Windstream expanded its SD-WAN business with a new offering that allows enterprises to connect their locations to their cloud-based applications. The offering is deemed SD-WAN Cloud Connect and it sources its SD-WAN technology from VeloCloud, now a part of VMware.

SD-WAN Cloud Connect combines the capabilities of Windstream’s SD-WAN Concierge and Cloud Connect. Concierge houses its fully-managed SD-WAN service, including the new offering SD-WAN Cloud Connect. It also has a centralized portal so that enterprises can monitor and manage its network and connections.

For the SD-WAN Cloud Connect, Windstream spun off its secure, dedicated access to cloud service providers from Cloud Connect to offer these connections to its SD-WAN customers.

The SD-WAN Cloud Connect will be made available to customers using Amazon Web Services (AWS) in July  and to Microsoft Azure customers in August. It enables enterprises to connect to their public and proprietary applications running on these cloud providers. The service will continue to be extended to other public clouds.

The new service is deployed as a virtual edge device on a server at their cloud service provider and communicates with the enterprises premise-based SD-WAN edge sites. By situating the cloud applications closer to its end users, application performance is enhanced. It also give enterprises more control over its application traffic flows.

SD-WAN Cloud Connect locations will appear as a part of the customers network and will receive the same levels of visibility and control that the other SD-WAN locations are given, using Windstream’s management tool.

Windstream acquired regional service provider Mass Communications (MassComm) earlier this year. MassComm didn't have any SD-WAN technology and the company is still determining how MassComm will fit into its overall market push for SD-WAN, said a Windstream spokesperson.

Windstream launched its initial SD-WAN service about a year ago and just revealed that 1,000 mid-size and enterprise customers are using it.