From hybrid WAN architectures, and Software-defined networking to a shifting toward wide area networks (WANs), which can also be optimized to meet the requirements of cloud applications and services, we are always at early stage when it comes to the emergence of SD-WAN.
Benefits are numerous in our ever-connected world where
the cloud computing is a game changer and where increasing number of
enterprises across the world are planning to consider migration to SD-WAN.
For those who are unfamiliar, Software-defined networking streamlines the
management of datacenter, providing inter alia the agility and responsiveness
that datacenter networks need to meet the demands of cloud computing.
Henceforth a shift toward wide area networks (WANs) is
indispensable to meet the requirements of cloud applications and services. SD-WANs leverage hybrid WANs, but
incorporate a centralized, application-based policy controller, analytics for
application and network visibility, can provide intelligent path selection
across WAN links.
The benefits of SD-WAN include cost-effective delivery of
business applications, meeting the evolving operational requirements of the
modern branch/remote site, optimizing software-as-a-service (SaaS) and cloud-based
services such as UC&C, and improving branch-IT efficiency through
automation.
IDC estimates that worldwide SD-WAN revenues will exceed $6 billion in 2020
with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 90% over the 2015-2020
forecast period.
In fact, WAN performance becomes critical to
latency-sensitive and mission-critical workloads and inter-datacenter business
continuity. Therefore, WAN architectures need to be considered alongside, and
in conjunction with, datacenter infrastructure.
For the enterprises moving business processes to the cloud, there is a
greater need to fully integrate cloud-sourced services into WAN environments to
ensure workload/application performance, availability, and security.