Enterprise technology is always changing, but few companies can claim their networks are any more agile, secure or cost-effective than they were a decade ago. The Wide Area Network (WAN) has simply aged. It’s slowing down, as business demands increase exponentially, and is no longer a reliable foundation for future planning. This is where Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) comes in. It creates an opportunity for companies to solve for the past and help them to plan for the future.

 

Revisiting the Past: The Limitations of Traditional WAN

The model of WANs was developed for an age of heavy-duty business operations. To work, they relied on relatively expensive MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) circuits, which were stable but pricey and inflexible. And, because they weren’t built to be adaptable, they don’t fit the trend towards cloud computing – or the expansion of mobile and remote workforces. Now, companies must contend with a number of issues:

• High Costs: MPLS connections can be prohibitively expensive, especially when scaling up or adding redundancy.
• Limited Flexibility: Traditional WANs struggle to adapt quickly to changing business needs or new technological advancements.
• Complex Management: Managing and troubleshooting traditional WANs can be complex and time-consuming, requiring specialized skills and tools.
• Insufficient Performance for Cloud Services: Traditional WANs often cannot provide the optimal performance needed for cloud-based applications, leading to latency and degraded user experiences.

 

The SD-WAN Revolution: A Fresh Start

SD-WAN offers us the possibility to correct the major mistakes we made with classic WAN technology, and to adopt a new way of doing things that is much better than what we had before. Here’s why WAN transformation could provide us with a chance to set the past right:

 

• Cost Effective - SD-WAN enables you to take advantage of less-expensive internet circuits, such as broadband and LTE, and use them in conjunction with, or replace MPLS circuits entirely. This greatly reduces networking costs, while keeping or even enhancing network performance. By allowing a combination of connectivity types, you can optimise cost based on performance and reliability needs.
• Enhanced Flexibility - For businesses, SD-WAN offers the ability to dynamically route traffic based on real-time conditions and application requirements, while offering the flexibility to respond to changing business needs, support new technologies, and deploy solutions across the distributed enterprise.
• Simplified Management - SD-WAN solutions usually come with centralized management platforms that have user-friendly interfaces for setup, monitoring, and problem-solving. This simplification reduces the need for specialized network skills and can significantly speed up responses to network issues, ultimately improving overall operational efficiency.
  
• Optimized Performance for Cloud Services - As organizations increasingly use cloud applications and services, a network that can deliver optimal performance is essential. SD-WAN improves application performance by intelligently directing traffic based on the type of application and its performance requirements. This ensures that critical applications get the bandwidth and low latency they need, enhancing user experience and productivity.
• Improved Security - SD-WAN solutions often include integrated security features like end-to-end encryption, firewall capabilities, and secure direct-to-cloud access. This integrated security approach not only simplifies the security setup but also helps address vulnerabilities associated with traditional WAN configurations.

 

Embracing the future

Transitioning to SD-WAN is more than just a tech upgrade; it's a chance to correct past network decisions and set your business up for future success. By addressing the limitations of traditional WAN infrastructure, SD-WAN offers a more cost-effective, flexible, and secure networking solution that aligns with modern business demands.

As you consider this shift, see it not just as a network upgrade but as a strategic move that can significantly impact your organization’s efficiency and agility. Embrace SD-WAN and turn past challenges into opportunities for growth, innovation, and improved performance.