Networking has long been both a fantastic solution and a large problem for businesses. While it offers many ways to streamline your business and increase productivity if it doesn’t work efficiently it can hold up work and slow down productivity. There is a solution to inefficient networks though. Cloud computing offers a large amount of potential processing power without taking up space in your business. SD-WANs utilise the power of cloud computing to integrate virtual private network technology to secure connections without needing expensive hardware.

SD-WAN

So with a small amount of information provided so far, it doesn’t really answer the question you’re most probably asking. What is SD-WAN? SD-WAN stands for Software Defined Wide Area Network. In general terms the SD-WAN allows expensive routing hardware and security software to be synthesized using cloud computing. It both increases speed and security without increasing costs to an unsustainable level. This means that you can have the high performance of an expensive network without the high costs.

Efficiency

Why use an SD-WAN then? Well despite the aforementioned cost decreases, an SD-WAN offers far more efficient use of network bandwidth. It uses the best transport option for network traffic at all time ensuring that there are no bottlenecks created. It also uses multiple data services at a time so in the instance of a blackout in one area it can easily switch over to a working service to ensure that the network remains up. This means that you don’t have to stop work for long periods like in the past.

Security

An SD-WAN allows you to implement encrypted connections when transferring data across the network. In addition to this the use of virtual private network technology means that the network has an extra layer of security for any wannabe hacker to have to get through. If the security of your data is of vital importance, and it should be for many different reasons, then an SD-WAN will allow you to keep your network more secure than it ever has been.

Cost

Traditionally MPLS network systems have provided the fastest and most efficient connections. SD-WANs using a broadband connection in the modern world can compete with MPLS systems on a much more level playing field. This means that if you decide to go with an SD-WAN system over MPLS you will be achieving network speed that is more than good enough to provide your business with what it needs, but also at a fraction of the cost.

Time Saving

If you need to upscale or downscale moving your network across can be both a costly and time consuming task. With an SD-WAN you can literally deploy your network in minutes at a fraction of the cost of an MPLS system. When you need to ensure that your business is running as smoothly as possible, which is all the more urgent after a move of premises, then an SD-WAN system allows you to get back to working to your full capacity in the shortest amount of time.

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