SD-WAN: Connecting Multiple Branch Offices cost-efficiently with security
Digital transformation is changing IT architectures across the world, especially in the field of enterprise networking. The need for a seamless connection between data centres and cloud infrastructure with the core and remote sites of an enterprise has become very important.
As cloud-based, internet-based, and SaaS destinations become more common, its rigidity must now be considered against its performance and security assurance. Not only is MPLS inflexible, but it is also a cost-intensive service, and often requires significant time to plan and install.
The challenges faced with MPLS
- Inability to directly access your SaaS or cloud application with MPLS
- MPLS is optimised for point-to-point connectivity only
- Prolonged deployment, sometimes even up to 6 months
- Adding more bandwidth proves highly expensive
- Requires WAN optimisation for streamlining its delivery, thus adds more cost
One of the most talked-about technology, when it comes to remote sites or branch networking nowadays is SD-WAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Networking) and, it has significantly taken over the enterprise networking market. This virtual WAN architecture now strikes out all disadvantages of the MPLS architecture.
The key features of SD-WAN –
- Highly agile, flexible, and suitable for all cloud-based and SaaS applications
- Real-time traffic management of links
- Zero-touch deployment
- Centralised management and monitoring
- Uses low-cost broadband internet
SD-WAN gives network engineers the agility to respond quickly to requests for new WAN services and make changes to existing services. Another agile feature that SD-WAN provides is real-time traffic management. SD-WAN gateways continuously monitor the health of each WAN link connected to them. Traffic is quickly rerouted when a link fails or becomes congested. SD-WAN makes it easier to move non-critical WAN traffic from private MPLS links onto lower-cost broadband Internet. Centralised, policy-based management lets a network engineer put more (or less) traffic on broadband links at any time without having to reconfigure routers and gateways on an individual basis. SD-WAN with zero-touch provisioning—an automated workflow executed by the central controller—eliminates the