Everyone has spent time at the local electronics or local business supply store trying to find the right router. Whether it is for home or for business the choice is very important. A business router, however, is very different and it’s not something you can generally find in the local store. There are some very distinct types of routers that you need to be aware of so that you can not only accommodate different connectivity types but enhance your overall business productivity.

Routers are essential to running a secure, sophisticated infrastructure and you should always consider future expansion as part of your router selection process. Regardless of your line of business, there are basic connectivity needs and technologies that if accounted for, can enhance your business. To determine the size and type of router required, please take a moment to review your network requirements. 

Ask yourself these questions: 

  • What are my throughput requirements?

  • Will I need to be able to scale?

  • What technologies will I need to be able to support?

  • How many users and environments will need to be connected?

Routers are a long-term investment, so your selection will need to last and remain consistent as your business grows over time. Ensure that the models you’re considering are designed to withstand the traffic you currently have as well as what you plan to reach in the future. Throughput likely won’t go down, so don’t settle for something that’s too small. Many new technologies leverage the internet, and the unforeseen costs of any connectivity is bandwidth.

Other questions to consider are:

What is the total number of users on the network?

What is the type of applications you will be utilizing and how will you be securing that environment?

These questions will often “weed-out” some products but will shed light on technologies that could really enhance your day-to-day operations.  There are three common router options. Wired (Enterprise), Branch routers and Hybrid (Wireless) routers.

Wired / Enterprise Routers

Wired enterprise routers are designed to be deployed at your network’s edge and can deliver quality services while also generating high-level security for your network. They’re a viable deployment option for data centers, medium to large size companies and branch offices. Voice, video, data, and mobile needs often turn to wired enterprise routers.

Wired enterprise routers are the powerhouse for transporting IP traffic in either static or dynamic options. These routers sit at the point where a LAN or WAN connects to external networks. Look for options that are multi-layer so that they can support a greater number of connections and duties. Layer 3 routing is a must-have, but if you can securely add in voice over IP or video technologies, the switching architecture of a Layer 2 or encryption capabilities, then you’ll be in better shape with your investment.

Regardless of the technology, always focus on security. Routers are the interaction point between your own, trusted enterprise network and other outside networks and you must make sure the security protocols are reliable. You will have multiple security options, but today you can securely facilitate VPN tunnels, provide state-based inspections and use intrusion detection signature matching protocols, which not only enhance connectivity but give you a great deal of control over your environment.

Branch Routers

Branch routers are designed to optimize the branch services you offer on a single platform, enhancing overall availability. These are the tools used when running services and applications at a high level continuously. They’re your bread-and-butter at remote locations.

Branch routers typically don’t worry about edge requirements and instead deliver functionality that you need in the core network. Branch routers will sit on the far end of your WAN and serve as a connection point for your enterprise routers and remote locations, delivering a greater number of connection options.

Common branch router functions that differ from edge routers may include wireless, voice, mobile and typically vary based upon the size of the network. Today’s branch routers are not only allowing higher forms of connectivity, but manufacturers are also brazenly making them with spam filters, smart encryption, traffic shaping, content-dependent controls and much more.

For deploying a branch service, the router is key. Consider the full range of media services engines and service-ready engines that allow you to run applications from the manufacturers themselves — like a voice on a Cisco unified communications technology platform — as well as some units that are specifically designed for industrial networks where there is a greater level of ambient radio frequency interference or to accommodate for difficult environmental conditions.

Hybrid (Wireless) Routers

Hybrid routers are designed to generally support a small network. These routers tend to offer basic connectivity options and generally include wireless as an expanded service. Many of these routers are reliable but typically do not scale as well as their enterprise partners. They may be limited in functionality, which can be a good fit for a small network with limited connections to other locations, etc.

My Final Thoughts:

What makes your environment unique? What customer demand or existing problem are you trying to solve? Thinking about how your network is used, where its faults could be and where it’s projected to grow in the next five years will get you started on the right path to ensuring you choose the right WAN technology.

Today, the big consideration is software-defined networking because SD-WAN architecture is becoming more available and is providing significant improvements in operational efficiency as well as network profitability. As always, if you have any questions or need assistance with obtaining the right router for your organization, give us a call. I'm happy to speak with you to optimize your network!