Backhaul Connectivity and SD-WAN are two different approaches to data center network management. The former addresses network security and application performance problems, while the latter addresses network management and operations. They can be deployed over the public internet, cloud-based private networks, or a mix of the two. SD-WAN uses artificial intelligence to monitor and manage network resources. It can automatically detect network problems and recommend ways to improve reliability. It also works as a co-management solution by providing centralized management and policy-based orchestration.
SD-WAN offers many benefits for organizations. It can provide more flexibility and help businesses adapt to changing workforce trends. For instance, many companies are now leveraging virtual office infrastructure. For this reason, businesses must integrate several components to support virtual workers. Adding additional details increases network complexity and increases risk. SD-WAN is a way to eliminate these challenges and maximize network performance. SD-WAN can also monitor and prioritize the implementation of various types of data. Backhaul Connectivity and SD-WAN are related to each other. Both technologies use the same infrastructure but have different uses. For example, SD-WAN is an efficient way to reduce backhauling by leveraging existing network infrastructure. As a result, it reduces costs and latency while enhancing network performance and availability.
In addition, SD-WAN also helps organizations use WAN capacity more efficiently. Leveraging public Internet services to offload private network traffic improves network agility and allows organizations to reserve personal network capacity for business-critical applications. It also enhances WAN resilience by creating a hybrid network environment with multiple connections. Under normal circumstances, traffic can be balanced among these services under fail-over to another service when one connection is lost.
MPLS vs. SD-WAN
Choosing between MPLS and SD-WAN backhaul connectivity has essential benefits and drawbacks. Traditional WANs require complicated infrastructure, time-consuming upgrades, and costly management. In addition, today’s cloud-based applications require faster internet speeds than ever, and the demand for bandwidth is soaring. Broadband internet is a low-cost, ubiquitous means of high-speed connectivity. Choosing between SD-WAN and MPLS backhaul connectivity depends on your business requirements. For example, small and mid-sized enterprises may be able to move away from traditional MPLS connectivity and switch to an all-broadband network. In contrast, large enterprises may have already invested in MPLS infrastructure and will need a hybrid solution. In these cases, hybrid WAN networks won’t seem out of place.
Although there is a trend towards SD-WAN, MPLS remains the industry’s most popular backhaul connectivity option. A recent survey found that nearly half of respondents expect to increase network spending in the next 12–24 months. The top investment priorities are improving WAN agility, eliminating the backhaul of internet traffic over private WANs, and improving internet security. Therefore, you must learn more about SD-WAN and its impact on business.
An approach to the network infrastructure
SD-WAN is an approach to the network infrastructure that integrates networking, security, and application capabilities to deliver high-performance networking. Traditional WAN architectures use a hub-and-spoke model, with traffic flowing from remote locations to a central hub. These networks also rely on individual VPN connections. In the past, organizations used leased lines from service providers to connect users at branch locations to applications hosted in the data center. These lines were known as point-to-point or PPP connections.
SD-WAN can help reduce network costs and complexity. It can also improve security and provide an affordable alternative to MPLS links. However, it is not compatible with increasing internet and cloud traffic.
In Conclusion
SD-WAN provides unified control and management, making it a valuable tool for businesses. Ultimately, SD-WAN increases IT visibility and control, allowing companies to focus on their applications rather than managing their networks. This means they can better ensure their business objectives and improve operational efficiencies. To understand how these technologies are related, we must define the concept of a WAN Edge Router. It is a software-based network management solution. It uses a centralized network management GUI to configure, manage, and troubleshoot SD-WAN devices. It can also connect to controllers. This way, it is possible to monitor and manage all SD-WAN devices from a single pane of glass. Backhaul connectivity is essential to SD-WAN but is not the only benefit. The technology also allows for more fantastic application performance and reliability. It also reduces the total costs of network management.