Nowadays, businesses are adopting online meetings and remote working. As a result, numerous programs are relocated to the cloud, and other services are made easily accessible over the internet. Working remotely is more advantageous to the company in many ways, including cost reduction and increased production.
Traditional WAN is used by businesses to create remote infrastructure, enabling users to connect remote sites to applications hosted in the data center. Traditional Wide Area Network uses leased lines and MPLS circuits to provide secure connections to the data center.
In this infrastructure, the data center receives traffic from the remote site, which is subsequently forwarded to the public cloud.
However, the traditional WAN infrastructure is not suitable in the digital world because the admins are provided with limited control over traffic flow, and that is because the control is through routing protocols. And so the SDWAN provider enters in.
What is SDWAN?
SD-WAN stands for Software-Defined Wide Area Network, a technology that creates a virtual WAN architecture to manage the IT infrastructure easily between multiple locations.
It is provider and transport-independent, meaning a company can connect to the applications using any provider and any transport service, including internet and LTE.
Why do businesses switch to SDWAN from MPLS?
Businesses primarily switched to SDWAN since MPLS connections are pricey but only offer a few control options. And here are the top reasons why businesses switch to SDWAN.
Security
Security is more concerned with digital operations. With SD-WAN, the remote infrastructure gets complete security. It offers all-encompassing security features like cloud web content filtering, malware defenses, and intervention mechanisms.
Consequently, you can avoid putting separate security measures at each location. It also incorporates encryption features to ensure that only authorized users have access.
Flexibility
Any form of transport service that is offered, including 4G, the internet, fixed wireless, and others, may be used. As a result, you have total control over the remote infrastructure.
Smart pathway control
By sending the policies and directing traffic depending on priority, efficiency is increased. And the path can be controlled from a centralized location or an individual site.
Reduced cost
Since SDWAN uses a regular internet connection and offers faster network speeds and security, it lowers the cost of bandwidth. However, MPLS circuits are pricey and compromise both speed and security.
Easy deployment
You can rapidly set up the WAN system for your company with SDWAN. Each device’s policy and keys can be downloaded once set up to access the requirements based on the location.
How to implement SDWAN?
The following are the two most popular strategies utilized by many firms when deploying SDWAN.
Using a carrier
This approach is more similar to having an MPLS provider’s infrastructure with SDWAN capabilities. If you decide to sign a multi-year contract with the carriers, they will supply the necessary equipment. However, if you choose to terminate the contract, you will also lose the entire infrastructure and the service. Furthermore, it restricts administrative and network control as well.
Using a solution provider
The majority of companies look for SDWAN providers to establish secure SDWAN. The services are provided based on the needs of your business. They develop, architect, and deploy SDWAN for your company after gathering requirements.
You have total control over the available transportation options for each company location. Additionally, you can manage the network from a single location or a central location.
However, to receive the greatest service, you must pick the appropriate provider. Therefore, you must be aware of the characteristics provided by the supplier, including security precautions, services provided, experience, price, and more, before choosing an SDWAN provider. And doing so will aid in your search for the top service.
So now you know why businesses are embracing SDWAN technology and how they can use it to benefit their operations. Overall, SDWAN aids in the effective and secure management of the IT infrastructure.
