The Primary Benefits of WAN & SD-WAN: How it Works and its Advantages

WAN (Wide Area Network) SD-WAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Network) has become a popular topic in the world of networking, as more and more organizations look for ways to improve their WAN infrastructure. But what exactly is WAN SD-WAN and how does it work? In this blog post, we'll take a closer look at WAN SD-WAN and explain how it can benefit your organization.

Defining WAN SD-WAN

A WAN connects different LANs (Local Area Networks) over a wide geographical area, such as a city, country or even across countries. WANs can be connected by leased lines, satellite, or the public internet. SD-WAN is an approach to WAN architecture that utilizes software-defined principles to improve the flexibility, scalability, and ease of management of WANs. With SD-WAN, network administrators can centrally manage and automate WAN routing and traffic management, increasing network efficiency and reducing costs.

How SD-WAN Works

SD-WAN works by abstracting the underlying hardware and infrastructure of the WAN, making it possible to manage the WAN through software. This enables network administrators to centrally configure, monitor and control the WAN, regardless of the location or the underlying infrastructure. SD-WAN technology makes use of a software-defined controller that sits in the cloud or on-premises to manage the WAN and establish a secure connection to the internet, MPLS or other WAN links. The SD-WAN controller monitors the available links in real-time, and automatically routes traffic to the best link based on performance, cost and security.

Advantages of SD-WAN

One of the main advantages of SD-WAN is that it can improve the performance and reliability of WAN connections. By abstracting the underlying infrastructure, SD-WAN technology can automatically route traffic over the best available link, improving performance and reducing downtime. Additionally, SD-WAN can also improve the security of WAN connections, by encrypting traffic and adding an additional layer of security. This, along with the centralized management and the ability to quickly deploy new branches or offices, can significantly reduce the operational costs of managing a WAN.

How to implement SD-WAN

Implementing SD-WAN can be done in a few different ways. One of the most popular is using an SD-WAN appliance, which can be installed on-premises or in the cloud, depending on the organization's needs. This can be combined with existing WAN connections, such as MPLS or internet connections, to provide a software-defined WAN. Additionally, many cloud-based SD-WAN services are also available, which provide similar functionality and can be implemented as a service.

WAN SD-WAN is a powerful approach to WAN architecture that utilizes software-defined principles to improve the flexibility, scalability, and ease of management of WANs. With SD-WAN, network administrators can centrally manage and automate WAN routing and traffic management, increasing network efficiency and reducing costs. Whether you are looking for improved performance and reliability, better security or lower costs, SD-WAN could be the right solution for your organization. To learn more about SD-WAN, reach out to an expert in WAN SD-WAN to get help and advice on how to implement it in your organization.