We’re breaking down how AI would possibly influence enterprise networks in data-driven deep dives. Utilizing TeleGeography’s WAN Value Benchmark—a custom-made platform that makes it straightforward to mannequin and observe your WAN community prices—we’re modeling potential real-life community setups and configurations for AI.
In these posts, we’re evaluating the whole value of possession (TCO) of a legacy MPLS community—one that also represents many multinationals’ WANs in 2025—to varied hybrid or internet-first alternate options designed to accommodate modifications introduced by AI and cloud. Whereas our argument for shifting previous MPLS-centered WANs was traditionally largely about value, it’s now rather more about getting the community proper sized for the approaching AI-driven bandwidth crunch, resiliency, app-specific coverage and efficiency, and full utilization of cloud.
That is the final submit of this sequence. Meet up with the primary three posts:
Hub and Spoke WAN
Earlier analyses on this sequence explored tiered hybrid fashions and internet-first methods, each of which leverage the flexibleness and cost-effectiveness of web connectivity, managed and secured by an SD-WAN overlay. However on this submit, we look at probably the most radical revision but: the Hub and Spoke WAN.
The Hub and Spoke WAN mannequin represents a major problem to a elementary assumption of contemporary networking: the necessity for ubiquitous any-to-any connectivity. As a substitute of a meshed non-public community, equivalent to MPLS, or a versatile overlay, like SD-WAN, this structure entails creating a non-public, “carrier-like” community the place department workplaces (“spokes”) are instantly tethered to regional knowledge facilities (“hubs”).
Adopting such a “carrier-like” community represents greater than a technological shift; it indicators a elementary transformation within the enterprise’s IT operational mannequin. The group transitions from being a passive shopper of a managed WAN service to an lively supervisor of its personal non-public spine. This new position entails sourcing and managing a various set of parts for the spine and probably co-location amenities for the hubs themselves. This shifts the duty for end-to-end community efficiency, routing integrity throughout the core, and long-term capability planning from the provider to the in-house IT crew. The choice, subsequently, can hinge as a lot on a company’s inner capabilities because it does on the technological deserves of the structure.
Modeling a Hub and Spoke WAN
These are the modifications we applied at every WAN website tier to create such a community:
- DCs— We added a spine of enormous bandwidth wavelengths between the information facilities.
- All Tiers—One DIA port of the same pace to the unique MPLS, together with an EoMPLS non-public line of the same pace again to the closest regional knowledge middle. We included native entry to all DIA websites, excluding these in the US, Canada, and Western Europe.
- We saved MPLS for the Chinese language websites for personal connectivity at these websites, relatively than the DIA (we nonetheless added non-public strains for these websites).
- As a result of the workplaces have a direct non-public connection, there isn’t a have to undertake SD-WAN.
So why would an enterprise forgo SD-WAN, the market’s main expertise development? The reply lies in what this structure prioritizes as an alternative of final flexibility.
As a result of all non-public visitors from a spoke has a single, deterministic vacation spot—its designated hub—the advanced, dynamic path choice and coverage enforcement of SD-WAN turns into pointless. This architectural alternative has profound implications for each value and operational complexity. With vital company visitors to the information middle going by way of non-public strains, safety may also be a lot easier than in a hybrid or internet-first WAN structure.
For a particular class of enterprise, the advantages of absolute visitors isolation on non-public strains, radically simplified routing logic, and enhanced management over the community core outweigh some great benefits of a completely meshed, internet-centric design. This isn’t a legacy structure, however a contemporary, strategic alternative for organizations whose enterprise necessities demand safety and predictability above all else.
Common Complete Bandwidth per Website in Every Subregion—Twin MPLS WAN vs. Hub and Spoke WAN
Notice: Every bar represents the common whole website bandwidth, together with a number of ports or underlay providers, throughout all websites within the listed subregion.
- The Hub and Spoke community is actually the identical bandwidth as the unique MPLS WAN. We did this to make the comparability as one-for-one as attainable with an MPLS community and since bandwidth is much less of a problem in a P2P state of affairs the place visitors is on a non-public community destined for the information middle.
- In some places, the common bandwidth is barely down, whereas it was extra more likely to go up a bit in locations the place we swapped a decrease capability MPLS port with a barely bigger non-public line.
- All P2P connections, besides these between knowledge facilities, obtained an entry line.
Distribution of Complete Website Speeds—Hub and Spoke WAN
Notice: Every part represents the share of whole website bandwidths that fall inside every bandwidth vary.
- Within the authentic, we have been including collectively two identically sized MPLS ports. Right here we’re including collectively the DIA port and the EoMPLS line, that are sometimes barely totally different speeds however very shut.
- Over half of the websites on this community have a complete website bandwidth of 200 Mbps or under.
- About 10% of web sites have a complete website bandwidth above 1,000 Mbps.
Unique Twin MPLS and Hub and Spoke WAN State of affairs TCOs
Notice: Every column represents the whole annual value of possession for that WAN state of affairs, damaged out by product in every coloration part.
- Whereas the bandwidth is actually the identical, the Hub and Spoke community is extra reasonably priced, with the TCO lowering about 12% from $8.1m to $7.1m.
- This community is inherently safe (delicate company visitors goes over non-public strains not on shared infrastructure) and resilient (EPL over a meshed community) even when it lacks the power to share knowledge between any two random workplaces on the community.
- Entry is almost all of the price of the community–57%–with the following largest share going to the non-public strains at 23%.
- There aren’t any extra SD-WAN prices, which retains the value down in comparison with different eventualities.
The Hub and Spoke mannequin analyzed right here is outlined by its deliberate omission of an SD-WAN overlay. As a substitute, the enterprise successfully builds its personal non-public spine connecting key regional hubs, with all different websites connecting to this core. This can be a fashionable, hybrid structure that blends non-public and public connectivity with a transparent goal for every, and is customized for AI, particularly as including incremental bandwidth to EoMPLS hyperlinks shall be easy and cost-effective.
The Hub and Spoke mannequin’s readiness for AI is rooted in its centralized structure, which instantly addresses the distinctive visitors patterns and knowledge necessities of synthetic intelligence workloads. By centralizing compute and knowledge in well-connected hubs, the Hub and Spoke mannequin creates an environment friendly and safe atmosphere that’s purpose-built for the calls for of large-scale AI mannequin coaching and inference.
Mannequin Your Personal WAN
You do not have to make costly commitments to learn how a lot your WAN will value. TeleGeography’s WAN Value Benchmark platform permits you to mannequin your WAN community, strive totally different configurations, and get actual insights into how your price range shall be impacted.
Some enterprises prioritize reducing prices, however we extra generally see enterprise clients use TeleGeography’s WAN Value Benchmark platform to arrange a extra resilient and higher performing, AI-ready community with out having to ask the c-suite for extra money. You may get extra particulars and a video tour right here.
WAN Managers: We Wish to Hear From You
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