Formula of Intelligent and Flexible Networks: SD-WAN

 

It stands out from its alternatives as it is both less costly and widely available in various geographical locations. It provides support for users in terms of a flexible, intelligent, and reliable network and ensures complete protection.

 

Table of Contents:

 

What is WAN?

What is SD-WAN?

Overview of SD-WAN Benefits

Central Components of SD-WAN

How SD-WAN Works

Breaking Free from High Costs, Limitations, and Complexity

WAN (Wide Area Networking) is the term given to a large-scale network that allows multiple devices to connect to each other. It has an extensive coverage area, spanning across cities, countries, and even the entire world. To provide concrete examples, wideband internet, 4G, LTE, and MPLS are all WAN examples.

 

SD-WAN is a specialized application of software-defined networking technology applied to WAN connections such as wideband internet, 4G, LTE, and MPLS. But why is this technique necessary?

 

SD-WAN makes wide area networks highly intelligent and flexible. It ensures seamless connectivity even over significant geographical distances, including businesses' branch offices and data centers.

 

Looking back in history, WAN housed technologies that required proprietary hardware. To overcome the time and cost incurred, SD-WAN comes to the rescue. SD-WAN liberates users from this burden by using the internet or cloud-based networks, separating the network and control planes, and abstracting hardware-dependent network monitoring.

 

It automates network distribution and management, virtualizes enhancing resources, improves network efficiency, reduces total ownership costs, and enhances network availability.

 

SD-WAN excels in meeting the fundamental network security need. Through SD-WAN, an organization benefits from end-to-end encryption across the entire network, including the internet.

 

With its software-defined security capability, it protects all devices and endpoints without leaving any room for question marks. It ensures successful and secure communication between main offices, branches, and cloud communications.

 

By utilizing encrypted network traffic, network segmentation, central configuration system usage, increased visibility in the WAN, and overall optimized performance features, SD-WAN maximizes network security.

 

As the area to be protected expands, so does the risk. SD-WAN addresses this by dividing the network into segments, limiting potential attack damage, and providing easier management.

 

SD-WAN is based on 4 central components:

 

Edge connection abstraction

WAN virtualization

Policy-centric, centralized management

Elastic traffic management

SD-WAN is a next-generation network performance that requires 4 key principles to fulfill its function:

 

Support for multiple connection types

Dynamic path selection

Providing interfaces to manage the WAN

VPN support

It enables users to access any application, whether on the data center or the cloud, and determines which path will deliver optimal performance when considering specific applications. It supports the existing traffic by directing it to the ideal WAN path.

 

MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) has been the foundation of WAN connections between corporate sites for over a decade. However, due to its high cost and lack of availability in all geographies, it is not sufficiently functional in terms of network security. SD-WAN, unlike MPLS, establishes a balance between cost, reliability, and performance.

 

The use of hybrid WAN and the increase in cloud-based application usage lead to network complexity, which is growing day by day. Traditional WAN management cannot overcome this complexity, making the need for SD-WAN essential.

 

Resolve complex network processes with SD-WAN in BBS consultancy; gain the opportunity to respond instantly to changes and new developments.

 

 

Abdullah ERKUL

 

Business Development Manager-NETWORK