8-step guide to Wide Area Network (WAN) design considerations

Keeping a business connected across many locations can feel like trying to juggle while riding a unicycle. Not impossible, but definitely not easy. That’s where Wide Area Network (WAN) design considerations come into play. A well-planned WAN design allows data to flow and helps with effective team collaboration.

Our guide covers these 8 steps to prepare your WAN design:

1. Estimate your network needs
2. Choose the right WAN technology
3. Select the best devices
4. Design to scale
5. Optimize your network for better performance
6. Build redundancy to stop downtime
7. Secure your design
8. Monitor your network metrics to prevent more problems

We’ll also cover why Meter can solve your WAN problems by doing the design for you with ongoing maintenance too. But first, let’s discuss why this matters and what it entails.

Why wide area network (WAN) design considerations can make or break your business

The importance of WAN design lies in its primary function—keeping your business connected, secure, and ready for expansion. It serves your team by allowing collaboration across locations without dealing with constant network failures or security scares.

A poor WAN design will leave you dealing with dropped connections, potential data breaches, and endless IT frustrations. With the right setup, your network grows with you, stays secure, and avoids those, “The network is down” panic moments that nobody has time for.

Step 1: Figure out your network needs

A wide area network should be built to handle a company’s specific requirements. You’ll want to figure out how much data your network has to move and the communication types that are non-negotiable.

Bandwidth and traffic requirements should be first in line. Your WAN has to keep up with all of the large file transfers and cloud-based tools your company uses daily. And not just for right now, but in the future as well. Avoiding congestion next week, month, or year is just as important as it is today.

Once bandwidth is taken care of, mapping out the location coverage of your network should come next. The right technology for each area could hinge on knowing the exact distance between sites. Urban branches might need different solutions than rural ones, so consider the unique demands of each spot.

Finally, we come to security. This is definitely not the time to skimp on the necessities. A WAN, from day one, should have strong security built-in. Protecting sensitive data is of the utmost importance and using VPNs and encryption to keep it safe must be a priority. Make sure all data is protected as it moves between branches and the cloud.

Step 2: Choose the right WAN technology for your design

Your chosen WAN technology will directly impact both your budget and network performance. The following are some of the more common options.

MPLS and SD-WAN

MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) is like the gold standard of WAN technologies when it comes to reliability. It’s been around for years, and it’s known for delivering consistent, predictable performance. If your business relies on critical applications that absolutely cannot experience delays—think financial transactions, VoIP, or video conferencing—MPLS is often the go-to choice.

The way MPLS works is by creating a dedicated, private route for your data, keeping it separate from the public Internet. This means you’re less likely to experience congestion, and your data arrives on time without much interference.

However, this reliability comes at a cost. MPLS isn’t cheap, and scaling it can get expensive fast. If you’re operating a small business or a startup, MPLS might eat into your budget. It’s perfect for enterprises that need guaranteed performance and are willing to pay for it. But if your WAN covers multiple locations, expanding your MPLS network will make you feel that price tag.

MPLS is ideal for businesses that:

• Need stable, predictable performance for critical applications.
• Can justify higher costs for private, secure, and reliable network traffic.
• Need reliable performance across multiple locations and have the budget to cover the higher costs.

SD-WAN, on the other hand, is like the new kid on the block who’s shaking things up—and doing it at a lower cost. Instead of relying on a single dedicated path like MPLS, SD-WAN uses multiple types of connections, such as broadband, LTE, and MPLS (yes, you can combine the two!), and routes traffic based on real-time performance.

Imagine your data is like a delivery driver in a city with heavy traffic. SD-WAN is the smart GPS system that finds the fastest, least congested route to get where it’s going, even if that means switching between highways and side streets (broadband, LTE, MPLS). The flexibility helps SD-WAN prioritize the most important traffic first—video conferencing or cloud services—while less important traffic takes the scenic route.

SD-WAN can help reduce costs compared to MPLS, especially when scaling your network, depending on your setup. It’s easier to scale because it uses less expensive public Internet connections, and it allows you to manage multiple locations without the need for costly private circuits.

The trade-off? SD-WAN can’t guarantee the same rock-solid performance as MPLS. Public Internet connections are, by nature, less reliable than private ones. But for many businesses, especially those with a lot of cloud-based applications, SD-WAN’s flexibility and lower cost far outweigh the occasional hiccup in performance.

SD-WAN is ideal for businesses that:

• Need flexibility to dynamically route traffic based on real-time performance.
• Want to reduce costs by using public Internet connections.
• Are growing quickly and need a scalable solution that’s easier on the budget.

If you’re in an industry where downtime isn’t an option, MPLS might be the safer bet. It’s reliable, stable, and predictable. But if you’re looking for something more cost-effective and adaptable, SD-WAN gives you the flexibility to grow without breaking the bank.

Leased lines vs. broadband

Leased lines offer more reliability than broadband, but at a higher cost.

Leased lines are like the VIP pass of WAN connections. You get a private, dedicated line that only your business uses. No competing with anyone else for bandwidth, which means you get consistent performance—especially during peak times.

Leased lines offer guaranteed speed, stability, and reliability because they’re not shared with other users. It’s like having your own private lane on a busy road, and nobody’s going to slow you down.

But that exclusivity comes at a cost. Leased lines are one of the most expensive options, and as your business grows, the costs can multiply quickly.

Leased lines are ideal for businesses that:

• Require consistent, high-speed performance for critical tasks like large data transfers or real-time communication.
• Can handle the higher price tag in exchange for reliability.
• Need a dedicated, private connection with strong SLAs (Service Level Agreements) guaranteeing uptime.

On the other side of the spectrum, broadband is the more cost-effective, shared option. With broadband, you’re using the same connection as your neighbors—whether they’re residential or other businesses. This means your speeds can fluctuate based on how many people are using the network at any given time.

Broadband is much cheaper than leased lines, but it doesn’t offer the same level of reliability. It’s great for small to mid-sized businesses that don’t need guaranteed uptime for every single task. For most general business operations—like web browsing, emails, or even cloud-based applications—broadband can handle the load just fine.

Broadband is ideal for businesses that:

• Want a lower-cost connection that still provides reasonable speeds for everyday tasks.
• Can tolerate occasional fluctuations in speed, especially during peak hours.
• Don’t rely heavily on high-speed, real-time data transfers or critical applications.

To simplify the choice, consider this: Leased lines are the premium option for businesses that prioritize performance and can pay the price, while broadband is a budget-friendly choice that works well for general operations. Unable to choose a single option? Perhaps a hybrid WAN will pique your interest.

Hybrid WAN solutions

Some businesses can’t choose just one—so they go hybrid. A Hybrid WAN can combine multiple types of connections, like leased lines, broadband, or wireless, allowing you to optimize performance and cost based on the application. It’s like having a VIP pass for when you need it most, but also using the regular lanes when things aren’t so busy.

Hybrid WAN solutions give you flexibility. You can route important traffic, like video conferencing or sensitive data transfers, through the leased line. Meanwhile, less time-sensitive data, like general internet browsing or email, can go through broadband. This way, you get the reliability of a leased line where it counts without the high costs for everything else.

Hybrid WAN solutions are ideal for businesses that:

• Need a mix of reliable, high-performance connections for critical tasks but also want to cut costs on less important traffic.
• Value flexibility and scalability as their business grows.
• Want to balance the best of both leased lines and broadband without overpaying.

You now have a very important decision to make. All of these options are solid, but you don’t have to be afraid to mix and match. Many businesses may feel hybris is the way to go, using MPLS where performance must be consistent, SD-WAN for cost-effective scalability, and a combination of broadband or leased lines to optimize cost and performance.

Taking the time to weigh these options can help avoid overspending, network issues, or the need for a costly redesign down the line.

Step 3: Select the right devices for your wide area network design

Choosing the wrong equipment can bring even the most well-designed WAN to its knees. This makes selecting the right equipment one of the most important decisions you can make in your wide area network design.

We’ve provided some key devices you’ll need below. Now, which of the following devices is necessary to create a WAN? If you’re hoping for a WAN that performs at an optimal level—all of them. But you’ll need to know what you’re looking for and why to make the best choice.

Routers and switches

Routers and switches are your network’s traffic directors, routing data between your locations. The most important thing is to make sure your routers can handle your bandwidth needs. If your business deals with heavy data loads or cloud-based apps, you need routers that won’t lag under pressure.

Look for routers with Quality of Service (QoS) features. QoS makes it so your important traffic—like video conferencing or VoIP calls—gets priority. And don’t forget about scalability. Routers and switches should be upgradable. If they can’t grow with your business, you’ll end up needing replacements sooner than you’d like, which is neither cost-effective nor fun for anyone.

Security appliances

Next up, keeping your network safe from external threats. Firewalls and VPN gateways are non-negotiable here. A firewall acts as a data security guard monitoring incoming and outgoing traffic, blocking anything suspicious. A VPN gateway, on the other hand, encrypts your data as it travels across the WAN, ensuring nobody can snoop on sensitive information.

Seek out security appliances that offer real-time threat detection, so you can catch any issues before they become big problems. They should also be scalable, meaning they can handle increased traffic as you expand. Meter simplifies scaling your network by offering flexible hardware options that grow with your business. When business expands, so can your network, all without breaking the bank.

Unless you’re looking for sub-optimal performance and to give your IT team more headaches, never cut corners on hardware.

Step 4: Design for scalability and future growth

Your WAN needs to be ready for what’s coming today as well as tomorrow. An increase in employees, new sites, or adopting technologies like IoT—all benefit from designing with scalability in mind. Nobody wants to tear apart their network just because business is booming.

Estimate how your network needs might change in the future:

• Will more bandwidth be required as your team expands?
• Are you planning to open new offices or adopt more cloud-based services?
• Do you expect to integrate more data-heavy technologies like IoT or video conferencing?

Getting ahead of these questions now saves you from costly upgrades later. Think of it like building a house—you want to make sure the foundation can support more rooms in the future.

Using technology like SD-WAN makes expanding much simpler. It gives you the flexibility to adjust as needed without overhauling your whole setup, whether that’s:

• Adding locations
• Increasing bandwidth
• Integrating new devices

Flexible WAN design considerations prevent disruption and downtime, letting your business grow without stalling operations.

Meter’s Network as a Service (NaaS) model takes this one step further. It grows alongside your business, so as you scale, your network scales with you. No need for constant upgrades or new hardware—it’s all handled for you, keeping things stress-free as your business evolves.

Step 5: Optimize your network for performance

Making sure your most important applications get the attention they deserve requires optimizing your WAN. If your network can’t handle the load, things like VoIP calls and video conferences start to stutter and drop—nobody wants to explain pixelated faces and awkward silences on important client calls.

Latency and jitter are the real troublemakers in WAN performance. Latency is the time it takes for data to travel from one point to another. When it drags, you notice it—especially in things like voice or video calls. Even a slight delay can turn a normal conversation into a frustrating guessing game.

Then there's jitter, which is when data packets show up out of order, creating stutters and glitches that can turn a smooth video call into a pixelated mess.

So, how do you avoid this? The key to WAN optimization is making sure that your data is taking the most efficient routes across the network. SD-WAN’s intelligent routing steps in, dynamically adjusting traffic paths to keep your most important applications—like real-time communications—going strong.

WAN optimization helps avoid network slowdowns while keeping your team connected and productive without the unnecessary interruptions that can throw everything off.

Step 6: Build redundancy and failover into your WAN

Building redundancy and failover into your WAN design is like having a Plan B (and maybe a Plan C). It’s not something you think about much until something goes wrong—and in networking, things do go wrong. The goal here is to make sure your business keeps running, even when your primary network connection decides to take a nap.

When you rely on a single connection for your entire network, you’re putting all your eggs in one very delicate basket. If that connection fails, everything stops—file transfers, emails, cloud services—everything. No one wants to deal with a sudden network outage when there’s work to be done.

That’s where redundancy comes in. Having redundancy in place guarantees that your business stays online no matter what. It’s like having a spare tire in your car—except for your network, and way more important.

Creating redundancy

To build redundancy into your WAN, you need to diversify your connections. One of the simplest ways is by using multiple ISPs. Why? Because if one service provider experiences issues, your backup provider can take over without skipping a beat.

A typical setup might involve pairing a high-performing connection, like MPLS, with a more cost-effective one, like broadband. The idea is that your critical traffic—like video conferencing or voice calls—uses the MPLS connection, while less critical traffic can fall back on broadband.

Active-active vs. active-passive failover

In terms of failover strategies, you really only have two options: Active-active or active-passive.

Think of active-active as if you have two connections working in tandem at all times. Both are always on, always sharing the load. It’s great for high availability but might be overkill if your network doesn’t have constant high traffic.

On the other hand, active-passive is more of a standby situation. One connection does all the heavy lifting until something goes wrong. Then, the backup kicks in.

The best choice? If uptime is critical, active-active is the better option, as it provides more continuous service. However, it’s typically more expensive. Active-passive, while less costly, works well for companies that can afford a brief hiccup when switching connections. The choice depends on your budget and how important uninterrupted service is to your operations.

Planning for failover

It’s not enough to set up a failover plan; you have to test it. Doing so confirms everything is functioning the way it should. Questions that need answers:

• How will your network respond when the main connection drops?
• Does the backup take over right away, or is there a delay?
• How smooth is the transition?

Run real-world simulations to check if your system can handle outages without causing interruptions. And don’t assume it’s a one-time check—regular tests are necessary to keep your network’s failover strategy sharp.

Are the switches happening as expected? If not, it’s time to re-evaluate your setup. Testing isn’t a “set it and forget it” process, so don’t treat it as such. It’s an ongoing task that helps you catch potential issues before they become real problems. Your goal is to be confident that when an outage hits, your network remains operational.

Step 7: Secure your WAN design from the start

Security must be a priority among WAN design considerations. Don’t forget the locks when designing a house, so to speak. Your network needs to be secure from the moment it goes live. Without strong security in place, you’re leaving the door wide open for attacks, and that’s a risk no business can afford.

We’ve already discussed security appliances—firewalls and VPNs—so what else does a WAN need?

Encryption is everything

Encryption is the foundation of a secure WAN. It guarantees that even if your data is intercepted, it remains unreadable. It’s not unlike placing your valuable information inside a vault—it stays protected, even when it’s traveling between locations.

It doesn’t matter if the data is being stored or transmitted across your network, encryption makes it so only authorized users can access it. Without encryption, your data becomes an easy target for anyone with bad intentions, leaving it open to prying eyes and potential misuse.

Implement zero trust

Zero trust is a security approach where no one gets a free pass. Every user, device, and connection has to prove it's trustworthy before gaining access, no matter where they’re coming from. Instead of assuming someone’s safe because they’re inside the network, zero trust checks and verifies every time. This minimizes the chance that a bad actor sneaks through unnoticed.

Constant monitoring

Just because your WAN is set up, it doesn’t mean the work stops. You have to remain vigilant to catch any potential issues before they turn into full-blown problems. Keep a watchful eye out for things like:

• Unusual activity
• Network slowdowns
• Suspicious data transfers

Consider it as setting up an alarm system for your network. When something isn’t right, you’ll know about it right away and can respond before things spiral out of control.

Real-time threat detection is your security guard

We mentioned real-time threat detection but never went into detail what it is. In simple terms, it’s like having a security guard for your WAN that never sleeps. It continuously scans your network for threats, making sure any potential risks are identified and dealt with posthaste.

From detecting malware to spotting unusual traffic, these tools keep your WAN secure around the clock. At Meter, we integrate these systems into your WAN from the start, so you don’t have to worry about adding layers of protection later.

Stay ahead of threats with layered security

One defense won’t cut it. Encryption, zero trust, monitoring, and real-time threat detection need to work together to form a solid security system. If one fails, the others step in to keep your network protected.

With cyber threats constantly changing, your defenses need to stay sharp too. The good news? Meter monitors your network and helps keep it secure, so you can stay focused on your business without worrying about security gaps.

Step 8: Monitoring isn’t just for threats

WANs don’t run themselves (though we wish they did), and neglecting regular checks can quickly lead to unexpected issues—think laggy video calls, slow data transfers, or worse, an entire office getting disconnected.

Monitoring your WAN means tracking key performance metrics like:

• Latency
• Packet loss
• Throughput

These numbers tell you whether your network is delivering data quickly and reliably, or if something is starting to drag.

Latency measures delays in data transmission, packet loss shows if data is getting lost along the way, and throughput tells you how much data your network can handle at once. Keep an eye on these, and you'll spot potential issues before they snowball into real problems.

Real-time monitoring tools

To make this easier, real-time monitoring tools are your best friend. They keep you updated on what’s happening across your WAN every second, flagging anything unusual before it affects your business. Imagine getting an alert about a performance drop before it ruins that important Zoom meeting. Not a bad trade-off, right?

Automated alerts are another way to streamline the process. Instead of constantly staring at dashboards, set up automatic notifications that ping you when something’s off. The goal is to catch issues early, so you don’t have to deal with a crisis during peak business hours.

Speaking of dashboards, Meter’s dashboard gives you a centralized view of your entire network. Instead of juggling multiple tools or interfaces, you can track everything from one place. It’s like having all your WAN stats in a single, easy-to-read window—no more hunting through a dozen tabs trying to find what’s wrong.

Meter Connect simplifies WAN design considerations

Meter Connect takes the guesswork out of WAN design considerations. Instead of struggling with complex decisions, Meter helps you find the right Internet service and setup to match your business needs. Whether your business spans a few locations or several, we guide you in selecting the best options for reliable and cost-effective connectivity.

On top of that, Meter's Network as a Service (NaaS) provides end-to-end support for your WAN. We provide the hardware, install it, monitor the network, and continue managing it as your business evolves. You’re not left dealing with network maintenance on your own; we’re working with your IT team every step of the way, making sure your WAN performs the way you need it to.

You get a full-service solution that doesn't just stop at setup—we stay with you, optimizing and managing your network to make sure it continues to perform as your business grows. We offer you peace of mind, knowing your WAN is in expert hands.

Interested? Schedule a demo.