Software-defined WAN is an excellent option for remote workers. IT teams can ship small or home office appliances that connect automatically over the existing Internet. These appliances also allow remote workers to have cell connectivity as a backup option. All this can be done without requiring many configurations.
Software-defined WAN (SD-WAN)
To meet the demands of today’s dynamic business, the network infrastructure must be flexible and resilient. It must also be easy to manage and scale. In addition, it should have advanced cognitive and automation capabilities. In this regard, SD-WAN may come in handy. But what is SD-WAN? A Software-defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) is a virtual WAN architecture that allows enterprises to leverage any combination of transport services – including MPLS, LTE, and broadband internet services – to connect users to applications securely. They also offer cost-saving benefits by automating network management and deploying applications on demand, regardless of their location.
In addition to its advantages, SD-WAN provides businesses with a more consistent, predictable, and optimized application experience. With SD-WAN, business users can access cloud-based applications and services without burdening the company’s core network. It also helps companies set up new remote offices without leasing lines. In addition, it prioritizes business-critical applications and directs network traffic along the most efficient routes.
SD-WAN combines virtualization and software technologies to simplify IT infrastructure control. It helps enterprises deploy and manage large-scale computer networks with greater agility and cost efficiency. It also enables businesses to use any data service available, which increases flexibility.
Benefits
SD-WAN can reduce your bandwidth costs while increasing the performance of your network. The service offers an automated, self-managing infrastructure. As a result, you won’t need to pay external IT experts to maintain your network. Furthermore, adding another branch without a complex installation process is simple. SD-WAN is especially appropriate for small and medium businesses.
In addition to improving application performance, SD-WAN also helps reduce latency. The software-based solution automatically routes traffic based on the application policy, network conditions, and WAN circuit priority. In addition, the centralized control function helps steer traffic across multiple sites intelligently and adjust bandwidth where needed. SD-WAN also reduces telecom costs by eliminating the need to backhaul traffic to a central location.
Another benefit of SD-WAN is that it allows companies to choose how they connect to their network. Instead of spending money on expensive hardware, they can choose cheap connectivity options like mobile 4G or Internet broadband. This allows companies to choose the best connectivity solution for their business needs and save on resources and opex.
Implementation
Implementing SD-WAN can help businesses save money and improve network performance by allowing traffic to be routed over multiple mediums. This can reduce packet loss and latency problems and boost employee productivity. The software-defined WAN will use metrics to automatically decide which medium to use during failures and reroute traffic seamlessly.
SD-WAN has numerous security features that prevent network breaches and protect mission-critical traffic. These include URL filtering, IPS, cloud security, and advanced firewalls. Additionally, SD-WAN is designed to help enterprises secure their application traffic. These features help organizations reduce overall attack surfaces and avoid security breaches.
The amount of traffic traveling over the WAN has increased exponentially with the rise of cloud applications and SD-WAN. As a result, companies need a more robust network infrastructure to manage data from remote locations. Implementing SD-WAN can significantly reduce operating costs while reducing security and risk and increasing business productivity.
Cost
The cost of SD-WAN services is a complex issue that must be considered before making a final decision. It can vary significantly among service providers and regions and requires a thorough analysis of multiple variables. To determine the exact price of a service, it is helpful to benchmark it against a few competitors. Then, service providers can assess their competitive advantages, upsell opportunities, and align costs with required investments.
Using SD-WAN can save businesses money on both bandwidth and hardware costs. Cloud-based applications increasingly require more bandwidth, and SD-WAN provides a way to use available bandwidth more efficiently. It can also help improve application performance and reliability by providing a direct connection to cloud service providers. Additionally, SD-WAN can automatically move outbound traffic to a secondary connection in the event of a failure.
The cost of SD-WAN services is largely determined by the type of connectivity you need and the number of connections. With SD-WAN, your company can choose from multiple connections, ensuring that the network meets its global needs.
