How SD-WAN is revolutionising enterprise networking

There’s no question SD-WAN is changing the game in networking.

Sure, legacy MPLS systems are reliable and can be functional. But the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of SD-WAN is revolutionising business connectivity. Gone are the days of individually programming each router – a complex, time-consuming and often error-prone activity – in favour of a single interface that enables centralised management of whole networks.

The deployment of a remote workforce with the onset of lockdowns across the country accelerated the migration of everyday business activities to the digital space. Cloud-based applications are becoming increasingly commonplace as flexible working arrangements appear set to stay, despite the easing of lockdowns. This presents significant issues – and costs – for businesses on legacy networks.

Deploying SD-WAN, which utilises broadband connectivity, could therefore be viewed as a future-proofing measure for businesses seeking to remain relevant in the post-pandemic economy.

Why switch to SD-WAN?

Despite the revolutionary nature and simplicity of SD-WAN, not everyone is a fan – traditional MPLS networking still offers a great deal of reliability and security.

However, SD-WAN is likely to form the future of wide area networking, and it may be remiss of large enterprises not to leverage all the advantages the network architecture has to offer.

With features such as central control and application prioritisation, and the added bonuses of cost-effectiveness and high-performing security systems, there is a compelling business case for the integration of SD-WAN into businesses’ operations.

Globally, businesses are adopting cloud services at high rates, with a Gartner study predicting that by year-end 2023, 60 percent of enterprises will have implemented SD-WAN, up from less than 20 per cent in 2019. This study cites the increased network agility and enhanced support for cloud applications of SD-WAN as the major factors in this migration.

SD-WAN – an investment for the future

The reality is this: traditional WANs and MPLS networks were not designed to carry the kind of traffic enterprises need to transport today. Too much traffic, and increased usage of the Cloud, on traditional WAN/ MPLS circuits can cause unpredictability in application performance, security issues and management complexity.

As dependence on cloud-based applications continues to grow, SD-WAN solutions will become increasingly necessary for enterprises to adopt if they want to save costs and maintain performance across the network. As such, adopting SD-WAN can be viewed as an investment to future-proof enterprise networks.

To learn more about how SD-WAN networking can boost your business, download our free ebook here.