SD-WAN Will Redefine Next-Generation WAN
Radical technology changes are pressurizing businesses to transform and digitalize. However, digitalization is placing demands on networks that only new technology solutions can solve.The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated internet adoption in home offices, and SD-WAN is powering the next generation of enterprise WANs. Software-defined WAN is the latest tech for high-performance networks with secure cloud-edges. It connects users at an enterprise location to resources on the same network.
Why SD-WAN is the key to the future of WAN
SD-WAN is at the heart of the next generation of WAN because it can fulfill the following requirements:
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SD-WAN for faster digitalization
SD-WAN minimizes the role of data centers because of its capacity to connect to cloud applications directly. It is a secure alternative and cost effective as it eliminates the need for expensive MPLS connections. Organizations have a unified central network to match business.
Enterprises need centralized, political and highly automated systems to operate sustainably. Manage the complexity and versatility of connected entities. The ability to flexibly use multiple communication channels is crucial for continuous availability. The software-defined WAN leverages cheaper and flexible internet 5G/LTE to deliver consistent end-user experience.
Hence SD-WAN is the future of networking for digitalized companies as it provides managed internet services that balances load versus traffic. They are next-generation solutions since optimization techniques used with SaaS platforms are bundled with connectivity. They also use machine learning for automatic selection of the best path for the application data. The higher flexibility and the ease of management leads to effective deployment of the Network as a Service model (NaaS).
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SD-WAN for multi-layer security services
SD-WAN can become yet another layer of security for internet managed services. This feature gives small businesses the added cushion of Managed Business Internet Access (MBIA) services. The scope of such managed internet access services is the ability of SD-WAN to integrate with network hosted security features on the cloud. This is the latest in cybersecurity solutions - SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) and SD-WAN solutions easily combine to handle SaaS applications over data center applications. The added security layer is more important as it mitigates security risks arising from cloud adoption.
SD-WAN can combine with several security service edges such as Secure Web Gateway (SWG) and Cloud Access Security Broker ( CASB) and Zero Trust Network Access ( ZTNA).
Finding the right next-generation SD-WAN solution for your needs can improve WAN performance, lead to significant WAN savings (by delaying the need to add capacity and reduce Opex costs by limiting manual intervention), and trouble ticket handling. The pundits expect impressive market growth, and buyers are flocking to second-generation SD-WAN solutions. The ability to treat traffic differently based on source, destination and current network behavior is critical to implementing SLAs and ensuring security.
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Fully-supported network for remote workforce
SD-WAN is a solution that overcomes security parameters in a distributed approach to address the needs for remote workforce. Network access points can integrate SD-WAN capabilities to form secure tunnels using simple networks. This enables a small perimeter of mesh-like security at every access point and location becomes unimportant. However, securing individual access points is the key and security policies enforced for every device.
These benefits apply directly to managing a permanently extended remote workforce. Practice and automation allow the number of sites offering multiple links (such as broadband and LTE) to increase reliability that is not otherwise available. Separate management of traffic originating from the home network enables better efficiency in strategic applications and additional protection of WFH traffic flows.
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Automated Provisioning
With SD-WAN, the "choose two" paradigm breaks down. The rules for standalone and relatively static environments like MPLS no longer apply. Because the SD-WAN device offers the promise of multiple traffic technologies, including the increasingly high-speed public Internet, traffic is weighted toward the cheapest route (or best route, depending on the traffic type). SD-WAN is also much faster to manufacture, enabling "automated provisioning" compared to the old high-touch approach that requires significant human intervention. As the stakes become "cheaper" and "faster", SD-WAN router allows companies to focus more on the "better" category, which includes advanced features such as security, performance, visibility and analytics.
SD-WAN solutions for next-generation networks
Every decade, a company faces significant changes in its competitive environment. A software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) in the telecommunications industry creates one of those points. The rapid growth of SD-WAN in networking is no secret. Metrics vary, but analysts predict rapid growth in enterprise SD-WAN spending and similar vendors or service providers over the next few years. Although MPLS and SD-WAN will coexist for years to come, the days of using only MPLS circuits are over. The strategic advantage of SD-WAN solutions for business customers is too strong, as is the widespread expectation of increasingly powerful broadband connections and quickly provisioned applications.
Next-generation networks need to host metaverse to powerful AI solutions that consume very high bandwidth. Businesses are compelled to ultra-digitalize to meet the demands of their clients whether to deliver a service or to build new solutions. The new hyper-distributed environment needs higher performance-levels and security compliance. The advantage of SD-WAN is that it ensures consistent network performance and constantly has the cloud-edge under control with its on-cloud security vigilance. That would lead to a modernized network that is lean and does not need multiple authentication fuzziness. Specta’s SD-WAN Edge portfolio services natively integrate top-industry vendors for a robust SASE architecture and secure cloud for every business regardless of its size. Speak to our networking experts about SASE-enabled SD-WAN for your organization!
