What is SD-WAN?
Many organisations connect their offices or data centres using traditional WAN technology. While WAN networks had its part in delivering connectivity, the drive for flexibility, efficiency and cost reduction has forced the evolution of WAN – bringing us to software-defined WAN (SD-WAN).
Based on software-defined networking (SDN) technology, the application of SD-WAN utilises cloud technology to manage WAN infrastructure. SD-WAN helps organisations quickly realise efficiency gains, cost reduction, and flexible bandwidth.
Advantages of SD-WAN for businesses
SD-WAN offers many advantages for businesses, especially those with multiple sites, including:
- Reducing cost.
- Secure and flexible infrastructure; scale up and down on demand.
- Carrier agnostic traffic routing based on connection quality, application type and bandwidth requirements.
- Optimised user experience for software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications.
- Complete visibility and control over traffic routing, SaaS performance at every location, and business and security policy management.
A guide to SD-WAN providers
The best SD-WAN providers in the market typically provide SD-WAN as part of a managed service. The design and implementation of an SD-WAN solution can be complicated to self-manage and requires access to telco carrier networks. A managed service provider can align your business requirements with telco capabilities and negotiate multiple contracts on your behalf. Some providers may hand the contract management back to you, while others offer end-to-end managed services.
Join us at our next SD-WAN event
Join Enablis as we host our next SD-WAN event with Cisco Meraki, market leaders in cloud controlled WiFi, routing, and security. With the impending copper switch-off, hear from our experts about how NBN can provide the high-speed internet platform required to successfully implement SD-WAN.