To say that retail is becoming increasingly more competitive is an understatement as retailers are embracing new technologies to increase efficiencies and improve the customer experience. In that environment, two issues must be top of mind regarding the network – dependability and security.
The network is the backbone of organization’s success, and a crucial component for staying competitive among your peers. Today, online presence means more than simply offering sales through your website – it includes social media interaction, e-marketing and mobile applications. The in-store experience is also evolving as more customers demand free WiFi, mobile POS, sales associates that can quickly locate inventory, and easy-to-use loyalty programs.
None of this is possible without a powerful, reliable network. However, simply having a traditional network may not be enough. Today’s IT transactions rely on massive amounts of data, such as video, that can bog down some networks, impede processes and inconvenience employees and shoppers. A dependable network that can handle an increasing flow of information, quickly and reliably, is a must.
It’s often said that it’s not a matter of if you’ll be the victim of a cyberattack, but when. In the face of increasing threats, your network needs to be secure from both current and future threats.
Cisco’s answer to the need for a truly reliable and secure network solution is SD-WAN – the “Software-Defined Wide-Area Network”. SD-WAN is a relatively new software-based approach to managing wide-area networks (networks that span multiple locations, such as a chain of retail stores), but the deployment of SD-WAN in retail environments has been gaining much traction. The reason is simple. These networks address the key challenges facing retailers – SD-WAN deployments provide better, more reliable application experiences, stronger connections with robust security features.
Since SD-WAN is a cloud-first, software-driven approach to routing traffic, it offers more flexibility and scalability than traditional networks. And it can manage multiple types of connections – broadband, LTE or MPLS – to connect any user to any application, across any cloud and at scale, for ultimate versatility.
Security has always been a key component of Cisco’s SD-WAN offerings, and the latest features of the solution adds to our commitment to keep our customers safe from the edge to the cloud delivering the right security at the right place, simplified. No other SD-WAN vendor delivers a comprehensive solution with both routing intelligence and threat intelligence in a certified trustworthy architecture.
We understand that some retailers are wary about deploying cloud-based solutions because they believe them to be less secure. And it’s true that a lack of unified, end-to-end security from the branch to multiple clouds can increase risks to organizations. But Cisco also believes the cloud is crucial to growing your business, especially for retailers who recognize the need to increase services for customers, while managing costs and resources.
Learn more about our SD-WAN solution now.
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