SD-WAN vendors offering comprehensive network segmentation

Gartner’s introduction of a new networking and security category known as Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) was a turning point for the industry. Before Gartner published “The Future of Network Security is in the Cloud,” SD-WAN was one of, if not the most, buzzwords in the industry in the 2010s. However, in the current decade, “SASE” has taken away the crown. 

When the concept of SASE was first mooted, some wondered if it was simply a rehash of SD-WAN. Put merely: SD-WAN is a subset of SASE. SD-WAN devices offer important networking capabilities. SASE goes further and converges SD-WAN network segmentation with other networking and security services to create a holistic fabric of WAN security and connectivity.

The SD-WAN market saw notable growth and projections suggest continued expansion in the coming years. 

In this article, we will introduce you to SD-WAN and explain its role in the market. Understanding SD-WAN and how your organisation can use it will help you decide on the right network for your needs. 

Understanding SD-WAN networks

Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) networks are based on a broader Software Defined Networking (SDN) concept. SD-WAN technology makes creating, managing, and monitoring the company’s communications network easier. With SD-WAN, traffic linked to the company’s internal and external communications are managed from a single place: the SD-WAN controller. Tata Communications allows you to control any element defined as part of the SD-WAN installation and directs traffic from the company’s data centres, offices, or satellite locations.

This is achieved by making a virtual SD-WAN layer on top of the existing communications network (regardless of whether the networks are private or have a public Internet connection). The result is that traffic can be dynamically tunnelled through a highly secure layer or routed through the underlying infrastructure. In both cases, traffic is managed based on company policies and preferences configured through the SD-WAN management console, including load balancing and forwarding requests to services not available at a given time (even though data centres).

How does SD-WAN work?

SD-WAN creates an overlay to virtualise the WAN with centralised control to simplify the management and deployment of branch office services.

Overlay network

SD-WAN creates a WAN transport-agnostic overlay network and can replace legacy routers in branch offices, thereby simplifying WAN infrastructure. SD-WAN provides greater control and management, providing application layer control of application service policies to ensure optimal application performance.

Application recognition

One of the key elements of SD-WAN is application awareness. SD-WAN understands the SLA requirements of individual applications and translates them into policies that the network must comply with. This enables active experience monitoring across networks and applications, ensuring optimal traffic delivery and Quality of Experience (QoE), whether on-premises, in the private or public cloud, or in SaaS.

Policy-based framework

SD-WAN also offers an automated policy-based framework that delivers unified management and control, all from a single pane of glass interface. Visibility is improved, allowing IT to understand applications, devices, users, and networks better to meet business objectives and goals. This simplifies IT’s ability to define, control, and change business requirements across branch offices, data centres, and cloud/SaaS.

Why choose SD-WAN?

SD-WAN solutions often offer the following advantages:

• Circuit costs decrease through the use of broadband, DIA, and LTE.
• It increases network agility by simplifying control of the entire WAN.
• It creates a hybrid active-active network with MPLS, broadband, DIA, and LTE for greater bandwidth capacity and greater, more efficient resiliency/availability per site.
• It automates operations, while templates simplify IT workflows.
• It eliminates the complexity and sprawl of devices in branch offices.
• SD-WAN provides secure, reliable Internet access to cloud and SaaS applications.
• It allows the operator and the network circuit to be independent.
• It centralises and unifies the entire WAN for simplified management, deployment, and change control.

Instead of spending time and money on creating and maintaining networks, a good SD-WAN solution allows businesses to focus on installing applications like IoT, VoIP, unified communications, and edge computing services. 

Gartner predicts that by 2025, 50% of new SD-WAN purchases will be part of a single-vendor Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) offering, up substantially from 10% in 2022. By 2026, 30% of new SD-WAN acquisitions will be made under some Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) model, according to Gartner.

By focusing on enhancing these business-oriented services rather than managing the complexities of the WAN, IT can add these (OTT) services to cloud-native, automated, and programmable platforms. Secure SD-WAN is a cloud-native platform that offers IT an automated, policy-driven virtual WAN infrastructure. This changes the network from a bottleneck into a business service deployment engine.

What are the benefits of Secure SD-WAN?

Secure SD-WAN adds features that provide a self-healing architecture while natively embedding networking and security functions into the WAN. Secure SD-WAN achieves this by focusing on application user experience, monitoring applications and the network, and utilising an integrated platform to improve and augment security posture. Driven by application-based policies, the WAN and branch adjust dynamically to maintain network availability, application reliability, and best user experience while protecting the organisation from threats and vulnerabilities.

Specific benefits and advantages of Versa Secure SD-WAN

These benefits and advantages include:

• Secure multi-cloud connectivity that supports cloud-to-cloud, branch-to-multi-cloud, and enterprise-to-multi-cloud connectivity.
• Robust, integrated next-generation security features such as unified threat management and role-based access control.
• Micro-segmentation throughout the network to reduce risk areas and lateral movement.
• Secure connectivity to the public/private cloud, regardless of platforms, applications, and cloud transport.
• Full multi-tenancy for micro-segmentation of the business line, subscribers, and control, with unique policies per segment.
• Context-based network and security policies, as well as traffic steering, are based on users, devices, locations, and applications.

What is the difference between WAN and SD-WAN?

Unlike traditional WAN, SD-WAN is software-defined and has many advantages. First, it allows the elimination of expensive MPLS circuits. SD-WAN also uses local Internet downloads and helps move user traffic closer to cloud services. It also provides real-time traffic monitoring and supports high-bandwidth applications, which can be a challenge for traditional WAN infrastructures.

Conclusion

SD-WAN is at the forefront of innovation, combining networking and security capabilities in the cloud to link people to the applications and data they require, no matter where they reside or where they are. With SASE, you can seamlessly connect your workforce to applications, control access through simplified security policy enforcement, unite networking and security functions to meet multi-cloud needs at scale and consolidate a single vendor to optimise operations and close the gaps.

Tata Communications' IZO™ SDWAN takes this innovation a step further, offering comprehensive network segmentation to enhance your security and control. With IZO™ SDWAN, you can create distinct network segments for different departments, applications, or security levels. This platform-based managed service gives you the flexibility to choose between Flex SD-WAN for a customised solution or SD-WAN-as-a-Service for a cloud-like consumption model. Sign Up For A Free IZO™ SDWAN Trial today!