What Is Software-Defined Wide-Area Network (SD-WAN)?

Wide area networks (WAN) are crucial for businesses to facilitate communication between their company, customers, and other entities to conduct business efficiently. With the significant increase in the business's internet dependency, Software-Defined Wide-Area Network (SD-WAN) is growing in necessity.

However, you may be asking yourself, "What the heck is a Software-Defined Wide-Area Network?

Let's dive into the history, functionality, and purpose of SD-WAN below.

SD-WAN History

As the internet blossomed in the early 90s, small businesses and corporations grew increasingly reliant on these groundbreaking international communications systems.

By the early 2000s, questions of internet security came into play. Companies wanted to privatize their communication over the Internet to negate the consequences of their information falling into the wrong hands.

In this decade, more research and effort were put into further localizing and analyzing communication traffic over software-based systems. Essentially, software-defined wide-area networks started privatizing the Internet for business communication at a fraction of the cost of regular wide-area networks (WAN.)

4 Signs Your Business Needs an Upgrade to SD-WAN

If you've just started exploring SD-WAN, you might wonder if it's something you even need for your company. Understanding where you are struggling will help you decide if it's the right choice, and the most common four issues that SD-WAN can help with are:
 

1. Company Performance Needs Customizing

If you're still configuring your company branches independently when you have a new application or update, SD-WAN can help manage and monitor traffic.

2. You Have Security Concerns

Data breaches and security issues are at an all-time high for businesses. If you're finding that your firewall capabilities aren't working as efficiently, SD-WAN can help your connections stay more secure.

3. Your Management System Needs a Better Process

If your company is struggling with simplifying network automation and provisioning and letting managers know about the changes, SD-WAN's performance-based design simplifies your network management and enhances data storage.

4. The Bandwidth You Have Isn't Cutting it

In this day and age, bandwidth is everything, so if your web pages aren't loading quickly, visitors are having difficulty accessing your website, or you're just having difficulty getting quick downloads and data transmission, this is a major indicator you need to upgrade to the SD-WAN software.

SD-WAN Benefits

It may already be implied, but SD-WAN hosts several benefits compared to regular WAN, including:

Increased Security

The internet is the most efficient way to communicate either personally or professionally in the world. However, that goes without saying; there are security risks.

SD-WAN has built-in security that establishes an efficient communication route, bypassing public routes for direct communication on your private network.

It goes without saying: SD-WAN isn't impenetrable. Other cybersecurity may be needed, like IPS or encryption, to keep your information safe.

Improved Performance

SD-WAN's configuration prioritizes business-centric communication and real-time services like Voice over Internet Protocol. This type of WAN directly shifts your desired communication over the most efficient and secure route from the application you're using while adhering to its privacy policies.

Lower Cost

As the internet grows exponentially, the cost of operation will increase along with it. SD-Wan leverages local internet access, giving you direct cloud access and avoiding traffic on the traditional WAN, significantly reducing operating costs. In fact, around a fourth of businesses utilizing SD-WAN save nearly 40 percent.

Contact Lighthouse Technologies for Trusted Business Communication

An SD-WAN system can propel your company forward with its advanced capability and streamlined performance, giving you the cutting edge you need for today's competitive world! Whether improving your data storage, setting up business phone systems, or business internet, Lighthouse Technology Solutions has the experience you can trust for your small business.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about our services, you can receive a free quote online or call us at 612-345-9177 today!