Circuit bandwidth that follows
the traffic your SD-WAN reports
SD-WAN Auto-Scale lets Apptifi raise and lower the bandwidth of a Lumen Internet on Demand circuit automatically, based on the real traffic your SD-WAN device reports. When a link runs hot for a sustained period, Apptifi steps the circuit up to the next Lumen speed tier. When traffic stays low, it steps back down. You pay for higher bandwidth only while you're using it.
How it works
- 1
Connect your SD-WAN controller
Add the controller in Settings. Apptifi reads each WAN link's throughput, typically once a minute.
- 2
Link each interface to its circuit
Link the SD-WAN interface to the Lumen Internet on Demand circuit it carries, so Apptifi knows which traffic belongs to which circuit.
- 3
Pick a rule for each circuit
Choose a preset (Conservative, Balanced or Aggressive) or set your own thresholds.
- 4
Choose a mode for each circuit
Off, Monitor only or Automatic. Each circuit has its own mode, so you can move one circuit at a time.
What a rule controls
Each circuit has its own rule. Start from the Conservative, Balanced or Aggressive preset, or set each threshold yourself:
- Scale up
- When traffic reaches a set percentage of the current tier and stays there for a set number of minutes.
- Scale down
- When traffic stays under a set percentage for a set number of minutes.
- Wait time
- How long Apptifi waits between changes on the same circuit.
- Daily limit
- The most scale-ups allowed on the circuit in one day.
- Bandwidth ceiling
- The highest tier the circuit may reach.
Watch first, then switch it on
Each circuit runs in one of three modes. Monitor only lets you see what Auto-Scale would do on your own traffic before it places a single order.
No auto-scaling
Off
Auto-Scale leaves the circuit alone. Your schedule runs as it does today.
Records, changes nothing
Monitor only
Apptifi records what it would have done without changing anything or placing any order. Watch it for a while and build trust before turning on Automatic.
Places Lumen orders
Automatic
Apptifi changes the Lumen tier by itself. Each change is a real, billed Lumen order.
Guardrails on every change
A bandwidth ceiling for each circuit
Auto-Scale never takes a circuit above the highest tier you set for it.
A cap on scale-ups per day
Once a circuit reaches its daily limit, Apptifi stops scaling it up until the next day.
A cool-down between changes
Apptifi waits the time you set before it changes the same circuit again.
Aware of Lumen's daily limit
Lumen allows 24 bandwidth changes per circuit per day. Apptifi only scales up when a change is also left for the way back down.
What you get
Pay for higher bandwidth only while you use it
The circuit steps up when a link runs hot for a sustained period and steps back down when traffic stays low.
Works with your schedule
Scheduled events and the baseline still apply. Auto-Scale never takes a circuit below its scheduled bandwidth.
Every decision is logged
The History view shows each decision with the utilization, the reason, and whether it was applied.
Optional write-back to the device
On supported devices, Apptifi can update the SD-WAN device's configured link speed to match the new circuit bandwidth.
See your other WAN links too
Links from another carrier, or Lumen services that aren't On-Demand, still appear with read-only throughput. Only Lumen Internet on Demand circuits can be scaled.
Reacts to sustained load
Auto-Scale reacts to sustained load within minutes, depending on the rule and the device's reporting interval.
Supported SD-WAN platforms
Apptifi connects to these SD-WAN platforms to read WAN link throughput. Each one has been tested against live equipment:
- Fortinet FortiGate (direct)
- Fortinet FortiManager
- Fortinet FortiGate Cloud
- Cisco Meraki
- Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN
- Palo Alto Prisma SD-WAN
- Juniper Mist
- Cato
- Arista VeloCloud
- HPE Aruba EdgeConnect
- HPE Aruba Central (SD-Branch)
- Versa
Frequently asked questions
What is SD-WAN Auto-Scale?
SD-WAN Auto-Scale lets Apptifi raise and lower the bandwidth of a Lumen Internet on Demand circuit based on the traffic your SD-WAN device reports. When a link runs hot for a sustained period, Apptifi steps the circuit up to the next Lumen speed tier. When traffic stays low, it steps back down.
Does it place real Lumen orders?
In Automatic mode, yes. Each bandwidth change is a real, billed Lumen order. In Monitor only mode, Apptifi records what it would have done without changing anything or placing any order.
Can I try it without changing my circuits?
Yes. Set a circuit to Monitor only and Apptifi records each decision it would have made, with the utilization and the reason, in the History view. You can watch it for as long as you like before turning on Automatic.
How quickly does it react?
It reacts to sustained load within minutes, depending on the rule and the device's reporting interval.
Which circuits can it scale?
Only Lumen Internet on Demand circuits. Other WAN links, such as links from another carrier or Lumen services that aren't On-Demand, still appear with read-only throughput.
Does it replace my bandwidth schedule?
No. Scheduled events and the baseline still apply, and Auto-Scale never takes a circuit below its scheduled bandwidth.
How do I get SD-WAN Auto-Scale?
SD-WAN Auto-Scale is a plan feature that is off by default. Apptifi switches it on for each customer, so contact us to enable it.
Want SD-WAN Auto-Scale on your circuits?
SD-WAN Auto-Scale is a plan feature that is off by default. We switch it on for each customer, so contact us to enable it.
Product names are trademarks of their respective owners and are used here only to identify what Apptifi connects to. Apptifi is an independent product and is not affiliated with, certified by, endorsed by, or sponsored by Lumen Technologies or the maker of any SD-WAN product named on this page.