include consultation, design and migration. The company’s Enterprise will provide end-to-end SLTMobitel SDWAN services along with connectivity, controller, virtual and physical edges and offer a fully- managed SLTMobitel SDWAN service on top of the existing MPLS with in-house subject knowledge.