Before the use of SD-WAN, businesses thrived on traditional WAN architecture. However, traditional WAN lacked in many aspects because of which enterprises these days are choosing SD-WAN as a better alternative to traditional WAN. SD-WAN utilizes software that helps an enterprise in multiple ways. Here’s a list of some of the ways due to which SD-WAN has replaced traditional WAN:

Deduction of network operational costs

The operational cost involved in the configuration, deployment, and maintenance of traditional WAN architecture was exorbitant. A business that is in the expansion stage cannot afford traditional WAN with rising application bandwidth demand   and need for operational flexibility without comprising data security. Most of the enterprises that use MPLS WAN need to shell out a lot as it requires additional hardware and  complex procedures of maintenance.

Software-defined WAN is a great alternative to MPLS WAN as it benefits enterprises to cut down network costs to a great extent. By switching to SD-WAN, most enterprises have witnessed a network operational cost reduction of 40%. This is great for enterprises that want to focus on core operations without thinking about business funds.

Because SD-WAN architecture also results in lower latency and overall higher efficiency, it is attractive to enterprises looking to cut the costs of inefficient network architecture. To increase the bandwidth, there is no need to add hardware or increase the costs. SD-WAN solution can do this by reducing the requirement of hardware usage, and upgrades. In addition to this, this newer WAN architecture looks for cost-effective routes that suit the budget of every enterprise. 

Better connectivity improvements

Every enterprise with multiple remote branches requires setting up a branch network that  provides excellent connectivity. Traditional WANs sometime cause network inefficiency that leads to failure, outage, and downtime. To overcome the issues of Outdated technology, SD-WAN solution is considered a great alternative.

Software-defined WAN ensures both network efficiency and improvement in the application’s performance. As a result, the enterprise will get connectivity that lacks nothing. One of the greatest aspects of this WAN architecture is that it provides enterprises with multiple connection type options.

In addition to this, the network can get quickly scaled up with the use of SD-WAN to meet the expanding enterprise’s needs. If we are talking about SD-WAN, we cannot forget the flexibility that it provides to boost the application’s performance. If the network connectivity is strong, the enterprise can meet the customer’s needs and meet their objectives with ease.

Meets the network security issues

Another vital reason why it would be better to use SD-WAN as an alternative to traditional WAN is its security features. Due to technological advancement, the remote working culture is the new normal. Thus, an enterprise requires to have a network that has secure connectivity. Network security is one of the challenges that most businesses face.

One of the best solutions to overcome this challenge is the implementation of SD-WAN. It provides a complete solution when it comes to keeping the network secure. SD-WAN features a centralized controller that can set multiple security policies for the network.

Software-defined WAN also features end-to-end tunnels that are encrypted and built on the network. This secures the entire network strongly. Another crucial pointer that comes with SD-WAN is it can easily prioritize traffic. In addition to this, this newer WAN technology protects the traffic that flows between locations using a secure tunnel for accurate encryption.

Better visibility of the network through SD-WAN

The traditional WAN lacks network visibility which is one of the major drawbacks of outdated technology. It is crucial to know about the traffic, routes, network performance, and many other parameters to keep the networking and applications in a running state. By using SD-Wan, enterprises will be able to track and keep a record of the flow of data between the multiple devices in the network.

Be it performance, jitter, or network outage, all these parameters can be detected when you use SD-WAN technology. Also, abnormalities in the network will get identified real time. When the enterprise can respond to the issues quickly, it enhances the user experience and ultimately helps in improving efficiency. If an enterprise can get an insight of the network, they will be able to detect issues in no time. When integrating SD-WAN, it becomes easy to add additional security and get an insight into the traffic.

Reduces the issue of network downtime

One of the most common challenges of any business is a network outage that results in downtime. If a business witnesses network downtime, it causes business productivity to a standstill. Only SD-WAN can solve this issue of network downtime as it manages the network performance well.

It is already known that SD-WAN makes the utilization of various network links that helps in improving the user experience. Because of the software of the WAN, it is easy to identify the issues and rectify them on time. Also, there will be no issue of network security when you integrate SD-WAN into the IT practices. So, SD-WAN benefits the business to upgrade their network to make it more secure, and reliable.

To sum up

Software-defined wide area network is  a revolutionary WAN architecture that benefits enterprises from almost all sectors. Before SD-WAN architecture, most businesses were using the traditional WAN which had lot of limitations but was manageable in the traditional business landscape . SD-WAN is a great alternative to traditional WANs as it helps in securing the network, ensuring excellent performance and no downtime. As a result, the SD-WAN solution is one of the most preferred WAN architectures among businesses.