UC and UCaaS Optimization
Unified Communications (UC) and UC as a Service (UCaaS) enhance team collaboration with a mix of real-time communication and messaging tools, namely voice, video conferencing, and screen-sharing. While beneficial to the business, UC’s networking requirements challenge WAN transformation initiatives.
Voice and video require minimal latency and packet loss. Outages and slowdowns in the network become readily apparent to anyone in the middle of a voice or video call. Moving UC to the cloud with UCaaS, such as RingCentral, 8×8, Fuze, and Skype, requires predictable, low-latency cloud access from any branch location.
The Cato Solution:
Global Optimization and Security for UC and UCaaS Traffic
Cato Cloud, built on a global private backbone of 50+ PoPs, is the perfect complement to any UC or UCaaS deployment. With Cato, UCaaS traffic is optimally routed to the UCaaS provider instance anywhere across the globe. Cato’s last- and middle-mile optimizations minimize latency and packet loss, and protect against call failures caused by network brownout and blackouts. UC and UCaaS components connected to Cato Cloud are protected against network attacks without additional dedicated appliances or security services.
“As part of our partner certification process, we tested Cato’s ability to deliver high-quality voice even under extremely poor network conditions. We found that Cato was able to accommodate more than 15 percent packet loss and still maintain a high-level of voice quality, which is a significant achievement in providing superior customer experience.”
Challenge
Broadband Internet connections, such as DSL and cable, provide the affordable bandwidth and rapid deployment needed by WAN transformation initiatives. But alone they fail to address all the factors that can degrade the Quality of Experience (QoE) of UC and UCaaS. Broadband Internet services are oversubscribed, resulting in congestions that drive high rates of packet loss. Blackouts also present a problem due to cable cuts and equipment failures. For global organizations, packet loss and latency turn into an even bigger challenge, especially at congested peering points. Altogether, the unpredictable Internet makes it difficult or nearly impossible to deliver consistent, enterprise-grade quality voice and video.
Broadband Internet connections, such as DSL and cable, provide the affordable bandwidth and rapid deployment needed by WAN transformation initiatives. But alone they fail to address all the factors that can degrade the Quality of Experience (QoE) of UC and UCaaS. Broadband Internet services are oversubscribed, resulting in congestions that drive high rates of packet loss. Blackouts also present a problem due to cable cuts and equipment failures. For global organizations, packet loss and latency turn into an even bigger challenge, especially at congested peering points. Altogether, the unpredictable Internet makes it difficult or nearly impossible to deliver consistent, enterprise-grade quality voice and video.
Cato Solution
Cato Cloud provides the reach, performance, and protection enterprises require for UC and UCaaS. It minimizes latency by eliminating backhauling and avoiding the unpredictable public Internet. UCaaS traffic is sent directly across Cato Cloud to the PoP closest to the UCaaS destination. Cato overcomes congestion and last-mile packet loss with sophisticated upstream and downstream QoS and packet loss mitigation techniques. This ensures UCaaS traffic receives the necessary bandwidth to and from all branch offices.
Cato Cloud provides the reach, performance, and protection enterprises require for UC and UCaaS. It minimizes latency by eliminating backhauling and avoiding the unpredictable public Internet. UCaaS traffic is sent directly across Cato Cloud to the PoP closest to the UCaaS destination. Cato overcomes congestion and last-mile packet loss with sophisticated upstream and downstream QoS and packet loss mitigation techniques. This ensures UCaaS traffic receives the necessary bandwidth to and from all branch offices.
Traditional Solutions vs. Cato Solution
Legacy
Legacy
Cato
Cato
Last-Mile Prioritization, Packet Loss and Availability
Legacy
Upstream Traffic Prioritization
Appliance-based SD-WANs only prioritize upstream traffic. They typically include Active/Active Protection for aggregating capacity and blackouts protection. Policy-based Routing (PbR) selects the optimum path for UC sessions. Packet mitigation techniques may be available.
Cato
Upstream and Downstream Traffic Prioritization
Cato Cloud QoS prioritizes upstream and downstream last-mile access. Active/Active Protection and PbR aggregate capacity, protect against not only blackouts but also brownouts and select the optimum path. Packet Duplication and Fast Packet Recovery mitigate last-mile packet loss.
Middle-Mile Optimization
Legacy
Unpredictable Internet Routing
SD-WAN appliances rely on the unpredictable Internet. They cannot compensate for the latency from poor Internet routing or the packet loss caused by congested peering points.
Cato
Optimized Global Routing
Cato avoids Internet problems by using the Cato Cloud network, a private, global, network of PoPs built on top of multiple SLA-backed tier-1 carriers. Optimized routing algorithms direct UC traffic across the paths with the least latency and packet loss.
UCaaS Egress Optimization
Legacy
Custom deployment
SD-WAN appliances do not provide UCaaS access out-of-the-box. Organizations must first identify the location of their UCaaS provider and somehow deploy an appliance near the provider’s premises.
Cato
Built-in Optimization
Cato natively supports UCaaS and cloud datacenters (IaaS) without additional configuration, complexity, or point solutions. Cato intelligently drops UCaaS traffic at the Cato PoP closest to the UCaaS instance across the globe to minimize latency and packet loss.
Security
Legacy
Requires Additional Security Appliances
SD-WAN appliances require additional security appliance and services to protect against network attacks and Internet threats.
Cato
Integrated Security Stack
Cato’s converged security stack protects UC components against network attacks and Internet-borne threats without the need for dedicated appliances or additional security services.
Legacy
Cato
Last-Mile Prioritization, Packet Loss and Availability
Upstream Traffic Prioritization
Appliance-based SD-WANs only prioritize upstream traffic. They typically include Active/Active Protection for aggregating capacity and blackouts protection. Policy-based Routing (PbR) selects the optimum path for UC sessions. Packet mitigation techniques may be available.
Upstream and Downstream Traffic Prioritization
Cato Cloud QoS prioritizes upstream and downstream last-mile access. Active/Active Protection and PbR aggregate capacity, protect against not only blackouts but also brownouts and select the optimum path. Packet Duplication and Fast Packet Recovery mitigate last-mile packet loss.
Middle-Mile Optimization
Unpredictable Internet Routing
SD-WAN appliances rely on the unpredictable Internet. They cannot compensate for the latency from poor Internet routing or the packet loss caused by congested peering points.
Optimized Global Routing
Cato avoids Internet problems by using the Cato Cloud network, a private, global, network of PoPs built on top of multiple SLA-backed tier-1 carriers. Optimized routing algorithms direct UC traffic across the paths with the least latency and packet loss.
UCaaS Egress Optimization
Custom deployment
SD-WAN appliances do not provide UCaaS access out-of-the-box. Organizations must first identify the location of their UCaaS provider and somehow deploy an appliance near the provider’s premises.
Built-in Optimization
Cato natively supports UCaaS and cloud datacenters (IaaS) without additional configuration, complexity, or point solutions. Cato intelligently drops UCaaS traffic at the Cato PoP closest to the UCaaS instance across the globe to minimize latency and packet loss.
Security
Requires Additional Security Appliances
SD-WAN appliances require additional security appliance and services to protect against network attacks and Internet threats.
Integrated Security Stack
Cato’s converged security stack protects UC components against network attacks and Internet-borne threats without the need for dedicated appliances or additional security services.