The Extension of SD-WAN to SD-Branch

Let’s talk about a critical aspect of organisational expansion and geographically dispersed locations - branch network management and security. As businesses establish multiple branch locations, the complexity of managing and securing a distributed network infrastructure increase. The post-Covid world of decentralised cloud/data storage, network security, and workforces led to a rise in IoT devices and data proliferation with edge computing becoming the new frontier.

SD-WAN took over from VPNs as the benchmark to enable scalable, redundant and highly secure network connections between on-premises, remote, edge and/or cloud environments, and we are now into a new wave of secure and flexible branch networking with Software-Defined Branch (SD-Branch) and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA).

This sounds like a lot of complex technical jargon, and you may be asking what the difference is between these two offerings, so here is a simple answer:

·???????? ZTNA focuses on secure network access to applications and resources based on the principle of "never trust, always verify," regardless of the user's location.

·???????? SD-Branch, on the other hand, is a holistic networking solution that leverages software-defined technologies to centrally manage and orchestrate network functions, including security, in branch offices.

SD-Branch is a comprehensive approach that simplifies branch network management through software-defined principles. By centralising network policies and configurations, it streamlines operations, reduces complexity, and allows for easier scalability.

The core benefits of SD-Branch are remarkable:

·???????? Firstly, it simplifies branch network management by providing a unified view of the entire network. This centralised approach empowers administrators to deploy policies consistently across all branch locations, minimising errors and enhancing efficiency.

·???????? Secondly, SD-Branch brings substantial cost reductions. Leveraging software-defined principles and virtualisation, businesses can reduce the need for physical hardware at each branch, saving on equipment and operational costs.

·???????? But the most significant advantage is the enhanced security SD-Branch offers. With consistent security policies enforced across all branches and granular access controls, SD-Branch creates a robust security perimeter. This is crucial as cyber threats continue to evolve and target distributed networks.

Implementing SD-Branch requires careful planning and a phased approach. Selecting the right SD-Branch solution is critical, considering factors such as scalability, security features, and ease of integration with existing systems.

Echo understands how daunting these decisions can be, and our goal is to simplify the complexity of you having to select, integrate, and manage multiple technologies in your network. We partner with the best and towards the end of 2021, Echo launched ZTNA as the latest addition to our SD-WAN offering which is built on Fortinet’s FortiGate technology.

Let us help you transform how you manage your branch network, enabling your organisation to cost-effectively stay agile and secure as you grow and expand your branch locations.