How SD-WAN Impacts Cloud Services and Connectivity

See clear business benefits with SD-WAN solutions.

Articles published January 11, 2018 by Steve Simpson

As reliance on cloud services continues to grow, enterprises are increasingly shifting to an SD-WAN environment. SD-WAN offers clear business benefits, including simpler cloud integration and connectivity as well as enhanced application performance. The cloud connectivity offered by an SD-WAN environment also allows enterprises a wider reach into workforce talent and potential customers. 

First, let’s define SD-WAN. Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) is a unique approach to wide area networking (WAN) that can combine traditional WAN technologies and broadband connections. This allows organizations to route traffic to remote locations and multiple offices, while reducing network costs  — another business benefit of SD-WAN. SD-WAN solutions allow organizations to connect all of their offices to a central network in the cloud, which gives them more control and flexibility. 

By measuring network traffic and then selecting the best route for each data packet in real-time, SD-WAN also helps create operational efficiencies.

This technology is becoming a popular choice among organizations worldwide. According to Adroit Market Research, the global SD-WAN market is projected to reach $26 billion by 2028.

Let’s take a closer look.

Cloud Connectivity & Integration

According to the Flexera 2020 State of the Cloud Report, which surveyed businesses globally, 94 percent of enterprises are using the cloud, and 87 percent using a hybrid cloud solution. This data proves just how widely implemented cloud solutions have become for organizations.

As the number of cloud-based apps increases as well as the number of employees spread out across multiple locations using those apps, the connectivity provided by traditional networking environments tends to slow, impacting both your employees and potentially your customers. 

SD-WAN enhances enterprise access to cloud applications. The central SD-WAN cloud network allows your existing cloud applications to be integrated and accessed whenever and wherever you need them.

Think about it this way: Efficient application performance is an essential part of doing business. You want to be able to access your applications quickly and consistently without any issues. Access to software and systems requires the right amount of bandwidth coupled with reliable internet connectivity.

The nature of an SD-WAN solution allows data traffic, like business-critical data and apps, to be prioritized over other traffic. This prioritization means employees can access what they need, when they need, without interruptions or delays. 

This process also makes integrating new cloud services like applications and platforms easier. SD-WAN bookends your cloud applications with gateways that funnel traffic from the cloud-hosted applications to your network.

Of high priority for many enterprises, of course, is data security. Many SD-WAN solutions provide encryption, which reduces risks associated with data transfers on the network and security breaches. Additional services, like advanced firewall protection, provide an extra layer of security. Ask your SD-WAN provider if they offer these security features. 

Redundant Connections

Traditional WAN technology has a single transport methodology for its primary connection and typically a failsafe backup connection, used only if the primary connection goes down. So, while an organization may not use the backup connection, they still pay for it each month. 

With SD-WAN, you can use both of those transport carriers simultaneously, making your backup source useful, which gives you additional bandwidth, resiliency, and redundancy if you were to experience an outage. This can also lower costs associated with carrier-grade connections, and enhance network performance. Learn more about how traditional WAN compares to SD-WAN.

Enjoy the agility, reliable performance, and cost benefit of an SD-WAN environment and discover a competitive advantage. SD-WAN not only connects your office locations and allows you to grow and scale with ease, it also offers you key business benefits, like simple cloud integration and bandwidth independence, to keep your organization working efficiently.  

Would a switch to SD-WAN infrastructure improve your network?