AWS announces general availability of AWS Cloud WAN

Amazon Web Services (AWS) today announced the general availability of AWS Cloud WAN, a new managed service that connects on-premises data centers, colocation facilities, branch offices and AWS cloud regions to simplify operating a global network.

With AWS Cloud WAN, enterprises can use a central management dashboard to define their network configuration, view the health of their global network and automate routine configuration and security tasks. 

The cloud giant first introduced AWS Cloud WAN in December 2021 at its AWS re:Invent conference in Las Vegas.

AWS already helps enterprises to connect cloud and on-premises environments using services such as Amazon Virtual Private Cloud, AWS Transit Gateway and AWS Direct Connect. 

“However, for connectivity between on-premises data centers and branch offices, customers must invest considerable time and money to build their own physical network or build a software-defined overlay network from third-party providers,” wrote AWS in an announcement today. 

It said AWS Cloud WAN will make it easier for customers to build a unified global network that seamlessly connects their cloud and on-premises environments. 

Using the central management dashboard, networking teams can have a single view of their global network and apply policies across their entire network.

AWS Cloud WAN also integrates with several SD-WAN, network appliance and independent software vendors — including Aruba, Aviatrix, Checkpoint, Cisco Meraki, Cisco Systems, Prosimo and VMware, so customers can connect their on-premises SD-WAN devices to AWS.

Chris Stori, senior vice president and general manager at Cisco Networking Experiences, said in a statement, “Cisco continues to invest in cloud networking by integrating the Cisco SD-WAN product portfolios with AWS Cloud WAN to securely connect multi-AWS Region workloads, increase application performance and reduce deployment times.”

Craig Connors, vice president and general manager of VMware's SASE business, said, “The integration of VMware SD-WAN, a VMware SASE service and AWS Cloud WAN, provides a networking architecture to deliver compute across the distributed edge, while providing more secure and high-quality application performance of workloads in AWS environments, regardless of user location.”