What IT solutions are you in need of? Use the form below to schedule a free virtual consultation, and we’ll show you how we can improve your IT in a month.
Posted on December 11, 2018
SD-WAN technology is architected to be a simplified network for distributed enterprises and small businesses alike.
When considering the massive rise of virtual computing and cloud technology, organizations are transforming both their networks and how they operate to keep up with increased bandwidth needs and instant access demands.
Now more than ever, employees are scattered around the globe, accessing vital data and applications from multiple locations and devices.
Omnipresent mobility and freedom to work whenever, wherever is embraced by users and enterprises alike, but it’s also exposing the weaknesses in many of today’s existing corporate networks:
Most companies are still relying on traditional multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) networks.
These networks were trusted and reliable for many years. However, due to recent technology advancements, MPLS now struggle to offer the high bandwidth, low latency, and high performance that is needed for businesses to access today’s cloud-based applications.
Is your existing corporate network holding you back?
Fortunately, there’s a better solution out there that offers high bandwidth, low latency, and high performance – Citrix SD-WAN.
You can read more on the benefits of a Citrix SD-WAN solution here in one of our earlier posts.
This powerful, next-generation networking solution, integrates with your existing WAN architecture to streamline management, improve network efficiency, and deliver secure connections for users, wherever they are located.
The design is also established to reduce your frustrations caused by the architecture of MPLS and AMP.
While these benefits alone might be enough motivation to implement Citrix SD-WAN, there are several more benefits to be aware of.
Here are three more reasons why SD-WAN is a simplified network solution for distributed enterprises:
- SD-WAN is a cost-effective business initiative
Cost efficiency is one of the top reasons why SD-WAN beats the competition of MPLS. Almost all companies (at least ones that want to stay in business), look out for the most efficient ways to cut costs, and there’s no difference when it comes to companies considering which computing technologies and network capabilities to integrate.
While some benefits to an SD-WAN are industry-specific, there are other unified benefits that an individual can get from transitioning to SD-WAN. In a previous article, we wrote in more detail about SD-WAN and why you need it, and there is one takeaway that is worthy of repeating:
SD-WAN saves money.
In a case study performed by Network World revealed that SD-WAN saved customers up to 40 percent.
This means that with a Citrix SD-WAN solution, an enterprise can save on both CAPEX and OPEX costs.
For instance, most branch office infrastructures tend to be cluttered and complex. These data centers often consist of firewalls, WAN path controllers, and routers.
Not only is it expensive to buy and maintain these components, but it is also costly to sustain the manpower to manage it all. Due to its commodity routers, SD-WAN cuts costs in both maintenance and support of routers and other physical materials required to maintain a traditional data center.
Other ways Citrix SD-WAN can save you on your indirect costs is through
- Increased productivity
- Network performance
- Flexible management and analytic tools
- Remote control features
Another great perk about SD-WAN is that it compliments your existing network so you don’t need to worry about losing money in hardware when replacing your MPLS or other networks.
- SD-WAN improves security:
This is the second most important feature, or even first (depending on your priorities) of the SD-WAN solution. There are hackers everywhere, and the last thing a company needs is sensitive information to be exposed and jeopardized.
Unlike modern network devices which require manual configuration using SSH, SD-WAN is capable of self-segmentation.
SD-WAN simplifies network design by segmenting information and then relaying the information to all appropriate areas in the network without protocols or external mechanisms.
With the ability to segment networks and isolate traffic, SD-WAN can ensure that sensitive data remains secure.
This provides enterprises with:
- Stronger network infrastructure
- Robust security
- Integrated routing
Marcio Saito, CTO of Opengear, a network management provider, previously stated:
“While the explosive growth of SD-WAN is recent, SD-WAN technology is the convergence of trusted VPN, data compression, and tragic management technologies all wrapped in slick cloud-based provisioning. Security considering have been a natural part of the technology’s evolution.”
Additionally, the architecture of an SD-WAN solution increases security by:
- Encryption of network traffic
- Centralized policy and provisioning system
- The increase of network visibility and control
- Optimization of performance
SD-WAN ensures that security is not compromised because it transfers information to an off-premise location such as a hybrid cloud. SD-WAN can work with a cloud system to provide additional security by filtering routers like a web proxy server.
Furthermore, SD-WAN provides total control of networking needs for better security and management since adopters are immediately notified of any issues that sprout up. Citrix SD-WAN gives you the capability to manage and oversee the entire WAN through a single interface.
Overall, it’s critical to choose a solution with security options that match your specific needs.
- SD-WAN leverages your existing connections for a productive user experience
To top it off, SD-WAN can provide a company with fast installation and the ability to manage multiple connections such as:
- MPLS
- Ethernet
- Serial
- Broadband
- LTE
The independent design of an SD-WAN automatically chooses the best path for data transmission to ensure a reliable high-performing connection.
SD-WAN provides smaller sites with enough bandwidth to use voice over IP (VoIP) and also process critical intensive business applications with ease.
SD-WAN also offers a solution by using the ‘intelligent path control’ method. Intelligent path control is a model that allows the user to gain access to a direct connection or backup link to utilize more bandwidth to your branch before the user can notice any issues.
This type of on-demand network capability has employees further connected with a more seamless experience and an increase in productivity.
The productivity of a business can be affected by the rate of response of the network, whether the response is generally slow or fast. If the network of the business is not exceptionally functional, there may be a loss of productive hours of work.
A good characteristic of a modern-day enterprise is the ability to hire employees remotely. This means that the individuals are working online and their productivity has to be monitored via a cloud application over the network.
A further result of SD-WAN’s intelligent path control and transport independence capabilities ensures that the productivity of the employees is guaranteed, and the network connection ensures that all employees have the opportunity to give their best performance.
If you’re already considering SD-WAN then you’re not alone. As much as 88 percent of distributed enterprises are choosing to deploy SD-WAN because of its ability to cut costs and increase productivity.
Better yet, SD-WAN can deliver new levels of flexibility and enable you to:
- Improve business agility by enabling rapid rollout of WAN services without on-site IT support
- Deliver bandwidth savings because internet connections are readily available, quick to deploy and more affordable
- Optimize your infrastructure and better prepare it for new cloud-based services and apps
Isn’t it time for a networking solution that helps your business move forward by delivering better experiences for virtual users and more control and security for you? To read further on this topic, download our e-book “SD-WAN: The networking solution for today’s distributed enterprises” here.
Bottom line: SD-WAN is a simplified network made for distributed enterprises, to medium and small business alike.
Don’t forget to pick your provider with care- learn more about Citrix SD-WAN and other SD-WAN solutions by calling a Mindcore Citrix service provider CSP at 973-664-9500 or learn more about SD-WAN here.
