Engineer’s Corner – Enterprise Networking
SD-WAN is transforming the network by applying an application-based policy & design to WAN networking.
Today’s networks are being transformed by businesses who are embracing digital transformation. With the adoption of multi-cloud environments and 24×7 application access, data flows are being shifted and more network complexities have been added. We now live in an application first world that extends outside our organization’s borders and control, but still require predictable, fast, and reliable performance. These trends, combined with the rapid growth of media-rich applications and a distributed workforce, are increasing the demand for WAN service delivery and requires a new approach to networking. To keep pace and continue providing value to businesses, IT organizations are changing the way they approach technology through the implementation of SD-WAN, an application-based policy and design to WAN networking.
SD-WAN’s promises are very appealing:
• Reduced costs
• Enriched user experience
• Transport independence
• Increased network flexibility and security
• Improved application performance
• Enhanced visibility and control
It’s a lot to live up to, but the fact is, SD-WAN IS living up to its promises. It is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the IT industry and projected to be a multi-billion-dollar business in the next few years. To that end, there is a multitude of vendors who have moved into the SD-WAN space, each offering their flavor of SD-WAN. When looking into a solution it can be difficult and overwhelming when navigating the field of vendors to understand each feature set. The most important aspect to a successful SDWAN deployment is knowing your application’s requirements and matching that to a vendor/technology that can meet those needs.
However, choosing a vendor is only half the battle, there are a lot of factors to consider when implementing SD-WAN. Organizations still need to consider how to financially consume the technology, manage and support it, integrate with cloud services, integrate with security services and tools, assess potential challenges, and create a migration plan. Deploying SD-WAN should be a journey as it is a transformative technology, and each deployment individualized based on requirements. SD-WAN will become the on-ramp to your “application” superhighway and that requires due diligence in planning and deployment. Choosing a partner with the experience and knowledge in both the SD-WAN industry and successful implementations can be critical to a successful SD-WAN journey, both financially and technically.
If you’re thinking of implementing SD-WAN, be sure to schedule a complimentary SD-WAN Assessment with an Aqueduct SD-WAN Specialist to start the conversation and start mapping your journey.
–Sanjay Ramaswamy, Networking Solutions Architect
Learn more about Aqueduct’s networking solutions here.