Redefining the Network: Navigating the World of SD-WAN

In the evolving enterprise network environment, companies are constantly seeking effective solutions to connect their different locations, data centers, and remote users. Traditional network approaches have begun to show limitations as the speed and scale of diversity continue to increase, requiring more efficient, responsive, and comprehensive solutions.

Software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) provides a dynamic, intelligent architecture that combines the power of the Internet with the reliability of dedicated Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS).

Let’s dive deeper into the key aspects of SD-WAN, from its architecture to the role a managed network provider can play.

Bridges between networks

The growing geographic diversity of the workforce is creating challenges for many organizations. Gartner’s 2023 Predictions report predicts that up to 39% of the workforce will be a hybrid workforce by the end of this year, and that number is only going to increase.

Organizations managing thousands of clients, offices, and employees are looking for every opportunity to optimize costs and enhance the overall network experience for their users.

SD-WAN helps achieve this goal because it is designed to manage connections between an organization's headquarters, branch offices, data centers, and remote users. SD-WAN takes an intelligent WAN approach, directing traffic across multiple connection types, including the public Internet and private MPLS links, to ensure optimal performance.

In traditional network settings, organizations often rely on expensive dedicated MPLS connections to ensure reliable data transmission between locations, and employ fixed quality of service (QoS) profiles to prioritize traffic. However, SD-WAN introduces an innovative approach by leveraging dynamic policy-based traffic control and merged edge security. Combined with the ability to run over the Internet or MPLS links, it can be centrally managed and costs can be reduced while leveraging the potential of both technologies.

SD-WAN brings six key differences:

Centralized control and orchestration: One of the key features of SD-WAN is centralized control and orchestration. This aspect allows administrators to manage, monitor, and control the entire network from a single management platform. It provides a holistic view of the network, enabling administrators to set policies, prioritize traffic, allocate bandwidth, and implement security measures at all locations. This centralized management simplifies network management and ensures consistent policy enforcement.

Dynamic Path Selection: The SD-WAN architecture dynamically selects the optimal path for data traffic based on real-time conditions. It takes into account factors such as bandwidth utilization, availability, latency, jitter, and packet loss. By dynamically directing traffic, SD-WAN ensures that critical applications receive the necessary bandwidth, while less important traffic can be routed over less expensive or more congested connections. This approach enhances application performance and user experience.

Hybrid Connectivity: A core benefit of the SD-WAN architecture is its ability to support multiple types of connectivity. This typically includes a combination of public Internet links, such as broadband, and private MPLS links. A hybrid connectivity approach enables organizations to take advantage of the cost-effectiveness of Internet links while maintaining the reliability and security of MPLS. This ensures that businesses can optimize their network costs without sacrificing performance.

WAN optimization: SD-WAN includes built-in WAN optimization technologies. These technologies help alleviate issues such as latency, jitter, and packet loss, especially over long distances. WAN optimization features include data compression, caching, and protocol optimization, all of which help improve application performance and a smoother user experience.

Security integration: Security is an important aspect of any network architecture, and SD-WAN is no exception. Many SD-WAN solutions include integrated security features. These may include encryption of data transmitted over the network, firewall capabilities, intrusion detection and prevention, and other security measures. The ability to enforce security policies across all network connections helps organizations maintain a consistent security posture.

Application-aware routing: The SD-WAN architecture is application-aware, meaning it can identify specific applications used on the network. This awareness enables administrators to prioritize critical applications to ensure they receive the necessary bandwidth and reduce the impact of non-critical applications on the network.

The Role of a Managed Network Provider

Managed network providers play a key role in unlocking the full potential of SD-WAN. Their expertise and experience in deploying and managing complex network infrastructures ensure a smooth transition to SD-WAN. These providers work closely with organizations to design and implement customized SD-WAN solutions that meet specific business needs.

But it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. Managed network providers need to understand that every organization has unique network needs. Ongoing support from a managed network service provider is key to unlocking the potential of this new technology. SD-WAN requires ongoing monitoring, management, and updates. Managed network providers offer 24/7 support to ensure the network is running at peak efficiency.

In summary, the transformative power of SD-WAN is undeniable. It enables organizations to simplify their network infrastructure, improve performance, reduce costs, and increase overall business efficiency.