SD-WAN is a new kind of network. It was introduced in the 2010s and started gaining popularity as more technologists explored its benefits. Compared to MPLS, SD networks are less expensive and easier to scale. This article will emphasize what is SD-WAN and its role in improving network performance.
Centralized Management Simplifies Network Management.
The centralized management model of SD-WAN provides a single portal that controls all network functions and traffic. The centralized management interface also monitors and prioritizes applications based on their criticality. Users can also adjust bandwidth according to their needs. These features simplify network management and reduce complexity.
With the ability to control and prioritize network traffic, SD-WANs reduce network congestion and improve application performance. They also reduce network costs. With a centralized management console, SD-WAN administrators can easily program policy changes, push those changes across multiple branches, and bring new branches online remotely within a few hours. These benefits increase operational efficiency and security. In addition to SD-WAN solutions, centralized management makes firewalls, virtual private networks, and remote clients much easier to manage. Centralized management allows administrators to deliver configurations easily, orchestrate policies, and identify errors and other issues. With the help of customizable management dashboards, IT managers can monitor network performance and network health.
Application Performance Is Prioritized.
SD-WAN is a routing technology that combines multiple network connections into a single functional network. It’s commonly used for multi-site networks and optimizing connections to cloud services. It represents a major step forward from MPLS and VPN. However, SD-WAN does have a few downsides. For example, it may cause brownouts or latency when making video calls. This is especially bad for support teams, who might lose a visual of the customer’s desktop. The main advantage of SD-WAN over other WAN technologies is its ability to help organizations increase flexibility and speed. It also helps organizations quickly set up new branches online, with lower costs and time. It can also help organizations reduce the complexity and cost of managing a network. SD-WAN is also GDPR-compliant.
SD-WAN presents several challenges, with the correlation of events across physical layers being the top problem for service providers. Sixty-one percent of larger service providers reported this problem. In addition, respondents reported using three or more management tools to monitor network performance, and one-third used five or more. Finally, automation is key for service providers, with 37% of respondents saying automation is critical to managing their networks.
Security Is The Main Driver Of SD-Wan Adoption.
Many enterprises have turned to SD-WAN to address real-world problems in a highly competitive environment. These challenges include meeting the global marketplace’s needs better and achieving greater agility and scalability. Enterprises are upgrading their remote connectivity solutions and setting up new locations with SD-WAN connectivity. In some cases, this flexibility can help them achieve strategic business goals.
SD-WAN solutions can provide many advanced features, including traffic shaping, data compression, and deduplication. These features allow a company to see how traffic is being used and how much bandwidth is available. Additionally, they can send alerts and trouble ticketing systems to ensure that the network performs optimally. Security is also key, as many SD-WAN platforms come with end-to-end encryption and encrypted tunnels. This can help organizations reduce the physical devices they need to support the applications and services they need. While security is a major driver for SD-WAN adoption, it is important to realize that security teams have specific requirements for the built-in security capabilities of SD-WAN platforms. Therefore, these teams must also be involved in the selection process.