If your clients are struggling during the work-from-home era to maintain secure networks among remote, branch, and home offices, they’re not alone. The good news is software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) is the easy, affordable solution to the networking challenges of the remote workforce.

Business leaders have realized the benefits of building agile and efficient network operations that can overcome changing and unpredictable business climates. Although digital transformation (DX) has been somewhat of a buzzword over the past few years, the pandemic has made clear that DX is a real approach to accommodating the needs of a remote workforce.¹ And SD-WAN is playing a key role in this transformation.

A Post-Pandemic Propulsion

Recently published reports state not only that the general economy may be slow in recovering from the pandemic but also that SD-WAN will lead the eventual comeback.²

The growth of SD-WAN tools and software are projected to increase by 34%, reaching $2.85 billion market value in 2021.³

One of the greatest business pain points SD-WAN solves is the problem of bandwidth-hogging files and traffic jams that slow networks – sometimes to a crawl. These large file transmissions that businesses need to make on a daily basis make it challenging to set up error-free VoIP calls and video/audio conferencing sessions at the same time without a slew of technical difficulties.

SD-WAN provides the flexibility necessary to support remote connectivity with automatic adjustments that quickly optimize and adapt network capabilities. IT teams can exert greater control over their networks, making real-time changes in response to the needs of their transmission environments.

Ensuring Better Security

SD-WAN also includes greater security measures designed to thwart cyber criminal attacks. Multiple layers act as safeguards for networks, causing traffic to go through a series of VPN tunnels, encryption, and next generation firewalls that segment traffic. This heightened protection is made possible by determining optimal transmission paths – given two or more choices – for specific types or classes of traffic. 

IT teams are able to centrally manage and orchestrate these safeguards through software that grants granular visibility into the network.⁴ This visibility allows them to see and address any potential weak points. Traffic from different applications utilize separate microsegments of SD-WAN, so an attack can’t compromise all network traffic.

By keeping specific types of traffic separate from each other, traffic that may be coming from a less secure location can be segregated so it can’t interact with sensitive information and data.

Helping Organizations Keep Costs Lower

Another added benefit SD-WAN provides is cutting expenses and saving time. SD-WAN offers the ability to reduce expensive dedicated line lease costs and the amount of hardware required by multi-location organizations. 

Hard savings can also be realized by replacing the number of dedicated lines with broadband. Organizations can potentially eliminate expensive leased-line services in favor of cheaper and more readily available broadband internet connectivity.⁵

Take the Easy Onramp to SD-WAN

If you’re aiming to bring SD-WAN to more of your customers, we have great news. Our SD-WAN technology can be deployed over your clients’ existing infrastructure, saving them time and money. Contact us today for a partnership that will have you selling NHC’s Communications Stack.

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