A traditional WAN connects multiple locations using a physical wire connection. However, this approach requires a lot of effort and labor to manage the network activities.
Moreover, the process of scaling the WAN is also tricky. It leads to a significant increase in operational costs and decreases the overall efficiency of the business.
Cost
The cost of implementing and managing SD-WAN depends on the size of the network, the number of sites, and whether they’re connected to an MPLS circuit or broadband internet. It is a big decision for many organizations, and it’s essential to understand precisely how much it will cost to deploy and maintain the solution before purchasing.
Traditional WANs use physical routers that connect remote or branch users to data centers. Each router has a data plane and a control plane, which tells the router where to send information. However, these controls are usually determined by a network engineer or administrator and can be complicated to manage.
Similarly, SD-WAN uses software to control and monitor the entire network. It makes the process faster and less error-prone, as rules and policies can be written in one place and deployed simultaneously in the whole network.
In addition, with sd-wan explained, businesses can route traffic to multiple offices and remote locations. As a result, it allows them to increase bandwidth for new applications and reduce network expenses by avoiding the costs of MPLS circuits.
The most crucial part of determining the cost of SD-WAN is to know your needs and compare costs. The best way to do this is by analyzing how much bandwidth your current network requires and which underlying technologies are already in place.
Another critical factor in calculating the total cost of SD-WAN is to consider your existing technology provider’s pricing. It includes recurring service fees.
In addition to recurring service charges, businesses must also be aware of the hardware cost for their SD-WAN implementation. It will vary depending on the model and capabilities of the SD-WAN hardware, but it can be a significant expense to replace existing routers and other equipment.
Scalability
A wide area network (WAN) connects branch offices and locations to the central corporate network. It uses controlling software with various networking hardware, including traditional MPLS and broadband links.
A WAN can be managed with a centralized appliance to drive traffic and security. It can also be configured to use multiple forms of WAN transport, including MPLS, internet, and long-term evolution (LTE).
When choosing a WAN for your business, consider the cost and functionality. It would be best if you also chose a WAN that is easy to scale to support growing numbers of users and devices.
Moreover, SD-WAN provides secure data transmission over a private network using end-to-end encryption and virtual private networks. As a result, it helps avoid packet loss and reduces bandwidth costs.
Another advantage of SD-WAN is that it can be scalable, making adding new office locations and services easier. It is because it can be easily configured to handle growing traffic volumes and varying connections.
For example, if an organization adds a new branch location, it can upgrade the existing network to an SD-WAN. It is much simpler than adding a new WAN link or switches and saves money.
The underlying networking architecture is also more flexible and scalable than a traditional WAN, which means it can be implemented using off-the-shelf hardware. It can also lower the total cost of ownership, as it eliminates the need for specialized hardware.
WANs can be very costly and challenging to manage when scaling up, which is why many organizations are moving away from them to SD-WAN. These networks are much cheaper and easier to manage and can be centralized to manage all hardware and traffic. It can also help to save on maintenance and support costs.
Security
Aside from bringing superior networking capabilities to branch offices, SD-WAN offers improved security measures. It helps to protect sensitive data by ensuring that traffic is encrypted throughout the network. Moreover, it supports end-to-end security by blocking all malicious traffic that attempts to breach the network.
It should also provide an integrated security stack with a converged firewall, VPN, and other services to secure sensitive data in the cloud. It should include end-to-end encryption to protect traffic from eavesdropping and other nefarious activity.
Another benefit of SD-WAN is that it can be configured and managed from a single central control point. In addition, it allows WAN managers to create security policies in real time and update them when required. As a result, it eliminates human errors and increases consistency.
In addition, it can reduce costs by allowing organizations to supplement expensive MPLS with broadband connections or substitute them for lower-cost alternatives. Lastly, it can help businesses bring up new branches and remote workers quickly and efficiently.
One of the most common ways businesses use SD-WAN is to connect branch offices to cloud-based applications. It allows employees to access their favorite software and applications remotely while avoiding the need to backhaul traffic to a data center first.
Similarly, it can help to improve user experience by optimizing application performance. It can eliminate lagging and jittering in the network that could lead to lost productivity.
This technology can be implemented through a cloud-based service or a hardware-based solution that includes all the necessary tools. It is also highly flexible and easily customized to meet your needs.
It can also offer a more reliable connection than traditional WAN because it is designed to provide multiple connections. It can be done by balancing different kinds of traffic or even creating backup links in case of disaster.
Aside from these advantages, SD-WAN also helps to improve network efficiency and reliability by streamlining network processes. As a result, it benefits companies that want to add remote offices or allow their employees to work from home. With this technology, it is possible to avoid long, drawn-out processes that decrease efficiency and make it easier for companies to stay competitive.
Availability
SD-WAN is a software-defined networking technology that connects remote sites and workers with the corporate network. It delivers lower costs, excellent performance, and secure connectivity to branch locations and remote employees with ease and speed.
Unlike traditional WAN networks, SD-WAN uses software-defined routing to determine the best route for each packet in real time based on conditions and application policies. In addition, it monitors traffic and automatically switches it to another connection if one last-mile link fails.
It can better handle a more significant amount of traffic with fewer bottlenecks and delays. And, because it can change routes dynamically, it can respond more quickly to incoming traffic and new applications that require more bandwidth.
As a result, SD-WAN can provide the same granular control over packets that MPLS does but with far less complexity and cost. It reduces the need for extensive hands-on programming as applications grow and demand changes.
In addition, SD-WAN can monitor data traffic in real-time and divert business-critical traffic around brownout events. As a result, it helps ensure that applications stay up and running during outages, reducing downtime and impact on customer service.
Moreover, it can support high-bandwidth intensive applications simultaneously, offloading them on the local internet where applicable. It can help organizations deal with bandwidth requirements that may be out of their reach with a traditional WAN.
Finally, it offers a higher level of security than a traditional WAN, including end-to-end encryption over a VPN connection and integration of additional security features. As a result, it can be valuable for organizations with sensitive or proprietary data that must always stay secure.
