In recent years, SD-WAN or software-defined wide area network as an approach to wide area network deployment has gained a lot of attention among many businesses and organizations. SD-WAN’s attractiveness comes from the fact that it allows enterprises to dynamically route network traffic such that the best paths for the traffic are chosen based on the present status of the network.
This technology promises to replace legacy MPLS networks, which are often burdened by prohibitive costs and lengthy rollout times. Moreover, it can also eliminate the infrastructure complexity that often results from conventional WAN’s reliance on numerous devices and appliances that connect through different links.
Thisabstraction makes streamlining of network operations possible,in addition to allowingconnectivity costs to be reduced significantly, as huge portions of an enterprise’s non-sensitive traffic can be routed over more affordable public connections like broadband. Furthermore, having an SD-WAN also enables enterprises to simplify branch office networking, as well as optimize the performance of all enterprise and cloud applications.With all these benefits,it’s no wonder more and more organizations are now exploring vendors to discover the right enterprise-class SD-WAN for them.
There are many types of businesses that can take advantage of the expense reduction, simplified network deployment, improved performance, and better agility promised by software-defined wide area networks. These include the following:
Chain Stores
Whether your business is engaged in the selling of fast fashion, toys, food, or something else, connecting all your branches with an SD-WAN can help integrate your chain’s multiple inventory and sales records. This simplifies your accounting, supply chain management, and back-office processes.
Logistics Companies
Another industry in which businesses typically operate over geographically dispersed locations is the logistics sector. If, for instance, a logistics company has multiple storage facilities and distribution centers in a city, these branches need to be interconnected by an efficient wide area network in order to provide staff, partners, and customers with accurate and reliable updates regarding the status of packages and deliveries.
Financial Institutions
Amongthe first industries that have benefitted from wide area network technologies are the banking, investment, and finance sectors. This is because financial institutionsneed to be securely connected to each other in order to share important financial and customer data. Inter-branch communication facilitates transactions and saves time for both staff and customers.
Police and Military
Whether it’s for the sharing of intelligence information or everyday data, police and military organizations need dependable networks so that they can serve the public and the country effectively. Wide area networking allows bases, stations, vehicles, and individual personnel to efficiently communicate with each other and with their headquarters.
Manufacturing Companies
Organizations engaged in the manufacturing of goods can rely on SD-WAN technologies to manage their computing needs. It can be for the tracking goods on the plant floor or in the supply chain, or for providing a backbone infrastructure upon which intelligent technology assets and Internet of Things deployments can anchor their operations. For example manufacturing devices with sensors can be used to deliver machine operating data to factory personnel, providing them with complete visibility over allmanufacturing process.
Indeed, SD-WAN is a game-changer when it comes to reducing costs, managing network complexities, and improving network agility and performance. It may be well worth it to consider migrating to one, but make sure to take into account your organization’s unique needs before making the big jump.
