What is SD-WAN : Top Service Providers & Manufacturers
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SD-WAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Network) is a networking technology that intelligently manages and optimizes data traffic across multiple network connections. It improves application performance, network security, scalability, and operational efficiency for enterprises connecting branch offices, cloud platforms, and remote users.
SD-WAN separates the functionality of networking devices into a control plane and a data plane. As we know, the control plane is responsible for signaling traffic and routing decisions, whereas the data plane carries application and user data.
Unlike traditional WAN devices where each instance of the data plane contains its own control plane, in SD-WAN one logical instance of the control plane serves multiple instances of the data plane (typically switches, routers). This separation makes programming and controlling all the transport mediums easier.
- SD-WAN is a technology that distributes traffic between branch offices and data center sites via the most appropriate transport mediums using software-defined networking (SDN) concepts. Hence, SD-WAN is considered to be transport-agnostic.
- It uses a centralized control plane-based architecture. The control plane takes care of a larger and more diverse set of data plane components.
- It uses the standard Open Flow Protocol, which enables communication between the control plane and various data plane components. A company named Viptela developed the OMP protocol specifically for SD-WAN systems. Viptela has been acquired by Cisco. OMP stands for Overlay Management Protocol. Hence, protocols such as OSPF and BGP are not required in an SD-WAN system.
- It delivers a transport-independent, secure, and reliable network.
List of SD-WAN Vendors or Providers
The following table mentions a list of SD-WAN service providers and vendors.
| Vendor | SD-WAN Product |
|---|---|
| Cisco | Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN (formerly Viptela) |
| VMware | VeloCloud SD-WAN |
| Fortinet | Fortinet Secure SD-WAN |
| Versa Networks | Versa SD-WAN / Versa SASE |
| Palo Alto Networks | Prisma SD-WAN (CloudGenix) |
| HPE Aruba Networking | Aruba EdgeConnect (Silver Peak) |
| Juniper Networks | Session Smart Router (128 Technology) |
| Nokia | Nokia Nuage SD-WAN |
| Cato Networks | Cato SASE Cloud Platform |
| Aryaka | Aryaka Unified SASE |
| Cloudflare | Magic WAN |
| Huawei | Huawei SD-WAN |
| Extreme Networks | ExtremeCloud SD-WAN |
| Riverbed | Riverbed SD-WAN |
| Citrix | Citrix SD-WAN |
Summary
SD-WAN is a software-driven networking solution that optimizes WAN connectivity and application performance. Leading providers offer SD-WAN services for enterprise networking, cloud access, and secure branch connectivity.
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