SD-WAN

Increase your network reliability, agility, and performance with software-defined networks by aggregating multiple active, load-sharing connections of any type.

Digital transformation, data centres, cloud computing, on-demand services, video conferencing, mobile access and other advances result in massive increases in network traffic. Networks have never been as crucial to business continuity.

Traditional enterprise-wide area networks (WANs) were never designed to deliver the complexity, level of performance and security needed to satisfy today’s requirements. Traditional enterprise WANs fall short of providing the needs of modern businesses, particularly with cloud platforms and SaaS.

Software-defined wide-area networking (SD-WAN) is a far better way of building and managing your network.

The problem with legacy WANs

Legacy WANs are based on thirty-year-old architectures, though of course with some improvements. The technology includes a physical network and framework which connects all sites back to a central data centre. Such a rigid structure is no longer the best approach to the changing data environment. One problem is the lack of network traffic visibility, especially when enterprises generate and distribute data in many different ways throughout the organisation and the cloud.

SD-WAN offers a better way of doing things

SD-WAN allows data flows to be managed over multiple pathways so that it is no longer dependent on a fixed configuration. These could include your legacy MPLS network, mobile networks, and the internet. Importantly, it is adaptable to changing data demands and policies, for instance, automatic load balancing over multiple pathways; prioritising critical data; and switching data to an alternative path in the event of a network failure.

Advantages of switching to SD-WAN

The benefits of switching to an SD-WAN architecture include:

Improved performance

SD-WAN means you can prioritise critical traffic and send it over the most efficient route.

Greater security

SD-WAN can include multiple integrated security protection tools and protocols.

Lower complexity

SD-WAN infrastructure is less complicated than legacy WAN and traffic can be managed through a central controller.

Cloud friendly

All users can access cloud applications remotely from any location,

Reduced cost

SD-WAN offers significant cost savings.

Choosing your SD-WAN partner

For businesses that wish to stay in the game, migrating to SD-WAN is a necessity rather than an option. Your real choice is deciding on the right partner for this transition.

SD-WAN should be employed without disrupting current systems and in a way that augments existing WAN hardware. Usually, this is through a small pilot project on selected sites. Once business units are comfortable with your new SD-WAN, legacy systems can be removed. The solution is then rolled out to each location transitioning your entire network to SD-WAN. Talk to us, and we will explain the details.