Networking technologies have continually adapted to consumer demands. Software-defined networking or SD-WAN technology will see rapid global adoption at a CAGR of 21.64 between 2020 and 2026. The SD-WAN market value is expected to exceed USD 8 billion by 2026.
The surge in SD-WAN adoption was primarily driven by remote workforce connecting from outside the corporate network leading to challenges in reliability, scalability, flexibility, and implementation of everyday operations in any business. Besides, companies have also found significant cost savings, ease in migration, and business continuity by using SD-WAN technology. But this technology has made networking history with its range of security advantages.
In the following sections, let us take a quick look at the security incentives a business receives by moving to SD-WAN.
But first, what technology are we talking about?
What is SD-WAN technology?
A centralized software application running a virtual network over the hardware is called Software Defined-Wide Area Network (SD-WAN). It is a hybrid technology that combines software-defined networking(SDN) with Wide Area Networking (WAN). SD-WAN uses multiple potential transport links over traditional dedicated circuits and becomes the most efficient and secure networking solution for cloud computing.
Hence, SD-WAN becomes a virtual solution that runs beyond your existing WAN. It brings visibility, network traffic control, and low-cost alternatives to traditional networking. But the most critical differentiator of SD-WAN over conventional networking is the capability to respond to external threats and environmental shifts immediately.
Five Ways SD-WAN benefits your business security
1. Single-Point Control for easy scaling
SDWAN has a centralized controller, and administrators can create security policies for the complete network. The advantage is that the solution can be used to distribute the security policies for your entire business. Hence enforcing and maintaining the security policies can now happen from a single point of control. Secondly, you can block malicious traffic and filter it without impacting the operations across the network. Any suspicious activity can now be regarded by the administrators immediately. Thirdly, scaling the security policies as per the growth of your business is simplified. With SD-WAN creating security policies, controlling and deployment can be executed and centrally controlled.
2. Adjust traffic from remote locations with bandwidth strength
SD-WAN solutions can prioritize traffic inflow from different locations and adjust according to the available network strength. Therefore, using a dynamic approach, SD-WAN can allocate the cheaper local internet strength for traffic that is non-critical and move video or voice traffic to low latency internet or engage with high bandwidth links as per the moving traffic. This is because, with SD-WAN solutions, you can combine different network connection types - you can have private circuits or local internet connections and mobile networks, all ensuring that your connection is spot-on continuously for the given data flow.
3. Segmentation with zero-touch provisioning
Forget traditional provisioning and the addition of new branches or remote locations; with SD-WAN solutions, all this is handled in a few minutes. As soon as you change, update, or define a new policy, it is automatically distributed across the corporate network using the SD-WAN solution. Defining new guidelines for the application, updating the cloud's CRM system, or using real-time traffic for voice-over-internet protocol improve with SD-WAN.
4. Deploying firewalls and encryption of traffic
One important advantage of SD-WAN solutions over traditional networking options is the ability to create a secure virtual tunnel or firewall connection between remote locations or locations and central offices. Such a virtual network can outrun any threats in real time! If there is a threat, it is easier to neutralize the virtual firewalls. It is easier to control and limit website access for guests or remote employees.
5. Connecting to the cloud
Another core functionality of SD-WAN technology is to support direct connectivity to the cloud, and sharing any challenges between cloud providers and end points are always minimized. Thus the cloud experience is always an optimized functionality, ensuring high-security levels and preventing data loss due to intrusions.
How is SD-WAN helping businesses to be pro-compliance?
Today every business, be it the highly regulated financial industry, the Healthcare industry, or any other business, accepts payment needs to ensure they comply with the industry's regulatory requirements.
One of the easiest ways to simplify compliance with HIPAA or the payment card industry data securities standards is PCI DSS, Sarbanes Oxley Act, and more is deploying the SD-WAN solution. This is because the platform and data plane security are always encrypted; there is micro-segmentation of traffic, building greater control and reducing compliance.
Controlling and managing plane security ensures system security, role-based access control, threshold-crossing alerts, alarms, and more. Password usage, possession of password user notifications, and audit logs for change management are well documented. Information processing standards that need to follow security algorithms approved by the information processing standards are correctly implemented, and failure handling is easier.
Final Thoughts
Apart from the multiple benefits of cost savings, business continuity, and easy migration to cloud-based applications, the five-fold security benefits SD-WAN managed services offer are the primary incentive leading to more users of SD-WAN technology.
When you choose Spectra's SD-WAN solution, your business can build a sophisticated wide area network. The solutions ensure that SD-WAN is hardened; there are state-of-the-art integrated firewalls and virtual WAN overlays for secure user and application connection without impacting the application's performance. Call our experts to help you make the transition to SD-WAN services!
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