How SD-WAN Maximizes the Advantages of Mobile Connectivity

Organizations are increasingly reliant on WAN connectivity for branch locations and remote sites. Employees need a reliable and secure network to access corporate IT resources and cloud services. Bandwidth demands are growing due to the rise of latency-sensitive applications such as video conferencing.

Mobile workers typically rely upon cellular connections for communication, collaboration and real-time data access. Generally, these cellular links are enabled by employees’ personal devices and disconnected from the corporate WAN. However, software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) technology enables a new approach.

SD-WAN adds a software layer that sits on top of multiple data transport options. Organizations can incorporate cellular, broadband and fiber Internet, satellite and other services according to their business needs. The software intelligently routes data over the global, hybrid WAN based upon application requirements and network conditions.

With SD-WAN, organizations can fully leverage cellular service to support mobile workers and Internet of Things (IoT) applications. They can also utilize cellular for backup connectivity in the event of a disruption in traditional WAN links. Cellular can be used for temporary connectivity until traditional WAN services are provisioned, or as the primary link in remote locations where other WAN services aren’t available.

Enabling True Mobility

More and more organizations are adopting SD-WAN to improve WAN performance and security, simplify management, and reduce telecom costs. SD-WAN also gives IT teams greater visibility into network traffic across the distributed enterprise. By incorporating cellular into the SD-WAN, organizations can optimize WAN connectivity for mobile users.

Offering secure, reliable, mobile connectivity to your workers is easy with SD-WAN.

It’s inefficient for mobile users to connect to the corporate WAN using traditional techniques such as virtual private networks (VPNs) — particularly when using cloud-based applications and services. Direct connections to the Internet via cellular simplify user access and minimize latency, but they introduce administrative complexities and security risks.

SD-WAN overcomes these drawbacks. It provides centralized authentication and policy enforcement for cellular connections, and enables the integration of layered security controls and end-to-end encryption. It also extends WAN optimization, traffic shaping, application prioritization and other capabilities to cellular links to improve performance. Bandwidth can be managed and controlled based upon business needs.

When cellular is used as a temporary or backup connection, it can simply be added into SD-WAN routers, gateways and appliances. For true mobile connectivity, however, you need a high-speed, ruggedized network card that supports multiple devices. Best-in-class mobile SD-WAN solutions integrate cellular access, onboard security and more in a portable, plug-and-play unit.

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