What is SD-WAN? It’s a network technology that enables application awareness and manages multiple connections in a unified manner. This article will explore the benefits of SDWAN for various business uses.
SD-WAN improves both application and network performance
A new technology, SD-WAN, helps organizations manage multiple access types and optimize resource utilization. It’s available in business models and form factors, and organizations need to decide what they need before evaluating the solution. In addition, SD-WAN uses a centralized control function that can improve your organization’s network performance and security.
With SD-WAN, your business network traffic is prioritized based on its importance. As a result, it can be redirected over high-performance connections in the event of link failures or congestion. This ensures that business-critical traffic such as VoIP and voice over IP traffic is delivered with the highest level of performance. A high-performance connection to connect these applications will reduce latency and boost staff and employee productivity.
It reduces costs
Compared to dedicated data connections, SD-WAN reduces costs in several different ways. Because it is automated, it eliminates the need for highly specialized network engineers. The cost of deploying and maintaining a network is reduced as well. Depending on the complexity of your network and traffic, SD-WAN can save as much as 1.5% of your total WAN cost.
MPLS is more expensive in some markets. However, a public internet connection can be more cost-effective in these areas. With SD-WAN, your MPLS connection will be much cheaper. In addition, you will benefit from greater flexibility, granular traffic control, and integrated security. It also allows you to use various connection strategies, which lowers overall costs. However, if you require high levels of security, it may be wise to use an MPLS connection instead.
It manages multiple types of connections.
SD-WAN technology has several advantages over traditional WAN management. It enables dynamic path selection and prioritizes application traffic based on business-aligned policies. With SD-WAN, packets are steered to the best link based on application, user, or source ids. This allows networks to balance network traffic among available links. Moreover, SD-WAN technology can identify traffic by application, source, and destination.
Compared to traditional WAN technologies, SD-WAN can be installed in stages and coexist with legacy WAN technologies. First, it identifies which applications require high bandwidth and which ones are not. Then, the system decides whether to place critical applications over high-performance private cores or the Internet. Furthermore, SD-WAN can migrate direct connectivity from an old-fashioned WAN to a modern WAN.
To improve branch offices’ performance and application performance, SD-WAN is often combined with WAN optimization. It may also route internet traffic to a cloud-based security service. MPLS (multiprotocol label switching) is an established WAN technology. It delivers predictable latency and guaranteed bandwidth. However, MPLS is expensive and not practical for cloud connectivity. SD-WAN allows for flexible, scalable connections and a unified security management infrastructure.
It provides real-time traffic shaping.
While WAN circuits have become a common means of connecting offices, they are often not flexible. Traffic shaping can help ensure the quality of service for users by regulating bandwidth usage. It is also an effective method of guarding applications against traffic spikes. The key is to ensure that all incoming packets reach their destination. With traffic shaping, you can control the rate at which your network delivers information and keep malicious traffic at bay.
Generally, traffic shaping can be done by setting a threshold. When a packet reaches a certain point, it will be held until it reaches the upper bound of the specified bandwidth. This is also known as bandwidth guarantee and ensures that the user will always be able to use the specified bandwidth. Traffic shaping can also be performed by assigning priority to different traffic.