Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) is known for simplifying the operation of WAN by decoupling the networking hardware from its control mechanism. In simple words, the SD-WAN uses software to more intelligently steer traffic across the WAN based on business requirements for an application. Therefore, SD-WAN is application-aware.
With the right features, SD-WAN enables the use of broadband internet as a secure form of WAN transport. SD-WAN is becoming popular amongst many organisations that operate in various locations. However, just like anything, it comes with a set of pros and cons. To know more about its advantages and disadvantages keep on reading.
Advantages
SD-WAN is best-known for boosting application performance. Further, with SD-WAN, Disaster recovery is easier to achieve, especially across cloud-based applications.
Security is one of the widely discussed advantages of the SD-WAN.
Cost can also be heavily cut down using SD-WAN tech. The IT teams can assign expensive connectivity links like MPLS to specific complex business applications and use cheaper broadband links for less important tasks.
Businesses are also able to self manage the WAN when it is software-defined and hence have better control over it. It also increases network visibility and management, providing control from one central location.
SD-WAN also mitigates congestion with the failover capabilities; it automatically reroutes network traffic to a different link.
Disadvantages
Many of the disadvantages come from the complexity of SD-WAN. A company needs to spend a significant amount of money towards training its IT professionals when incorporating the technology. Also, IT professionals have to be heavily deployed to maintain their technical solution, and if they cannot make it happen, there might be a need for outside help, which can be expensive.
SD-WAN's configuration doesn't always go smoothly, opening the door for glitches, software bugs etc., which need a quick fix.
In many cases, the SD-WAN vendors tend to vary and often don't meet the original vision for software-based networking. Meaning it still has a long way to go. However, it has more advantages making it a disrupting technology, but users must be careful before employing it.
