3 SD-WAN Use Cases and How to Choose the Right Solution

Software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) continues to see strong adoption in organizations of all sizes. In a recent Frost & Sullivan survey, 15 percent of respondents said their organization has already deployed SD-WAN, and 18 percent said that deployment was currently under way. A whopping 61 percent said they plan to deploy SD-WAN within the next 12 to 24 months. That leaves just 6 percent with no plans to implement the technology.

When asked to rank their top technology priorities, respondents cited:

• Hybrid cloud (80 percent)
• Network and Application Security (77 percent)
• SD-WAN (72 percent).

Frost & Sullivan concluded that organizations are adopting SD-WAN because it supports cloud access and strong network security.

Best-in-class SD-WAN solutions go further by delivering advanced features that enable key business processes. Here are three sd-wan use cases that can help organizations solidify their objectives and identify must-have features in the sd-wan solution they choose.

SD-WAN is the “best of all worlds”.

Data-Intensive Applications

Organizations in industries such as healthcare, oil and gas, and energy are using data-intensive applications that demand the highest levels of availability and performance. Business processes require the delivery of these applications to a wide range of devices and locations throughout the extended enterprise.

Traditionally, that meant a WAN architected using dedicated circuits, MPLS links or other carrier-managed connections. However, SD-WAN can deliver the same capabilities at lower cost and with greater flexibility.

The right SD-WAN solution will be able to aggregate multiple connections and use intelligent path selection, bandwidth allocation and application prioritization features to optimize network traffic. This simulates the capabilities of telco circuits while enabling centralized visibility and management of all WAN links.

Multisite Operations

Secure connectivity between sites has always been a complex proposition. In the past, organizations either backhauled traffic over the corporate WAN in a hub-and-spoke architecture, or relied on virtual private networks (VPNs) to create secure “tunnels” in the public Internet. Neither of these options supports the dynamic nature of today’s multisite enterprise.

SD-WAN is the “best of all worlds” for multisite operations. It provides flexible connectivity coupled with integrated security that protects applications and data from Internet-borne threats. It also simplifies configuration and management and supports latency-sensitive services such as voice and video conferencing.

Multisite enterprises should look for an SD-WAN solution with multiple connectivity options and rapid turn-up of new locations. Appliances that incorporate multiple WAN and security features further streamline management by consolidating the “branch stack.”

Heterogeneous Environments

In today’s complex supply chains, it’s often necessary for organizations to connect seamlessly with business partners and other third parties as well as cloud-based services. Traditional private WAN architectures make that difficult.

SD-WAN can enable secure private connections to many different organizations and the cloud via the public Internet. Intelligent routing based upon business policies automatically connect users via the best available link without complex configuration changes. Traffic is distributed evenly to reduce bottlenecks, and policies are implemented consistently across the WAN.

Integrated security tools, including firewalls, intrusion prevention and content filtering, provide malware detection and data protection without performance tradeoffs. The WAN can be segmented to isolate specific applications and control access to the organization’s corporate network.

The Right Solution

Next-Generation Connectivity from GDS provides the features and functionality needed to implement these use cases. It’s a fully managed SD-WAN that’s designed to optimize performance, maximize availability and minimize risk. Our turnkey solution includes upfront consulting services that aid in the architecture and design of the WAN, as well as expert implementation, ongoing monitoring and management, and consolidated billing. Once you’ve identified your SD-WAN use case, contact us to discuss how Next-Gen Connectivity checks all the boxes.

Benefits of SD-WAN Services from Global Data Systems

• Strategic Managed IT: We help you solve your technology related business problems.
• Connectivity: We get you reliable, secure connectivity anywhere in the western hemisphere in 48 hours.
• Support: When you need help simply call our 24x7x365 support number.
• Billing: Instead of managing hundreds of vendors - get one, easy to read bill from GDS.

Contact Managed Services Provider, Global Data Systems >