Few terms in networking have generated as much buzz as SD-WAN (or Software Defined Networking in a Wide Area Network). All that buzz has been accompanied by equal doses of useful information and confusing rhetoric. As a result, SD-WAN has grown to mean different things to different people, while some are still trying to figure out exactly what it means.
Fundamentally, SD-WAN is often about achieving one or more of these four networking objectives:
> Reduce connectivity costs: Traditional MPLS (Multi-Protocol Label Switching) connections are expensive so organizations are shifting to more affordable broadband WAN options such as cable, DSL, and 3G/4G/LTE
> Business continuity: Organizations require solutions that provide redundancy,
routing, failover, and session preservation in the event of a WAN failure or outage
> Quality of critical applications: Organizations are seeking real-time visibility into application traffic and performance in order to maintain session quality of mission-critical business app
> Simpler branch office VPN orchestration: VPN orchestration between locations is often complex and time consuming, which is why having the tools to simplify and automate deployment and setup is critical When considering an SD-WAN solution, it’s very important to understand and prioritize your desired goals and objectives before diving into any particular solutions or features.
