SD-WAN is changing how businesses communicate over long distances. With dedicated software, SD-WAN allows for an efficient and secure way to transmit data virtually from one location to another with minimal disruption or latency.
So it’s no wonder many organizations are turning to this technology as a cost-effective alternative to traditional wide-area networks. This article will look at some ways that SD-WAN can enable communication needs and give a business the edge in today’s competitive business environment.
SD-WAN vs. MPLS
What does SD-WAN stand for? SD-WAN stands for software-defined wide area networks, and has the potential to revolutionize traditional networks and take business communications to a new level. It stands out from its predecessor, MPLS, in its ability to provide secure and reliable communication over long distances.
It also offers unparalleled scalability and affordability, enhanced security functions, improved connectivity, and much lower costs than traditional WAN solutions.
Enhanced Scalability
SD-WAN offers unrivaled scalability and performance by enabling business communication to move virtually through dedicated software. With a range of customizable features and options ranging from bandwidth management to optimizing cloud applications, this technology optimizes experience and cost within businesses of any sector or size.
Furthermore, SD-WAN ensures that companies can access the most reliable resources to keep up with the demands of today’s digital society and remain competitive in the market. Ultimately, by providing local breakouts and allowing for centralized traffic through zero-touch deployment features, SD-WAN will likely become a mainstay in business communications worldwide for years to come.
Increased Security
An encrypted connection securely transmits data over long distances with minimal disruption or latency. This ensures that businesses of all sizes can feel confident that their data is protected and secure. Additionally, with advanced routing features such as segmentation, traffic can be segregated to ensure that it is not visible to unauthorized individuals.
This elevates the network’s security, ensuring only those with permission can access the data. Not only does this ensure compliance with industry regulations, but it also minimizes the risk of cyber-attacks and other malicious activity.
Improved Connectivity
Not too long ago, businesses dealing with multiple remote locations found it increasingly challenging to leverage private networks when ensuring quality communication. Thanks to SD-WAN, businesses can utilize dedicated software and improved connectivity to communicate effectively from anywhere.
This technology also positively impacts digital transformation initiatives, allowing collaboration and communication between business partners, clients, and staff that’s not tied down by physical connections or limited bandwidth.
Lower Costs
When comparing SD-WAN solutions to other software solutions such as MPLS, SD-WAN offers significant cost savings over traditional WAN solutions. Since the technology is based on internet connections, it doesn’t rely on expensive hardware.
This allows businesses to maximize their investments and reduce costs while still benefiting from the features and functions that SD-WAN has to offer. In addition, it’s also straightforward to manage and deploy, allowing any IT staff to troubleshoot and resolve issues quickly.
Improved Quality of Service
The real power of SD-WAN lies in its ability to prioritize traffic and assign bandwidth based on the needs of a business. By leveraging Quality of Service (QoS) features, companies can ensure that their most important and critical applications are delivered with minimal disruption or latency.
Doing this ensures a business is always running at its optimum performance and can keep up with the ever-changing digital landscape. In addition, companies can prioritize VoIP calls and increase the performance of their video conferencing, allowing for smoother communication with clients and partners worldwide.
Flexible Network Architecture
SD-WAN offers a highly flexible network approach, allowing businesses to move and scale without the hassle of reconfiguring components. This flexibility makes SD-WAN an ideal solution for companies expanding or needing to move quickly when the situation calls for it.
This flexibility is also beneficial for businesses spread across multiple geographic locations, as it allows them to quickly and easily switch between local connections and VPNs, depending on the situation.
Simplified Management & Deployment
By allowing dedicated software to handle data traffic and simplify management and deployment, SD-WAN has streamlined the process of having colleagues collaborate regardless of physical distance. It also ensures secure connectivity options across public and private networks.
This can enable organizations to operate fluidly while boosting efficiency and overall workforce productivity. In addition, instead of relying on traditional methods of communication, SD-WAN helps its users stay connected at all times while eliminating a significant amount of stress when setting up their virtual infrastructure.
Conclusion
Ultimately, SD-WAN is an essential technology for today’s businesses and offers many advantages that MPLS can’t match. It’s a cost-effective solution that allows businesses to remain competitive in the ever-changing digital world.
It provides superior scalability and flexibility, as well as improved security and quality of service so that companies can stay connected no matter where their users are located. By utilizing SD-WAN, businesses can ensure that their communications remain fluid and secure no matter the size or complexity of the organization.
