Service Edge

The Service Edge (SE) allows you to connect a physical customer location to a VNET. An SE is a network device equipped with multiple ports and pre-installed with Wanscale SD-WAN software.

With an SE, you can configure multiple WAN ports and define SD-WAN policies to manage traffic flow. Additionally, you can create multiple (v)LANs for your internal networks and bridge them directly to your VNET.

Hardware

Wanscale offers multiple hardware models tailored to different performance requirements. Higher-tier models provide additional CPU and RAM to support increased WAN speeds.

Ordering a SE

Talk to Wanscale if you want to order an SE.

You can also create a new SE in the Wanscale Portal. A ticket will be created and a Wanscale representative will contact you about your order so the correct model can be determined.

The hardware will then be dispatched.

Provisioning Workflow

The diagram below outlines the lifecycle of creating and deploying a Service Edge:

flowchart LR
    A(Create SE in Portal) --> B(Configure SE) --> C(Link SE to VNET) --> D(Install the device) --> E(Link device to SE in Portal)
    F(We are notified, model is determined and device is dispatched) --> I(Device received by customer)
    A --> F
    I --> D

    %% Custom style for nodes
    style A fill:#34ebb1
    style B fill:#34ebb1
    style C fill:#34ebb1
    style E fill:#34ebb1

Step 1: Create a Service Edge in the Portal

To begin the process, you must define the SE service within the platform:

1. Navigate to the Home page of the Wanscale Platform.
2. Click the Add Service button.
3. Select Service Edge from the service list.
4. Click Go to service form.
5. Complete the following fields:
   • Service Edge Name: Enter a unique name for this SE.
   • Tags (Optional): Add metadata for internal organization.
6. Click Add.

You are taken to the SE General Details screen where we can see the following information

1. The SE is not connected to a VNET
2. The Deployment status is Ordered
3. The Main status is Down
4. The Operational status is Down
5. Location Information for the SE is not set
6. The configuration is not yet applied

Step 2: Configure the Service Edge

This is a large chapter in the documentation because there are a lot of options. Below we will walk trough the basics with one LAN interface and two WAN interfaces.

Set the SE Location

1. On the General Details screen, click the Pin icon in the Location field.
2. In the right sidebar:
   • Enter the address in the Address field (OpenStreetMap will provide suggestions).
   • Alternatively, toggle Use coordinates to enter specific Latitude and Longitude.
3. Click Save.

Configure Basic Interfaces

1. In the left sidebar, expand Interfaces and select Basics.
2. Review the physical port assignments. By default:
   • Ports 1 & 2: Preconfigured as WAN.
   • Port 3: Preconfigured as LAN.
3. To change a port function, click the Ellipses (...) in the Action column and select the desired function.

Configure LAN Interfaces

1. In the left sidebar, expand Interfaces and select LAN
2. To view details for the LAN port (e.g., Port 3), click the Arrow next to the port label.
3. Click Add IP configuration
4. In the right sidebar, enter the following:
   • Label: A descriptive name for the interface.
   • Primary IP address: Enter the address in CIDR format (e.g., 192.168.1.1/24).
   • VlanID (Optional): Enter a dot1q VLAN ID if required.
   • DHCP Settings: Select DHCP Server (set pool/DNS), DHCP Relay, or No DHCP.
5. Click Add to add the configuration.

Configure WAN Interfaces

1. In the left sidebar, expand Interfaces and select WAN.
2. Click the Ellipses (...) in the Actions column for the desired port and click Edit WAN interface.
3. In the right sidebar, complete the following:
   • Name: Enter a name for the interface.
   • Bandwidth: Enter the speed in Mbps (used for traffic-shaping).
   • MTU Size: See MTU Size Deep Dive for guidance.
   • Upstream carrier type/reference: Select the provider type to enable enhanced platform polling.
4. Click Save.

Step 3: Link the SE to a VNET

Once configured, you must link the SE to your virtual network:

1. On the General Details screen, click Connect to VNET.
2. In the right sidebar, select the target VNET.
3. Assign your SE interfaces to the appropriate WAN Interface Groups.
4. Click Connect.

Step 4: Link Hardware to the SE

After the physical device arrives, you must link the hardware to the portal configuration using the Hardware ID found on the device label:

1. On the General Details screen, click Register.
2. Enter the Hardware ID in the field provided.
3. Click Register Node.