Transforming WAN Management: The Benefits of Adopting SD-WAN

SD-WAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Network) is revolutionizing the way companies manage and optimize their WAN connections. By leveraging SD-WAN, businesses can significantly increase the ROI of their network investments. Traditionally, when companies invest in WAN connections such as VPNs or internet connections, they prioritize two key aspects: reliability and confidentiality.

Reliability is crucial for ensuring that business operations run smoothly without interruptions. Businesses typically rely on solutions like MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) or dedicated internet connections with fixed SLAs (Service Level Agreements) provided by their service providers. These SLAs is provided from the Service Providers to guarantee the reliability and performance of the provided WAN Connections.

Confidentiality is equally important to secure internal communications between systems and remote sites and not expose that to Internet. This is often achieved through MPLS/VPN as this creates an isolated WAN connections inside the ISPs to provide Confidentiality.

SD-WAN offers a compelling alternative by providing enhanced reliability and confidentiality through a more flexible and cost-effective approach. Here’s how:

1. Reliability: SD-WAN enhances network reliability by allowing businesses to set SLAs for their WAN links and automatically take actions based on these SLAs. For instance, if packet loss, jitter, or latency thresholds are exceeded, traffic can be rerouted to another connection. This dynamic approach ensures continuous optimal performance and reduces downtime.

2. Confidentiality: SD-WAN relies on VPN tunneling to secure data transmitted over the internet\VPN. This encryption ensures that internal communications remain confidential and protected from unauthorized access.

More Advantages of SD-WAN for Businesses:

1. Easy Deployment: SD-WAN solutions often come with centralized management and, in most cases, zero-touch branch deployment. Many vendors also offer the management platform as a SaaS (Software as a Service) solution.

2. Easy Operation: Operating an SD-WAN solution is simpler than traditional methods due to the centralized platform, which provides a single point of management along with extensive reporting and analysis capabilities.

ROI and Cost Efficiency:

- Cost Reduction: SD-WAN can reduce MPLS/VPN costs by replacing them with internet tunneling, which is generally more affordable. However, it is important to consider the specific needs of your applications. MPLS offers dedicated bandwidth, which ADSL/VDSL may not provide. For highly sensitive applications, maintaining a reduced MPLS bandwidth alongside internet tunneling can be a cost-effective strategy.

- Application Awareness: Many SD-WAN solutions feature application awareness, allowing businesses to prioritize critical applications on dedicated, high-quality internet connections while routing less sensitive traffic over ADSL lines.

- Operational Savings: Managing the network from a single platform, often provided as a SaaS service, can significantly reduce operational costs. This centralized management allows for easier monitoring, change implementation, and performance optimization.

Various vendors compete to offer advanced SLAs tailored to meet the specific needs of businesses, enhancing reliability. They also provide diverse tunneling protocols to address internet tunneling challenges, ensuring robust confidentiality. Additionally, vendors strive to simplify management and deployment, making it easier for businesses to manage their networks efficiently.

In summary, SD-WAN is a global concept that offers a strategic advantage for businesses looking to improve the reliability and confidentiality of their WAN connections while maximizing their ROI. By adopting SD-WAN, companies can achieve a more resilient, secure, and cost-effective network infrastructure.