RUCKUS Edge

Overview:

RUCKUS Edge is a Service Delivery Platform that extends RUCKUS One to the edge and it is built on the RUCKUS One cloud platform. It leverages the RUCKUS One Service Catalog to offer an easy to deploy, scalable and flexible approach to services delivery at the edge of the network. By leveraging cloud orchestration and an edge appliance as the local service delivery point, the solution provides centralized cloud based control while maintaining performance and flexibility at the network edge.

Figure: RUCKUS Edge service delivery architecture

MASSIVE ADOPTION OF CLOUD BASED APPLICATIONS BRINGS NEW CHALLENGES

The rapid adoption of cloud computing and cloud-based applications is transforming many industries and delivers many benefits like deployment simplicity, flexibility and user mobility. However, this shift also brings new challenges in areas like application latency, security, and data privacy to name a few, which are critical to the success of these sectors. In hospitality, guests expect real-time, seamless experiences, from booking systems to in-room services powered by IoT devices. In MDUs, residents increasingly demand reliable, low-latency access to smart home applications and entertainment services. Similarly, educational institutions must ensure uninterrupted access to cloud-based learning tools and collaborative platforms. The traditional, centralized cloud model struggles to meet these high-performance demands, often leading to lag, reduced service quality, and security risks.

THE NETWORK EDGE: A STRATEGIC SERVICE DELIVERY POINT

The network edge has emerged as a strategic service delivery point for addressing these new challenges. By processing data closer to its source, edge computing can significantly reduce latency, ensuring a faster, more responsive user experience. For instance, in hospitality, edge solutions can enhance guest services by enabling real-time personalization and improving operational efficiency. In MDUs, edge services enable residents to enjoy uninterrupted connectivity for their smart devices, gaming systems, and streaming platforms. Educational institutions can also benefit from the enhanced performance and security that edge computing provides, ensuring secure access to learning materials without compromising student data privacy.

EDGE SERVICES: A SOLUTION TO ADDRESS CLOUD COMPUTING CHALLENGES

Edge services not only reduce latency but also strengthen security and privacy by keeping sensitive data within local environments, rather than sending it across vast networks to distant cloud data centers. This combination of faster service delivery and enhanced security is crucial for these industries, making the edge an essential component in their digital transformation efforts.

HYBRID CLOUD ARCHITECTURE: EDGE DELIVERY / CLOUD ORCHESTRATION

RUCKUS Edge is built on the RUCKUS One cloud platform and uses its Service Catalog to offer an easy to deploy, scalable and flexible approach to services delivery. By leveraging cloud orchestration and an edge appliance as the local service delivery point, the solution provides centralized control while maintaining performance and flexibility at the network edge. RUCKUS One offers organizations the benefits of a single Cloud based platform to manage wired, wireless and IoT networks together, streamlining operations and reducing the need for on-premises infrastructure. The cloud-based management platform simplifies network configuration, monitoring, and updates, while the edge appliance handles local breakout for performance optimization. This hybrid approach offers a cost-effective, scalable solution that meets the needs of dynamic, distributed environments such as MDUs, campuses, and enterprises. The architecture ensures secure, highperformance network operations while lowering operational costs through automation and centralized management

Features and Benefits:

Benefits:

• Simplified Deployment and Management
  Centralized Cloud Management and Edge Appliance as a Service Delivery Point: The cloud-managed platform automates many tasks through a web interface and a mobile app lowering operational complexity.


• Scalability and Flexibility
  RUCKUS Edge can scale to address the needs of organizations of any size. Multiple edge appliances can be clustered lo load balance and distribute workloads across multiple devices.


• Improved Security and Privacy
  Segmented Network Security: VXLANs allow for isolated virtual network segments, ensuring that different user groups have secure, isolated access to network resources.


• Reduced Latency & Faster Data Transmission
  By using the edge appliance for local breakout, performance is improved as traffic is processed closer to the user.


• Pay-as-You-Go Model
  Cloud services offer flexible, subscription-based pricing, allowing organizations to pay only for what they use, reducing the total cost of ownership (TCO).


• High Availability and Reliability
  Redundant, Clustered Edge Appliances can be deployed for critical sites to ensure network resilience and prevent downtime.


• AI-Driven Assurance and Insights
  RUCKUS One leverages AI to deliver network assurance, enabling IT administrators to detect and resolve incidents before they become service affecting and impacting users.


• Converged Management Across IT and OT
  The hybrid cloud platform allows for the management of both wired and wireless LAN environments as well as IoT networks, offering seamless network integration and reducing operational silos.


• Open APIs for Integration
  RUCKUS One offers open APIs for integration with third-party systems and services, enabling better customization and adaptability to organizational needs.

RUCKUS Edge SD-LAN Service

RUCKUS Edge SD-LAN is a cloud-managed service designed to bring advanced network virtualization and automation to the edge, leveraging the powerful RUCKUS One service catalog. Deployed directly from the cloud onto edge appliances, this service enables organizations to create highly tailored virtual overlay networks with just a few clicks. Whether it’s to meet the specific needs of applications, user groups, use cases, or device types, RUCKUS Edge SD-LAN makes it simple to define and manage custom network environments without the complexity of traditional networking setups.

The service allows seamless creation of SD-LAN virtual networks, providing fine-grained control over network traffic, segmentation, and security. With support for features such as private VLANs (PVLANs) and device discovery, administrators can quickly spin up isolated or dedicated networks for specific applications or user groups, ensuring that each segment gets the resources and access it needs. All of this is managed through the intuitive RUCKUS One cloud interface, which streamlines network deployment, management, and troubleshooting. The result is a flexible, highly responsive network environment that adapts to evolving organizational needs with ease and scalability.

Figure: RUCKUS SD-LAN Edge Service Architecture

Simple

RUCKUS Edge SD-LAN service is designed with simplicity at its core, offering cloud-based management accessible through both web interface and mobile app. The streamlined interface allows for fast deployment from the cloud and easy configuration, making it accessible even for non-expert users.

Reliable

Reliability is ensured through cluster failover, which provides high availability for critical services. In case of a hardware or network failure, the system automatically transfers operations to a backup cluster, maintaining uninterrupted network service and ensuring continuous operation without downtime.

Scalable

As your needs grow, RUCKUS Edge SD-LAN grows with you. The system uses cluster load balancing to distribute workloads evenly across edge appliance devices, ensuring optimal performance at any scale. Whether managing a small network or expanding to a large, multi-building campus environment, the solution scales efficiently and effortlessly.

Open Standards Based

Built on open standards, RUCKUS Edge SD-LAN leverages VXLAN over standard Ethernet and IP networks, offering seamless integration with existing infrastructures. This ensures compatibility with diverse hardware and software ecosystems, allowing for flexible network extension and modernization without vendor lock-in.

Flexible

RUCKUS Edge SD-LAN adapts to your specific needs, offering SD-LAN overlays on demand. Overlay Networks can be tailored per user, application, or use case, providing dynamic resource allocation and customized services as needed. This flexibility ensures that the network evolves in sync with your unique business requirements.

Choose from flexible deployment options

Deploy RUCKUS Edge virtual or physical appliances to optimize and scale your traffic.

• Physical appliances (RUCKUS Edge 144 appliance) benefit organizations that have non-specialized IT departments with limited virtualization expertise or those that wish to further simplify deployments in tenant locations.


• Virtual form factor (RUCKUS Edge virtual appliance) is targeted at organizations with specialized IT teams that have expertise in deploying a virtualized infrastructure across central and tenant locations.

Note: ^* Available in a future software release

Specifications:

Documentation:

Download the RUCKUS Edge Datasheet (PDF).