Williams-Sonoma's Network Transformation: SD-WAN and SASE for Modern RetailWilliams-Sonoma's Network Transformation: SD-WAN and SASE for Modern Retail

Digital transformation has become a necessity in an evolving retail landscape. Williams-Sonoma, Inc., a multi-brand omni-retail company with over 520 stores across North America, is leading the charge by adopting software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) and secure access service edge (SASE) to modernize its network infrastructure.

The retailer's transformation is designed to enhance security, performance and cost-efficiency across its brick-and-mortar locations.

The Need for Transformation

Williams-Sonoma’s legacy network infrastructure, built on T1 lines and MPLS connections, struggled to keep pace with modern retail demands. Upgraded point-of-sale (POS) systems, guest Wi-Fi and the ability to showcase online products in-store required significantly more bandwidth than traditional T1 connections offered.

Routing all traffic through centralized data centers introduced latency issues, which negatively affects both employee and customer experiences. Additionally, managing MPLS circuits and on-premises security appliances across hundreds of stores was costly and limited scalability.

Embracing SD-WAN and SASE

To address these challenges, Williams-Sonoma is implementing SD-WAN and SASE as core components of its network transformation. SD-WAN enables the use of multiple internet circuits, optimizing traffic flow based on application needs and ensuring critical applications receive priority.

This approach enhances the resilience and performance of network operations, allowing the company to move away from expensive MPLS connections while maintaining high-quality service across locations. By using SD-WAN’s intelligent routing and path selection, Williams-Sonoma can improve the reliability of key retail functions, including POS transactions, digital signage and cloud-based inventory management.

Meanwhile, SASE delivers security through the cloud, reducing reliance on on-premises security hardware while enabling secure access to cloud applications and internet resources. With an integrated security framework, SASE provides identity-based access control, real-time threat detection and comprehensive policy enforcement across distributed locations. This shift to a cloud-delivered security model not only streamlines security management but also strengthens Williams-Sonoma’s defenses against cyber threats. By aligning network and security strategies, the company aims to create a more agile, scalable and secure digital retail environment.

Key Requirements and Industry Gaps

For its SD-WAN and SASE deployment, Williams-Sonoma has identified several critical requirements. A unified control plane is essential for streamlined operations, eliminating policy conflicts by providing a single management console for both network and security policies. Security policies must integrate with SD-WAN traffic prioritization to ensure optimal application performance. Seamless integration with the existing security infrastructure is also crucial to avoid isolated security silos. In addition, comprehensive functionality, including features such as RDP proxy and visibility into on-premises applications, is necessary for maintaining business operations.

However, existing SD-WAN and SASE solutions fall short in several areas. Many still require separate management consoles for network and security, creating operational inefficiencies. Policy inconsistencies between VPN and application access add unnecessary complexity and potential security vulnerabilities. And, while many SASE options prioritize cloud visibility, they lack comprehensive support for monitoring on-premises applications.

Challenges and Implementation Strategies

Beyond technology limitations, Williams-Sonoma faces logistical hurdles in deploying SD-WAN and SASE. In many mall locations, landlords restrict available internet service providers, which creates single points of failure. While 5G offers potential as a backup connection, signal limitations within malls pose deployment challenges.

To navigate these obstacles, the company is taking a phased approach. Pilot deployments in select stores will test real-world performance and integration challenges before a broader rollout. Williams-Sonoma is also evaluating the feasibility of using a managed service provider to expedite deployment and gain access to best-in-class solutions. A hybrid approach, combining centralized SD-WAN hubs with SASE, will help balance security, control and scalability while facilitating a transition to a zero-trust model.

The Role of MEF in SD-WAN and SASE Evolution

Williams-Sonoma sees a critical role for MEF in shaping the future of SD-WAN and SASE adoption. MEF’s work in developing industry standards, particularly through its SD-WAN and SASE certification programs, helps service providers and enterprises align on best practices and technical requirements. MEF’s SASE Certification Program provides a framework for evaluating vendor offerings against rigorous security and networking benchmarks, ensuring enterprises can adopt solutions with confidence. This program is instrumental in establishing consistency across implementations, reducing the risk of vendor lock-in, and accelerating enterprise adoption of SASE architectures.

Additionally, MEF fosters collaboration between network and security providers to develop more integrated solutions that address existing gaps. Through initiatives such as standardized APIs for security threat intelligence sharing, MEF is helping to create a more cohesive security ecosystem that enables enterprises like Williams-Sonoma to proactively mitigate threats. By promoting interoperability and security automation, MEF is ensuring that SASE evolves to meet the needs of enterprises requiring seamless and scalable protection for cloud-driven environments.

For more insights into the state of SASE and SD-WAN adoption, MEF’s State of the Industry Report: SASE provides valuable guidance.

Williams-Sonoma’s adoption of SD-WAN and SASE represents a step forward in retail network modernization. By addressing technology gaps, overcoming deployment challenges and fostering industry collaboration through organizations like MEF, the company is paving the way for a more secure, scalable and high-performance retail infrastructure. As digital transformation accelerates, Williams-Sonoma’s strategic approach provides a blueprint for other enterprises looking to future-proof their network environments.