# Hats EPN | SD-WAN as a Service **Hats EPN (Enterprise Private Network)** is a fully managed private connectivity service that delivers enterprise-grade WAN without the operational overhead of building and maintaining your own SD-WAN infrastructure. > **Why Managed WAN?** > > Get all the benefits of Software-Defined Connectivity-traffic segmentation, predictable latency, and multi-site orchestration-without hiring specialized network engineers or managing complex edge devices. ## Why Managed WAN? Most enterprises don't want to become networking companies. Here's how Hats EPN compares to the DIY approach: | Aspect | Self-Built SD-WAN | Hats EPN (Managed) | | --------------------------- | ------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------- | | **Setup Time** | 3-6 months (hardware, config, testing) | Days to weeks | | **Expertise Required** | Senior network engineers on staff | Zero - we handle everything | | **Ongoing Ops** | 24/7 NOC, patch management, troubleshooting | Included in service | | **Hardware Investment** | CAPEX for edge appliances | OPEX only - no hardware to buy | | **Multi-vendor Complexity** | Integrating firewalls, SD-WAN, monitoring | Single unified service | | **Scaling** | Manual provisioning, capacity planning | On-demand bandwidth adjustments | | **SLA Accountability** | You own all uptime risk | 99.99% SLA with Hats Network | **Bottom line**: Focus on your business while we manage the network infrastructure. ## Delivery Models ### Routed **Managed routed connectivity** for enterprises who want us to handle the core routing infrastructure while they focus on their applications. **What You Get**: * Software-defined routing with traffic segmentation * BGP peering at your edge (optional) * Complete traffic isolation between environments * Automatic failover and path optimization * Predictable latency across our private backbone **Best For**: * Multi-office WAN with centralized internet breakout * Cloud on-ramp integration (AWS, Azure, GCP) * Segmented environments (production, development, voice, security zones) * Enterprises without deep networking expertise in-house ### Switched **Transparent Ethernet transport** for customers who prefer to manage their own routing stack while we handle the underlying transport. **What You Get**: * Ethernet handoff at each site (VLAN-tagged) * Single broadcast domain across all locations * You control all IP addressing and routing protocols * Transparent transport for multicast and custom protocols * MAC learning and forwarding managed by Hats **Best For**: * High-availability router pairs with VRRP/HSRP * Customer-managed SD-WAN appliances requiring L2 handoff * Legacy applications requiring flat Layer-2 adjacency * Organizations with existing networking teams ### Underlay **Stable transport foundation** for enterprises running their own SD-WAN, SASE, or custom overlay solutions. **What You Get**: * Stable IP transport with measurable, consistent latency * No encryption overhead (your overlay handles security) * Predictable path characteristics for intelligent path selection * Dual-stack IPv4/IPv6 support * Clean handoff to your edge devices **Best For**: * SD-WAN fabric underlay (any vendor) * SASE architecture foundation * Custom overlay with proprietary encryption requirements * Hybrid WAN combining private transport with internet backup ## Architecture **Simple connection model**: We manage the complex backbone. You get a clean handoff at each site. ## Use Cases ### Multi-Site Enterprise WAN Connect offices, factories, and data centers with consistent performance. Hats EPN provides the backbone while your IT team focuses on applications, not routing tables. * **Manufacturing**: Connect global production facilities to ERP systems * **Retail**: Link stores to centralized POS and inventory systems * **Professional Services**: Reliable video conferencing between offices ### Cloud Access Direct, optimized paths to major cloud providers. Your cloud workloads perform like they're on your local network. * **AWS Direct Connect** integration * **Azure ExpressRoute** connectivity * **Multi-cloud** architectures with consistent performance ### Critical Workloads When latency and jitter directly impact revenue, Hats EPN delivers the predictability that internet connections can't match. * **Financial Trading**: Sub-50ms latency between trading venues * **Healthcare**: Reliable DICOM image transfers for telemedicine * **Real-time Collaboration**: Consistent video and voice quality > **Benchmarks for Critical Workloads** > > > TU-T guidance commonly uses \<150ms one-way delay for highly interactive voice tasks. > > > Microsoft’s Teams connectivity test passes with UDP latency \<100ms, UDP jitter \<30ms, and UDP packet loss \<1%. > > Sources: [ITU-T Rec. G.114 (05/2003)](https://www.itu.int/rec/dologin_pub.asp?lang=e\&id=T-REC-G.114-200305-I!!PDF-E), [Microsoft 365 network connectivity test tool](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/enterprise/office-365-network-mac-perf-onboarding-tool?view=o365-worldwide) ## Service Specifications | Specification | Routed | Switched | Underlay | | ------------------- | -------------------- | ------------- | ------------- | | **Handoff Type** | BGP or Static | 802.1Q VLAN | IP or BGP | | **Routing Control** | Hats-managed | You manage | Minimal | | **MTU** | 1500 or 9000 (Jumbo) | 1500 or 9000 | 1500 or 9000 | | **Multicast** | Available | Transparent | No | | **IPv6** | Native | Native | Native | | **SLA** | 99.99% uptime | 99.99% uptime | 99.99% uptime | ## Traffic Segmentation & QoS Built-in traffic classification without complex configuration: | Traffic Class | Priority | Treatment | Typical Use | | ------------- | ----------- | -------------------- | ------------------------- | | **Real-Time** | Highest | Guaranteed bandwidth | Voice, video conferencing | | **Critical** | High | Low latency queue | Trading systems, ERP | | **Business** | Standard | Standard forwarding | Email, SaaS applications | | **Default** | Best effort | Standard forwarding | Bulk transfers, backups | **No VRF configuration needed** - traffic segmentation is handled by our platform based on your requirements. ## FAQ ### What's the difference between Routed and Switched Private Network? **Routed Private Network**: We manage the routing. You connect your edge device to our network, and we handle all the complexity of path selection, traffic segmentation, and optimization. Best for organizations that want "it just works." **Switched Private Network**: We provide transparent Ethernet transport between your sites. Your routers see each other as directly connected on the same LAN segment. You manage all IP addressing and routing. Best for organizations with existing networking teams who want control. Choose Routed for simplicity. Choose Switched if you have specific routing protocol requirements or need Layer-2 adjacency between sites. ### Can I use Hats EPN as an SD-WAN underlay? Yes. Our SD-WAN Underlay option is purpose-built for this use case. We provide stable, measurable IP transport with consistent latency characteristics-exactly what SD-WAN solutions need for accurate path selection. Benefits of using Hats EPN as your underlay: * **Consistent baselines**: Your SD-WAN makes better path decisions with stable metrics * **Reduced tunnel flapping**: No internet jitter causing unnecessary failover events * **Guaranteed bandwidth**: Private backbone capacity independent of internet congestion * **Simplified ops**: We maintain the underlay; you focus on overlay policies Compatible with all major SD-WAN platforms including VeloCloud, Fortinet, Palo Alto, Cisco, and open-source solutions. ### How does traffic segmentation work? Hats EPN uses Software-Defined Connectivity to create isolated traffic domains. Think of them as virtual networks that share physical infrastructure but never intersect. Common segmentation patterns we support: * **Environment Isolation**: Production, staging, and development as separate virtual networks * **Traffic Type Separation**: Voice traffic on its own segment with priority treatment * **Security Zones**: Guest networks, corporate data, and PCI-compliant traffic fully isolated * **Departmental Segments**: Different business units with controlled interconnectivity You define the segments. We handle the implementation-no complex configuration on your end. ### What does 'fully managed' actually mean? With Hats EPN, you don't need network engineers on staff: **We Handle**: * Core network design and operation * Routing protocol management and optimization * 24/7 monitoring and incident response * Capacity planning and scaling * Software updates and security patches * Peering and upstream relationships **You Handle**: * Your edge devices (routers, firewalls) * Your internal LAN * Your application configuration You get a simple handoff at each site. Everything behind that is our responsibility. ### What are the latency commitments? We provide baseline latency measurements during onboarding. Typical inter-PoP latencies on our private backbone: > **Global Backbone RTT (Realtime)** > > For the full auto-updated RTT matrix across our PoPs (Backbone measurements), see: [Backbone > Latency Matrix](/docs/network/latency) | Route | Latency | | --------------------- | -------- | | Hong Kong ↔ Tokyo | 35-45ms | | Hong Kong ↔ Singapore | 35-45ms | | Tokyo ↔ Los Angeles | 90-110ms | | Frankfurt ↔ Amsterdam | 5-8ms | Our SLA covers latency variance (jitter) and packet loss, not just uptime. Because we control the backbone, we can guarantee performance characteristics that internet-based solutions cannot match. ### Can we connect to cloud providers? Yes. Hats EPN integrates with major cloud platforms: * **AWS**: Direct Connect via our partner locations * **Microsoft Azure**: ExpressRoute connectivity * **Google Cloud**: Dedicated Interconnect * **Alibaba Cloud**: Express Connect Cloud connectivity is integrated into your private network segments, creating seamless hybrid cloud architecture. Your cloud resources appear as just another site on your WAN. ### How quickly can we get started? Typical deployment timeline: | Phase | Timeline | Details | | ---------------- | --------- | ---------------------------------- | | **Discovery** | 1-2 days | Requirements, topology design | | **Contracting** | 3-5 days | Service order, terms | | **Provisioning** | 5-15 days | Circuit activation, cross-connects | | **Testing** | 1-2 days | Validation, acceptance | | **Go-Live** | - | Production traffic | **Total: 2-4 weeks** from signature to production - significantly faster than traditional carrier services. Existing Hats Network customers can often add EPN services in days, leveraging existing infrastructure. ## Getting Started ### Schedule a Consultation Tell us about your sites, bandwidth needs, and any cloud connectivity requirements. We'll design a topology that fits. ### Review Your Design We provide a detailed proposal including topology, SLAs, and pricing. No surprises. ### Provisioning We handle circuit coordination, equipment installation, and configuration. You provide the cross-connect details. ### Go Live We validate end-to-end connectivity, establish baseline performance metrics, and hand over operational documentation. > **Ready to simplify your WAN?** > > Contact our team: **[sales@hatsnet.io](mailto:sales@hatsnet.io)** > > Include: > > * Number of sites and locations > * Bandwidth requirements per site > * Preferred delivery model (Routed/Switched/Underlay) > * Cloud connectivity needs > * Target deployment regions *** > **Ready to Crank It Up?** > > **[Contact Sales](#contact)** to discuss Hats SR for your media workflows. > > Hats Network Inc. (AS203314): *[Imagine a world where network connectivity is seamless, secure and accessible to everyone.](/about)* --- ## License and attribution - **Canonical source:** [View the human-readable HTML page](https://hatsnet.io/docs/services/enterprise-private-network). - **Original documentation:** © Hats Network Inc., licensed under [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). - **Full terms:** [Content and Data License](https://hatsnet.io/docs/legal/content-and-data-license) — includes attribution requirements, third-party material, trademarks, source code and other exclusions.