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What is SD-WAN and how does it work?

SD-WAN stands for Software-Defined Wide Area Networking, which is a type of networking technology that allows organisations to connect their geographically-dispersed locations over a Wide Area Network (WAN) in a more efficient and cost-effective way than traditional WANs.

In traditional WANs, a network engineer would have to manually configure each device at every location, which can be time-consuming and costly. With SD-WAN, the network is controlled by software, allowing for centralised management and configuration of the network.

SD-WAN utilises various technologies such as virtualisation, software-defined networking (SDN), and cloud-based management to enable businesses to create a more agile and responsive network. It can also optimise the use of available bandwidth by automatically selecting the best path for traffic based on policies and network conditions.

Overall, SD-WAN provides organisations with greater visibility and control over their WAN infrastructure, improved network performance, and reduced costs compared to traditional WANs.

SD-WAN can be used in a variety of ways

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Load balancing

Simultaneously utilise all lines with a 50/50 split of traffic or a 70/30 split for example.

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Define

You can define specific traffic or APPs go out of certain links, such as VOIP over one, and data over another. Or, you could opt for data centre traffic through one and all other out of another.

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Fail-over

All this can be configured to “fail-over” to the other link/s if their links fails. This means you can utilise all links to their capacity and not have links just sitting there as a backup.

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Multi-scale

These can be configured for a single site or used to connect multiple sites/datacentres over large geographical distances.

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One device

This is done through one device – an SD-WAN router or firewall. This means you can have SD-WAN & NGFW (Next Generation Firewall) capabilities in one box.

Benefits of our SD-WAN solutions

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Experts in our field

As one of the UK’s leading managed SD-WAN solutions provider, we have many years of experience in implementing successful network services for businesses across the UK.

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UK-based support

Our friendly support desk is UK based, we proactively monitor all of our managed wifi and fixed networks.

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Dedicated account management

You’ll receive a consistent account management experience, right from an initial enquiry through to post-installation.

Need help with your managed SD-WAN solution?

Our team are here to help.

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What Performance Networks can do for you

As your UK based managed SD-WAN solutions provider, Performance Networks can get your business or large property setup on a safer, cheaper and more robust network, no matter how many sites you have.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of SD-WAN?

Advantages

  • Higher bandwidth and resilient connections – more possibilities/diverse connections
  • PBR (Policy Based Routing) based on WAN packet loss/static PBR based on type of traffic/destination/app etc
  • Cost – it’s cheaper
  • No long contracts
  • Granular security policies
  • Can have different providers
  • Some QoS at the edge
  • Short lead times – days/weeks
  • Any location is possible
  • Simple management / operation / maintain / visibility – easy to setup new sites and to see what is happening to the traffic

Disadvantages

  • No full path QoS – it can only select the best path out of available WAN links

Let’s get connected

We’ll find the solution, performance guaranteed.
Get in touch to find out more.