Software-defined networks, SD-WAN, can dramatically transform the power of corporate networks.

Not only does its technology allow the use of cheaper links as alternatives for communication between sites, but it also unifies different physical networks into a single logical network, reducing the use of equipment and automating management activities.

At first glance, this is the argument that matters most to companies that are migrating their communications to this new format: cost-benefit.

However, cost is only one aspect of the equation that SD-WAN seeks to solve. It is important that companies also consider other challenges that this technology facilitates.

We can tell you that if your business needs to address any of the following challenges, software-defined networks represent a secure, consistent and long-lasting option. Let’s look at some points:

You need to increase visibility

Visibility has always been an IT challenge. Now, especially with the advancement of cloud solutions and mobility, companies are faced with the scenario of increased traffic – with increasing demand from users for applications and services whose traffic is outside the company’s perimeter.

By facilitating and monitoring the connections between distributed sites, SD-WAN architecture also provides an expanded view of activities in all network environments, mitigating blind spots and facilitating management.

You need to simplify local network management.

By decentralizing IT resources in multiple locations, the design of traditional WAN networks overburden teams with management activities – since they need to use various hardware and apply configurations on each. Software-defined networks can reduce the number of hardware by centralizing settings, automating and applying the same rules to all locations.

This means eliminating local adjust across multiple routers or firewalls, for example. Therefore, there will be less downtime for configuration, rework and the error rate in rule enforcement naturally decreases.

You need to prioritize apps

One way SD-WAN facilities management for companies (and also for users) is how it offers easy adaptation to different scenarios.

Even with your users constantly demanding new applications, SD-WAN can centralize quality of service policies and allow the management of hundreds of web services, prioritizing traffic according to the technical specifications of the network and, at the same time, meeting peculiar needs of each user profile.

You need flexibility

You can use communication links in a more elastic way for any network architecture, exploring them according to the priority of your team’s activities. This possibility offered by SD-WAN not only reduces costs, but also increases the quality of connections.

The quality of the data transfer is managed and tolerated from specific policies, capable of evaluating the path security, the latency, the transfer rate, the packet loss and even the jitter rate in the case of voice data. Yes, SD-WAN networks are also designed to support the quality of VoIP connections.

So, the quality of the connection is reflected in the effective communication between your company’s subsidiaries, the hybrid cloud, as well as the remote users, increasing the productivity of your teams.

You need to ensure speed with security

If your company relies on real-time communications between remote units, not only when using instant messaging applications, but also for sharing data and important documents to perform activities, by adopting SD-WAN you earn more speed to data transfer and still set the security bar high.

The connection between the data stored in the local data center and the cloud applications or remote users who need access to this data is facilitated.

You need to prioritize competitiveness

Finally, it is worth emphasizing that the SD-WAN market is growing rapidly, with new features that facilitate the management of connections between local networks. Trends such as multi-tenancy, centralized management of organizational units and distributed security support the performance of network resources, which are reflected in more productivity and competitiveness.

With more than 5,000 clients, Blockbit is one of the leading manufacturers of cybersecurity solutions, empowering businesses to protect themselves against a wide range of threats, vulnerabilities, and cyberattacks, whether internal or external, generic or specific.