Reasons for SD-WAN’s growing popularity

Charlotte Miller

Updated on:

Introduction

Networking solutions continue to iterate and offer solutions that help businesses to scale their operations. One such solution that is trending is in the area of Wide Area Networking. Software Defined-Wide Area Networking (SD-WAN) technology is a highly preferred solution by networking professionals as it allows them to optimize and secure networks simultaneously. 

The virtualized networking solution is growing at a CAGR of 23% between 2022 and 2029. The adoption is high because it is easy to connect and extend enterprise network monitoring across large geographic areas because of the virtualization software possibilities. Data centres and communication service providers, enterprises are increasingly using SD-WAN to accelerate their network performance, improve agility, and simplify the overall network management processes. It also increases the availability of the network and, as a default feature of software-defined network management, boasts of availability and reliability standards that are higher than other networking solutions in this segment. As a technology solution, its costs are comparatively lower. 

WAN user patterns 

The considerable growth in SD-WAN users is due to the migration to cloud solutions. As the demand for broadband internet services for cloud-based solutions increases, networks are increasingly experimenting with affordable solutions. Besides, cloud solutions also demand security provisions in a network. The current need in a cloud-first environment is network visibility and agility.

Simplified networks with SD-WAN

The driving principle of SD-WAN is to simplify the way new links to branch offices are managed. It aids in utilizing these links for data video and voice connections, thereby saving substantial costs for the organization. Its solutions allow enterprises to manage multiple connection types better because WAN is software-defined and can improve application performance and end-user experience.

Currently, this software-defined network is segmented by the component as a hardware solution, as a software solution and by the organization sizes. Large enterprises continue exploring the advantages of software-controlled networks for availability and security. 

R&D to improve security features

Besides, the SD-WAN market is easily segmented into services and solutions sectors. The network solutions market is expected to grow as research and development activities receive increased funding. The areas of development of integrated security features include the IPS, encryption, NGFW, and sandboxing capabilities. These also include the demand for dynamic connectivity in the communication services providers segment.

Reasons for SD-WAN Adoption 

Industry analysts find that the core issue with the traditional enterprise-wide area network was the need for more support for a digital business environment. Traditional WAN was found wanting in Software as a Service application and hybrid cloud use. On the other hand, SD-WAN addressed these concerns and provided other cloud environment features. 

SD-WAN adoption is driven by:  

1. Improved user experience 

SD-WAN improves the user experience by allowing digitally transformed organizations to use low-cost internet options compared to expensive but secure MPLS connections. It prevents the company from the process of backhauling to the data centre and allows the branch office to be connected more dynamically, and the User experience becomes far superior.

2. Simplified operations 

SD-WAN solutions improve overall productivity, resulting in better performance, lower latencies and better-performing connectivity. It also reduces the time and effort of setting up the branch office and for users to access applications faster. 

3. Branch office costs are reduced 

It helps the primary office support the activities of the branch office with secure connectivity that creates operational efficiency and profitable revenues. The limited dependence on public networks with SD-WAN has become the differentiator for the meteoric use of this networking technology. It enables cloud-based businesses to centrally control, manage, observe or monitor and gain high visibility of the branch offices’ connectivity despite being a cloud-based organization.

4. Best-fit solution for multi-cloud use

The USP of SD-WAN solutions is the capability to provide businesses with a multi-cloud environment. It allows the company to be faster, agile and cost-efficient with necessary innovation

5. Stronger Cybersecurity

One of the most vital features of SD-WAN is its cyber security features. It is a significant enhancement of the traditional WAN systems because it includes security-related practices and ensures the protection of network access points that enable the virtualized software to give administrators high visibility and control over the activities and help in provisioning the right solutions.

Industries using SD-WAN solutions

Virtualized and software-controlled wide area networks are expected to have a high user adoption in communication service providers, enterprises, and data centres. Data centres have accounted for this network market’s most extensive use in the past year and adapted it for IT processes. It has also helped in reducing repetitive tasks and lowering overheads. 

The solution also drives the data centres in controlling and managing connectivity and related services across the remote office and the data centre. The enterprises are expected to show an increase in using SD-WAN solutions with the integration of multiple vendors and environments. The Banking, Financial and Insurance Service sectors also see SD-WAN as an evolving solution for IT Enterprises to connect data systems. 

Why is SD-WAN the right solution for your business?

Conventional WAN could not meet the demands of the cloud-driven apps and SaaS applications that digitized businesses are increasingly using. The limitation of traditional WAN in meeting cloud environments has increased the number of SD-WAN users. The rate of growth is nearly 30% each year for the SD-WAN solutions market. Enterprises need the right SD-WAN solutions to simplify their operations. They can accelerate their cybersecurity protection practices with SD-WAN. 

Internet service providers help with diverse internet solutions offerings include SD-WAN solutions. ISPs deployment includes existing routers, virtualized customer premises equipment (vCPE) and software to handle the networking policies, security and other functions. Our key feature is the ability to manage MPLS, wireless, and broadband, as well as segmentation security and partition of the traffic moving across WAN. We can help your business with native security and zero-trust architecture networks. A central management hub will provide the connections and the security for the best overview.