SD-WAN

SD-WAN technology enables use of various WAN access media, including as fixed connections, MPLS networks, DSL and cable modems or 3-5G wireless, and pursues a primary goal – cost-efficient networking while adhering to all necessary SLAs and security aspects.

Consumer products such as DSL, cable internet and LTE cost a fraction of fixed or MPLS network connections, but do not provide the same level of quality. This is where SD-WAN technology comes in. A single device can support multiple WAN or internet connections, with the quality of the media permanently monitored and traffic routed via the optimal route.

Ever increasing use of cloud-based services such as Office365 or applications hosted in Azure, AWS and Google Cloud are bringing about further changes to site connectivity. In the past, business-critical applications were centrally provided on company premises, but today, they are increasingly located in a cloud provider’s data centre. The traditional ‘hub and spoke’ networking of locations must take this change into account. Access is no longer primarily to the central company locations, but also to the internet and in the direction of cloud providers. Secure provision of local internet access at each location is, therefore, increasingly important.