The evolution of SD-WAN in a future network landscape  

For enterprise owners and managers today, cloud computing is indispensable. For example, you already know how useful and important it is to access software in the cloud to collaborate and innovate every day.

Does your business want to save costs, scale operations, access data from anywhere, and be ready for innovation? If the answer is "yes", then you can't ignore cloud computing.

Statistics show that 53 per cent of Indian enterprises have increased their cloud adoption recently. And 84 per cent of large organisations have adopted SaaS.

The question is, what is the best way for a business to take advantage of cloud computing and meet its goals?

If you are one of those seeking convenient, secure, and always-on access, we should tell you that this has led to many changes in enterprise network architecture.

One of these is SD-WAN. This is a software-defined approach to managing wide-area networks.

SD-WAN Explained

If your company accesses the Internet via a traditional wide area network, your employees connect to applications through servers in a data centre. Traffic is routed via dedicated MPLS circuits.

A cloud-centric world calls for a new approach. You need new ways to manage data. This minimises complexity, unpredictability, and vulnerability.

SD-WAN uses software-defined technology to communicate over hybrid connectivity –scenarios- MPLS and the Internet. The software can control connectivity, management, and services between data centres, remote offices, and cloud resources.

SD-WAN can manage multiple ways of connecting to business applications — either through MPLS or the internet. It can segment, partition and secure traffic over the network. The result: greater efficiency and security across the board.

The main objective of SD-WAN is to simplify and enable seamless application access between multiple locations. It allows users across locations to manage data, voice, and video. This enhances productivity and cost-efficiency.

Applications and uses of SD-WAN

When should your company deploy SD-WAN? Here’s a brief checklist of how and why it can be used. 

• Does your organisation need to seamlessly access the cloud from various locations and in various ways? SD-WAN is the answer. It is also perfect for those who need to work in multi-cloud environments.
• Is network security all-important? SD-WAN offers universal security functions. Content filtering and security protocols can be centralised and updated promptly. With SD-WAN, a company’s encryption capabilities are also simplified.
•  Is your IT department overloaded by monitoring and maintaining networks at individual locations? SD-WAN is the solution. The entire WAN for the enterprise can be managed through a single interface.

From the above, it should be clear that SD-WAN offers many benefits. Look at the advantages in a nutshell.

• A robust work environment. Connectivity always stays consistent and reliable across all locations.
• Better application experience for users. They can expect accessibility, speed, and flexibility.
• Greater security with integrated threat protection. All of which are managed from a central location.
• Optimised cloud connectivity. This process guarantees seamless access to private and public clouds.
• Simplified network management. Configuration and tracking can be carried out through a single dashboard.

The evolution of SD-WAN

SD-WAN is keeping pace with a changing digital environment. It is evolving to meet the needs of a future networked landscape.

Nowadays, enterprises like yours require flexible connections to securely navigate cloud-hosted applications. Costly and rigid MPLS lines are not the best way to optimise Internet usage for growing business needs.

Companies need to remodel their network architecture for an open and collaborative environment. This benefits employees as well as suppliers, stakeholders, and other constituents.

SD-WAN can be a building block in a transition to this new model. Here is how SD-WAN is evolving in 2023 and beyond.

• Software improvements will take care of bandwidth issues. Many of these relate to last-mile traffic.
• SD-WAN will keep pace with evolving enterprise network architecture. It will reduce the complexity of network management.
• New security-related features like web/URL filtering, IDS/IPS Intrusion Detection Solutions/Intrusion Prevention Solutions (Next Gen Firewall capabilities) are being introduced and AI-driven SD-WAN offerings will lead to greater optimisation. Performance-aware routing helps to steer the traffic on the link offering better performance SLA.

Another evolution is that of managed SD-WAN services. In this scenario, service providers like Vi Business offer end-to-end managed services for installation, management for SD-WAN infrastructure and connectivity links.

Vi Business and SD-WAN

With Vi Business, your company can optimise networking capabilities in a multi-cloud environment. Vi’s SD-WAN can reconfigure your WAN network to access applications across clouds, devices, and connectivity options.

Vi Business is ready for the evolution of SD-WAN. Here is what you can expect.

Centralised management

Single pane of glass management and visibility.

Performance oriented

Application-aware and network performance-aware routing for the best possible user experience. Automated failovers based on dynamic network stats.

Multi-transport

Gain access to an interplay of the internet, MPLS, Broadband and 4G LTE.

Integrated security

Native unified next-generation firewall functionalities (IDS/IPS) to secure WAN network

PAN India availability

Seamlessly connect your offices, remote branches, private data centres and public Cloud providers

Cloud first

It enables you to securely deploy AWS, Azure over the internet and MPLS

Simple Subscription

You can avail of managed service pricing for different contract durations

All it takes is an easy migration from the existing router CPE to SD-WAN. And you can switch to a more efficient way of working, along with multi-layer security.

With Vi Business, you can choose an SD-WAN solution that is suited to your specific needs. There is also graded service pricing for different contract durations.

To transform your business with Vi advantage, please get in touch with us today.

MSMEs are the driving force of the Indian economy. At Vi Business, we believe in equipping them with the right digital tools and technology to thrive in today’s business world.

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