What is SD-WAN? Use a metaphor to understand SD-WAN!
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The development of cloud computing technology has brought about changes in the IT industry, while the Internet+ approach has spurred transformation in traditional industries. Building enterprise-specific IP networks to enable secure, high-speed, and reliable communication for various services such as data, voice, and images across different locations has become an essential network construction task for many large enterprises. Due to the high cost of MPLS VPN technology, SD-WAN services, which focus on the enterprise market and wide area networks, came into existence. For a time, the SD-WAN market was booming; numerous SD-WAN companies emerged suddenly, and what had been a technological blue ocean seemed to turn red overnight.
However, for many people, SD-WAN remains an IT concept that is only partially understood. There are too many SD-WAN vendors these days, and the related products available can be overwhelming. How can one properly understand and assess such a sophisticated and complex high-tech product in order to choose the right SD-WAN solution for one’s own business? SD-WAN, or Software-Defined Wide Area Network, is a service that arises from the application of SDN technology in wide area network scenarios; it is used to connect enterprise networks, data centers, Internet applications, and cloud services over large geographical areas. It can meet enterprises’ requirements for the immediacy and practicality of networks, enhance the flexibility of network connections, and address the issues of unstable Internet connections and high costs associated with dedicated lines in traditional networks.
To understand SD-WAN, one must first know what a Wide Area Network (WAN) is. Mr. Wang, the network technology director at Ersi, has a very apt analogy: for most people, including operators and various network experts, a wide area network is more like a complex urban traffic system. No one can know exactly the status of the traffic (whether there are congestion issues), nor can they make accurate predictions about where or when congestion or disruptions will occur. In other words, there is no way to ensure that trips will not be disrupted. Even network operators that are equivalent to traffic management authorities, as well as the equipment related to traffic signal and monitoring systems. SD-WAN is what overcomes such technical barriers and constraints, addressing these issues from a \"God’s-eye view\" perspective.
SD-WAN involves defining networks through programming; it’s akin to designating the roads in a city as high-way lanes, where at a given moment all signals in one direction are green while those in the perpendicular direction are red. In some specific directions, the traffic light signals can even be coordinated with each other, and a sufficient number of related conditions such as time, traffic volume, vehicle type, destination, as well as the vehicle’s current speed and location, can be taken into account. This creates a network system that is dynamic and flexible, capable of changing in real time. For enterprise customers, SD-WAN helps them rapidly set up networks in their various branches. By leveraging a highly redundant, high-bandwidth, and high-quality dedicated backbone network, it provides an excellent experience for the transmission of data within these customers’ private networks ； On the other hand, it enables high-availability and secure networking among various nodes at lower costs and with rapid deployment.
Like SD-WAN, which offers high speed and efficiency, it also presents significant technical barriers, and there is a wide variety of SD-WAN products and solutions available on the market. The most common SD-WAN service defines networks through software optimization, but it does not provide support for certain network applications specific to enterprises. If a company indeed has network requirements related to high speeds and encryption, it is advisable to seek out network companies with extensive industry experience – those that have worked with various companies and industries, and are thus able to effectively address and avoid the problems that often arise in certain sectors. Such companies can deliver better network performance; for example, Ersi Network specializes in SD-WAN managed services. EarthNet has been operating in this industry for a long time; its decades of experience in the enterprise telecommunications market have enabled it to build a professional team.
Currently, Ersi Network offers solutions for enterprise-level applications and use cases, which consist of SD-BRANCH for enterprise branch networking, SD-STORE for store branch networking, SD-CLOUD for direct enterprise cloud connectivity, and SD-SPEED for WAN acceleration. Depending on the company’s structure and industry, general industry solutions as well as enterprise-specific solutions are provided, ensuring greater efficiency and speed. To obtain more detailed information about these services, simply search for Ersi Network on Baidu. The 5G network, which is already in the process of being rolled out, brings new vitality to the internet industry. However, for businesses, it is even more necessary to establish enterprise networks that are fast, efficient, and feature robust encryption – which marks the true arrival of an era dominated by SD-WAN solutions.