SD-WAN
SD-WAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Networking) is a specialized application of software-defined networking (SDN) technology applied to WAN connections such as broadband internet, 4G, LTE or MPLS. It is a technique that uses software to make wide area networks more intelligent and flexible. It connects business networks, including branch offices and data centers, over large geographical distances.
In the past, WAN connections often used technologies that required proprietary hardware. SD-WAN, on the other hand, uses the Internet or cloud private networks. It separates the network and the control plane, abstracting traffic management and hardware-dependent network monitoring. It is based on four central components:
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Edge Link Abstraction WAN
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Virtualization
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Policy-Driven, Centralized Management
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Elastic Traffic Management
By automating network deployment and management, both SDN and SD-WAN virtualize resources that improve performance, increase network efficiency and increase network availability while lowering total cost of ownership.