The demand for software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) remains strong, with enterprises using it as a way to address the complexity of networking in the cloud era. For others, the reliability and investment in a WAN built around multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) makes it hard to stomach tearing up existing infrastructure. Cloud-based SD-WAN makes the transition easier.
When It’s Hard to Let Go: The introduction of MPLS solved a major challenge — connecting two locations with a high-performance, reliable link. While this was ideal in traditional network infrastructure, it’s not as ideal for cloud solutions.
The new challenge is that cloud solutions have a much higher bandwidth demand, and despite the attraction of a reliable, secure connection, the cost of MPLS can create an obstacle for cloud adoption. SD-WAN introduces the option of replacing some or all MPLS traffic with directing data transmissions to other pathways, including broadband internet.
For someone who currently uses MPLS, they may quickly see a conflict. They must either adopt an appliance-based SD-WAN solution and use third-party security solutions or deal with the reliability issues of the public internet while battling subpar performance in their cloud solutions at a high cost.
It’s easy to see why some MPLS users are reluctant to jump on the SD-WAN bandwagon. This is where cloud-based SD-WAN provides an easier transition for taking advantage of a virtualized network approach:
Purchasing SD-WAN as a service offers the bandwidth and cost savings of a traditional SD-WAN solution while also gaining the global backbone (supported by a service level agreement) and a security solution that is completely integrated into the networking approach.
The global backbone gets support from tier-1 internet service providers (ISPs) and offers points of presence (POPs) that stretch across the world. There are also specific features in place, such as auto-healing, to help enterprises get the performance they need from cloud-based SD-WAN.
Cloud-based SD-WAN also offers an integrated security stack with Next Generation Firewall and anti-malware features. Enterprises have no need for a third-party security solution.
These features provide an easy transition from MPLS to cloud-based SD-WAN. There’s reliable WAN connectivity through the SLA-backed global backbone. These features are available while also improving the performance of cloud applications. In addition, configuration and management are much easier through cloud-based SD-WAN than with an MPLS WAN. The software-defined aspect of SD-WAN makes tasks like routing traffic much more simplified with centralized management in a virtual overlay.
If you’re currently using MPLS as your main pathway choice, contact us at Cloud Source to learn more about cloud-based SD-WAN for your enterprise. We can help you determine whether the expected benefits with SD-WAN outweigh those you’re experiencing with your MPLS solution.