SD-WAN: Worth the Hype?

What Is SD-WAN?

Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) is a virtual WAN architecture that allows businesses to work with any combination of internet transport services – including broadband dedicated internet services and LTE. That flexibility securely connects users to applications across multiple locations, increasing application performance, amplifying productivity, enhancing the user experience and reducing overall IT costs. For the sake of comparison, think of a WAN as a high-speed highway you can take anywhere on the planet. Unfortunately, to improve the highway, you have to close a lane, which slows traffic significantly. Now, think of SD-WAN as a high-speed highway that allows for repairs without impacting traffic. Imagine a city like Los Angeles or Chicago with that level of infrastructure.

What’s All the Fuss About?

MPLS and other traditional WAN infrastructure certainly still has its place, but they’re undeniably less Cloud-friendly. They’re also limited to one service carrier at a time. Overall, managing and improving a WAN can be a frustratingly slow process, often resulting in lost performance and an all-around poor user experience. The SD-WAN model allows users to break free from the single-carrier model of old – all while supporting the operation’s applications across data centers and public or private clouds. SD-WAN is also inherently compatible with SaaS solutions like your CRMs or ERP solutions. Convinced yet?

Other Benefits of SD-WAN

From cost-effectiveness to network flexibility, SD-WAN offers a variety of other benefits that will take your business to the next level:

• Flexibility: Since SD-WANs are built virtually, they’re fully Cloud-friendly. They can also span different providers for your convenience.
• Fully Interoperable: SD-WAN affords interoperability between circuits, devices and services. Interoperability also eases service delivery to new branches in the enterprise. Improving business application performance and increasing agility.
• Cost Optimization: Every organization wants to watch the bottom line. The cost optimization associated with SD-WAN stem from the network’s initial build. SD-WAN users have the ability to build the SD-WAN using cost-effective system devices and a vendor-neutral network. SD-WAN also allows users to reduce costs by taking advantage of transport independence across MPLS, 3G/4G and LTE networks. Plus, it keeps you out of the ever-fluctuating price game.
• Performance Monitoring: SD-WAN allows for consolidation of monitoring systems. This gives you insight into the usage and performance of your company’s WAN.
• Vendor Neutrality: SD-WAN is vendor-neutral – just like us. Since SD-WAN supports open networking, it allows agencies like TierOne to match you with the best carriers for your business – even if that includes more than one carrier. That’s right: You can actually use different carriers for different SD-WAN capabilities.
• Security: SD-WAN offers a variety of different security postures to choose from. These include on-prem security options, Cloud security options and existing firewalls.

So, is SD-WAN worth the hype? It’s a “yes” from us. This innovative approach to your operation’s network can help you dive into the Cloud with confidence while working with the best, most cost-effective carriers for your business. It’s also fully secure and efficient, freeing you from frustrating network connectivity issues.

If you’re not sure how to get started with SD-WAN, fear not: TierOne works with a wide variety of SD-WAN carriers and, because we’re an agnostic agency, we’re able to match you with the best carrier for your needs. If you would like to learn more about TierOne’s approach to SD-WAN, contact us today.

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