What is SD-WAN?
SD-WAN (Software Defined Wide Area Network) is literally "a wide area network defined by software". As the name implies, it is a general term for technologies that enable flexible and dynamic construction and operation of WAN configurations that connect multiple bases with a single piece of software.
What SD-WAN can do
The mainstream WAN environment in conventional networks is the closed network service provided by each carrier and VPN using encryption technology such as IPsec. However, these mechanisms were not flexible, and changing the configuration required a great deal of effort and cost. On the other hand, SD-WAN can be easily constructed by simply defining what kind of WAN configuration to use with the management tool. This gives you the flexibility to meet a variety of requirements, significantly reducing effort and costs.
As an example, in the use of public clouds, which has been increasing in recent years, in the conventional WAN environment, connection via the head office or data center was common, but in SD-WAN, specific services are connected directly from each base. You can reduce the bandwidth pressure on the center base line. In addition, it is possible to control the route for each application, such as file transfer via Internet VPN and video conferencing traffic via private WAN. As a result, contracts for expensive bandwidth-guaranteed closed network services can be minimized, and monthly running costs can be reduced.
One of the major merits is that even if you do not have specialized knowledge of networks, you can complete WAN operation and management work in-house without outsourcing to a specialist, as long as you have the usage and basic knowledge of management tools. is.