How SD-WAN Helps Your Enterprise Cloud Keep Up
The wide area network (WAN) revolutionized communications when it was first introduced. That was a long time ago. In the modern era, where cloud computing prevails, WANs are no longer up to the task. They simply cannot keep up with the cloud. What’s the solution? A software defined wide area network (SD-WAN). Your organization’s enterprise cloud isn’t keeping up if connectivity is still accomplished through a traditional WAN. It is time to consider transitioning to an SD-WAN. An SD-WAN Improves application performance, reduces costs, simplifies network management, improves security, and creates an overall better user experience.
WANs Not Optimized for the Cloud
The traditional WAN was an incredibly useful tool back in the day. It continues to be a useful tool in the modern digital world. But it is not optimized for cloud computing. It never was and cannot be. WAN technology is limited in the very way it manages traffic. That makes it a liability in a world that runs on the cloud. In a strict WAN scenario, all network traffic is hauled through a single connection to a central data center which either serves data or sends connections out from there. Prior to cloud computing, when companies maintained their own network infrastructure and hosted their own applications, things were fine. But in the cloud, there is far too much traffic. There is far too much data moving back and forth.
How the SD-WAN Helps
The SD-WAN doesn’t completely eliminate a traditional WAN. You still need a connection from user to data center. But the SD-WAN uses highly configurable control software to direct traffic flow. It utilizes designated tunnels to send data across networks in the most efficient way possible. An SD-WAN also has two other things going for it:
Virtualization
– Virtualization allows for transporting data within different environments without ever leaving the physical infrastructure on which it’s found. This facilitates much faster data transfer with virtually no latency.
Proprietary Protocols
– Enterprises can utilize proprietary protocols to manage their SD-WANs, thereby eliminating the need to address hardware and control mechanisms separately. Everything remains tightly integrated without loss of performance. When properly implemented and maintained, an SD-WAN creates a leaner and more efficient environment with notable performance improvements. End users notice those improvements in their own workflows. All the while, cloud security is not compromised.
Most Noticeable Improvements
What will end users notice with the implementation of an SD-WAN? For starters, they will enjoy a better application experience. Applications will be faster and more robust. Interactions with SaaS environments will be virtually seamless. Dynamic traffic routing will eliminate congestion problems even at peak times. Additional improvements include:
- better security
- optimized connectivity
- optimized workflow
- a simpler management experience
- improved reporting capabilities.
In terms of security, an SD-WAN optimizes threat protection at the most critical junctures. It secures traffic coming in from broadband connections before it has the opportunity to cause problems. Finally, it utilizes automation to distribute security to different network points as needed.
An Internet Traffic Cop
A good way to understand the SD-WAN proposition is to think of it as an internet traffic cop. Through largely automated software that is highly configurable, an SD-WAN reduces latency, manages traffic, and improves security across an entire enterprise cloud. If you would like to know more about SD-WAN implementation, Hillstone Networks is here to assist. Our cybersecurity and networking experts can help you and your organization maximize cloud security, productivity, and management. If your WAN isn’t keeping up with the pace of cloud evolution, it’s time to consider the SD-WAN. Things are evolving. Your network should too.
