WAN help!!

[Alex]

Hi,
I'm helping my dad plan and set up a new company and as far as internet goes we are considering the cost/benefit of maybe setting up a country-wide WAN in Germany to feed internet to and streamline network communications between our HQ and 5-20 locations across the country

I don't really know anything about WANs so i was wondering if anyone could point me in the right way, give me some advice, anything!!

for 5 locations I realize that this won't be necessary and it will be cheaper for each location to have its own DSL connection and connect remotely to our HQ, but as the operation escalates I'd like to be prepared and offer some kind of alternative.

what do you guys think? is this doable?

thanks!!

 

[nweaver]

You can lease lines to set up a wan (expensive) or you can use VPN over the internet (cheap/easier)

for smaller sites, I would go VPN, if you have a large site or a large amount of data from a particular site, then perhaps move to leased lines for that one site.

 

[Alex]

if i have a VPN though I would still need individual internet links at each location right?

 

[yuppiejr]

Yes, VPN creates a tunnel over each site's "internet link" so you'd need to have business class broadband service in each location.

 

[Alex]

Originally posted by: nweaver
You can lease lines to set up a wan (expensive) or you can use VPN over the internet (cheap/easier)

for smaller sites, I would go VPN, if you have a large site or a large amount of data from a particular site, then perhaps move to leased lines for that one site.

what exactly goes into setting up a WAN though?
i assume a lot of optical fibre....

also, can you point me somewhere where I'd be able to get an estimate of just how expensive this might be?

I want to try to figure out when it stops being simpler for each location to have its own link and when its more practical to centralize everything.... i'm guessing at 30+ stores but really i need more concrete numbers!!

thanks

 

[jlazzaro]

you wont be leasing any dark fiber, so you dont have to worry about anything optical.

you would usually lease a circuit from a service provider, be it T1, Frame Relay, etc. Each of those would terminate at a hub site, like your HQ.

if you want concrete numbers, your going to have call providers with your needs, sites, addresses, etc and get actual quotes. but to give you an idea, depending on the distance we pay $250-$450 a month for a full T1.

 

[Alex]

Originally posted by: jlazzaro
you wont be leasing any dark fiber, so you dont have to worry about anything optical.

you would usually lease a circuit from a service provider, be it T1, Frame Relay, etc. Each of those would terminate at a hub site, like your HQ.

if you want concrete numbers, your going to have call providers with your needs, sites, addresses, etc and get actual quotes. but to give you an idea, depending on the distance we pay $250-$450 a month for a full T1.

that $240-$450 a month is that between 2 locations or between a HQ and many locations?
just so i can kind of put it in perspective!

thx

 

[jlazzaro]

between 2 locations...HQ and a remote site. it can add up quick, leased lines are definately not the cheapest solution.

 

[Garion]

OK, step back a bit..

Saying you want to setup a WAN is like saying you want to buy a new vehicle. It's all about requirements. Do you need a tricycle, a honda, a Ferrari or a semi truck?

You have a lot to think about. You need to rate and prioritize your need for performance, cost savings, availabie bandwidth, security, flexibility, etc. Once you know what you need, then you look at the technologies.

In general, a traditional WAN is based on private circuits connecting to a MPLS, Frame Relay or ATM backbone will be the most expensive, most reliable, least flexible and most secure.

Getting individual Internet circuits in each office and using a VPN will be far cheaper, but won't offer the same level of reliability and security. It will, however, be more flexible and allow you to make the most use of your bandwidth.

With a traditional WAN all Internet connections will need to be routed back to your HQ. This means that you'll need to have enough WAN bandwidth to do your daily business plus whatever Internet use you need.

A VPN model will allow you to spread out Internet access to the offices. The only thing that goes across the VPN is business traffic. And, you get the added bonus that a lot of VPN concentrators will comrpess most business traffic and you'll see less bandwidth utilized.

Sit down down with your father and decide what's important to you. Come up with requirements for what the business sites need to do, what's hosted at HQ, etc. and use that to figure out what you need.

Last thing. Prices here in the US are different than what you'll find in the EU. Something that might be cheap for us migh expensive for you and vice versa.

- G

 

[Alex]

Originally posted by: Garion
OK, step back a bit..

Saying you want to setup a WAN is like saying you want to buy a new vehicle. It's all about requirements. Do you need a tricycle, a honda, a Ferrari or a semi truck?

You have a lot to think about. You need to rate and prioritize your need for performance, cost savings, availabie bandwidth, security, flexibility, etc. Once you know what you need, then you look at the technologies.

In general, a traditional WAN is based on private circuits connecting to a MPLS, Frame Relay or ATM backbone will be the most expensive, most reliable, least flexible and most secure.

Getting individual Internet circuits in each office and using a VPN will be far cheaper, but won't offer the same level of reliability and security. It will, however, be more flexible and allow you to make the most use of your bandwidth.

With a traditional WAN all Internet connections will need to be routed back to your HQ. This means that you'll need to have enough WAN bandwidth to do your daily business plus whatever Internet use you need.

A VPN model will allow you to spread out Internet access to the offices. The only thing that goes across the VPN is business traffic. And, you get the added bonus that a lot of VPN concentrators will comrpess most business traffic and you'll see less bandwidth utilized.

Sit down down with your father and decide what's important to you. Come up with requirements for what the business sites need to do, what's hosted at HQ, etc. and use that to figure out what you need.

Last thing. Prices here in the US are different than what you'll find in the EU. Something that might be cheap for us migh expensive for you and vice versa.

- G

Thanks Garion, that was a pretty clarifying response! I'll have to think this out a little more to find out exactly what kind of traffic will take place...

cheers!