WHAT IS SD-WAN AND HOW WILL IT HELP MY BUSINESS?

SD-WHAT – What is SD-WAN?

SD-WAN stands for software-defined wide area network – simply put, the technology uses software to constantly and cleverly route your network and internet traffic over the fastest and best performing available route.

It works by using software to route the traffic down the optimal path at that very instant, and not to rely on hardware defined routes. Your network’s hardware is separated from the control mechanism, which enables faster, smoother operations and management, with less downtime and outages than other network technologies. SD-WAN uses all available connectivity all the time. FTTC, 4G, ADSL can all be used together, thereby also eliminating reliance on a single connection.

SD-WAN has been proven to enable companies to build higher-performance WANs, whilst using lower-cost and commercially available Internet connections. Many CTO’s and IT managers are choosing to move to SD-WAN as it’s proving faster for accessing cloud hosted applications and is cheaper and more reliable than historic network technologies.  This means your business can increase productivity and save money by replacing expensive private WAN connection technologies like MPLS with SD-WAN and, with www.sdwan-solutions.co.uk, there’s no downtime for your business during our installation process.

The most important thing for you to know is that SD-WAN truly works. It is now a tried, tested and trusted technology that will give your business a competitive edge, and it’s affordable for smaller businesses too.

SD-WHY – What are the benefits of the SD-WAN?

In as few words as possible – your business WILL save time, money and stress with an SD-WAN solution.

Extending networks over greater distances, across more than one site or in multiple offices and shop floors, or simply having a lot of traffic and data on a network slows a connection down, sometimes overloading it completely creating packet delays, packet losses or even total outage.

Business needs ever-more bandwidth as cloud apps, mobile and remote working and video content become the norm, and VOIP and online meeting facilities part of every working day. Slow internet speeds cost time, and in business, time is also money.

If you or your business is using cloud apps – and all businesses will as time and technology moves on apace – you will need to switch to an SD-WAN solution, and as our name implies that’s precisely our expertise.

SD-HOW – How does SD-WAN work and why is that good for my business?

1. 1. Increased Bandwidth: SD-WAN uses all available bandwidth at a site and automatically selects the fastest path to use – no more back-up circuits sitting idle and expensive MPLS bandwidth can be bolstered with cheaper yet effective connectivity options
   2. Less hardware on site: SD-WAN devices make intelligent routing decisions, in many cases replacing priority or end-of-life routers. The SD-WAN can also host third party appliances such as firewalls etc. Less hardware per site
   3. Any connectivity: Cherry pick the best connections at every site – no need to be limited to one provider’s network
   4. Complete visibility into your entire network: Visibility down to application level in any location, all viewed from a central point. Really see how your network is performing
   5. Instant policy updates: Roll out centralised policy changes to all sites in a matter of minutes, without having to visit each site.
   6. Reduce IT staff: Manage your entire network without leaving the office
   7. Set Application priorities: Prioritise applications that require low latency and packet loss. Set parameters for traffic flow and allow the SD-WAN device to route known application traffic dynamically without manual intervention
   8. Increased Agility: Have new sites up and running within hours not months, or boost bandwidth instantly with 4G – and no downtime as you switch over.
   9. Cloud hosted application access direct from site: No need to send traffic to a DC first, adding delay and consuming bandwidth – access cloud applications directly from your local site.
   10. Zero-touch deployment: Simply relocate the SD-WAN device and re-use when sites close and new sites come on board.

SD-WHEN – when will my business need SD-WAN?

Although a relatively new technology, SD-WAN is now out of the ‘early adoption’ phase and well into the mainstream, in fact, it’s fast becoming THE network of choice for businesses across all sectors, with 93% of businesses currently looking into SD-WAN. Now, or in the very short-term future, most businesses will choose to have an SD-WAN connection.

It’s not so much that network technologies have moved on – as indeed they have – nor that with more and more cloud apps being used that SD-WAN becomes an operational must-have, it’s simply that SD-WAN will increase productivity, reduce network complexity and downtime and it will save you money. That’s more than enough reason to switch.

We offer a free Proof of Concept period so you can see for yourself the network speed advantages, the cost and time savings and all at no risk of any downtime and zero initial outlay.

If you like this blog try our blog on how to ensure ROI from SD-WAN

SD-WHERE – what type of businesses are suitable for SD-WAN?

In a nutshell – all of them! It’s not just the big corporates with multiple sites globally who benefit from SD-WAN, SME’s and even sole traders will also benefit. If you use the Internet to work and find your bandwidth is simply not enough, there’s too much waiting for downloads, your connection frequently goes down or even that you’re in an area where large bandwidths are not available SD-WAN will help you.

SD-WHO – how do you choose an SD-WAN provider?

Firstly, you need to be sure you are getting true SD-WAN. There are a lot of companies offering SD-WAN that, in fact, is not SD-WAN at all. We only offer true SD-WAN and are working closely with MEF https://www.mef.net  to ensure industry wide guidelines are created, and are instrumental in creating the world’s first ever SD-WAN qualification.

We always say that self-praise is no recommendation… but winning business awards is a great endorsement of our product and services. We recently won the Company To Watch award from the UK’s leading Channel Magazine, so we consider that the perfect unbiased recommendation.

Choosing a SD-WAN provider with commitment to Re-Tech and innovation is key. You don’t want your business to be suddenly behind your competitors and you don’t want to be having to pay for new SD-WAN technology.

Innovative SD-WAN providers should also be ensuring they are innovating new services and products themselves, as there are mark-ups involved in being a re-seller of someone else’s new technology. You need to be sure your business gets the very latest SD-WAN at the very best price.

We offer all the above. And more. We don’t just talk the SD-WAN talk, we walk the SD-WAN walk.

Know all about SD-WAN and ready for the Multi-Cloud and our SDWAN CLOUD? Read more.

SD-WOW – what does the future of SD-WAN look like?

We invented the world’s first ever SDWAN CLOUD, before Google, Cisco, Juniper and many other Silicon Valley and Palo Alto based tech giants. As cloud computing increases our unique SD-WAN CLOUD will prove a game-changer. If you want world first technology contact us for a Proof of Concept meeting

As we said above, soon there will be strict guidelines and qualifications that your IT manager or director can gain. We are at the forefront of the entire SD-WAN sector, from technology, innovation and world-first breakthroughs to best in class provision and second to none client services, so where else would you take your business to get a world class SD-WAN network?

We hope that this article has helped explain exactly what SD-WAN is and SD-When you will need it. Why not contact us for a no obligation consultation on the benefits SD-WAN delivers to your business and try SD-WAN before you buy with our free proof of concept period?

 Email: info@sdwansolutions.co.uk or call +44(0)203 638 6680