SD-WAN

SD-WAN is short for software-defined wide area network is a wide area network determined by software that utilizes software components to control network operations. Specialized management software virtualises network hardware in the same way as hypervisors and other components virtualize data center operations.

SD WAN is a technique for using software to make wide area networks more intelligent and flexible. What are the uses of SD-WAN? According to an article published in Technopedia, SD WAN can help wide area networks to handle network traffic with certain protocols, while providing an intuitive interface for users. Not only that, SD-WAN can also support features such as firewalls, gateways, and virtual private network tools for privacy. In addition, SD-WAN can also help redundancy, per backup and recovery, and problem solving.

Why is SD-WAN important?

Why is SD-WAN important? Because SD-WAN can overcome problems that often occur in IT organizations such as downtime that can affect reputation and the bottom line. If you have this, then IT solutions are needed that are nimble, flexible, and can save costs. With the existence of SD WAN, the problems mentioned above can be overcome with a new approach that also brings scale and company security. That’s why SD WAN is one of the most popular network solutions available today.

There are 5 advantages or advantages of SD-WAN that can be obtained as quoted from the article published by the following Forcepoint:

1. Lower Connectivity Costs
   The first advantage of SD-WAN is that it can reduce ongoing operational costs by switching to expensive MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) lines to commodity broadband such as fiber, cable, DSL, or even cellular technology.
2. Higher Performance for the Cloud
   The next advantage is that with SD-WAN, new paths can be added quickly and easily to sites that require more capacity. By linking sites directly to the internet, SD-WAN reduces the barriers and delays that are common in longer WANs.
3. Multiple Link Resilience
   Traditional WAN environments usually have one network link that goes to each location. With SD-WAN, many links from different ISPs can be used, eliminating a single point of failure that can bring down the network.
4. Higher Agility
   When you open a new branch office, time is money. SD-WAN allows you to set up a reliable and secure network quickly, using which ISPs are most suitable for each location.
5. Optimized Use of Resources
   SD-WAN allows you to intelligently assign key applications to various links, including internal lines and Internet connections, providing different Quality of Service (QoS) guarantees for each. This allows you to apply the right resources in every situation to maximize performance and productivity while minimizing costs.