These three factors are defined as VPN+SD-WAN, or SD-WAN is just an attempt to “re-brand” VPN. It is marked as the advanced enterprise-grade VPN to differentiate it from legacy VPNs. In fact, here we are going to discuss the facts about SD-WAN vs VPN. But, first let’s travel into the past.
If we travel a few years back, then VPN was a significant part of networking security. Its property of traffic encryption makes it a level above than others. It, actually, extends the corporate network via encrypted connections across the internet. Since it’s only between the device and the network, the traffic remains secured, while it’s traveling. Even, the employee, working from outside the office premises, can also connect to this network securely. But, it gets failed when we reach out at its network performance. No doubt, VPNs are best at traffic prioritization and encryption; and that’s why these are unparalleled for small businesses that use a single IP backbone. But, if the enterprise has multiple locations, then the latency issues on voice and video transmission might occur.
Therefore, it is very important to manipulate your business requirements, study them, evaluate them comprehensively, and then after switch to one alternative- either it’s VPN or SD-WAN.
VPN or Virtual Private Network is a secured network that transmits data in an encrypted form between two end junctures. More often, it is used to connect individual devices to a site or a site to another site. Among which, VPN tunnel or IP tunnel plays a vital role. The tunnel is used to send the data on the private network. This ensures that the data should not be intercepted by any unauthorized source.
At times, you will find out that VPNs have the capability to provide security in two forms:
However, when the VPN device and firewall get integrated, then you will get a VPN device with these two features embedded in it.
So, if you are going to staff VPN into your network, then you will get data, encoded with security algorithms only. (Remember, VPN has more failover time as compared to SD-WAN!!!)
Hence, it is a wiser step to invest your time in asking these three queries, before choosing the one (SD-WAN or VPN):
SD-WAN comes into the picture when the enterprises operate at multiple locations and have to rely on the cloud to access data. Moreover, application awareness, remote access, and granular security are also the significant reasons that make companies turn their heads towards SD-WAN. On a different note, SD-WAN doesn’t have end-to-end QoS (Quality of Service), like a Layer 3 MPLS VPN did possess. But, SD-WAN’s local QoS has far more improved properties than basic internet VPN services. It’s because of its granular level of support and the technologies, as caching or application acceleration. People switch to work from home or cafes or hotels, etc. due to the promising features set of SD-WAN.
Where there is cloud technology, security is the priority. And, with SD-WAN, IT people can have the accessibility to check and secure the traffic, on the basis of the user profile and traffic type. In short, you will acquire the robust security that helps you transmit the data easily across the network without any hurdle.
Likewise, there are more such differences or, you can say, the advanced attributes of SD-WAN that surpass VPN’s conventional properties, as:
The network is the pillar of an enterprise over which data is transmitted. So, it should be safe and offers optimum performance, no matter it is within the premises or on the cloud. And, if we look into- SD-WAN vs VPN- then Software-Defined WAN is that substratum that helps pillar (network) to be safe and secure under each condition in minimal cost. If you are still not convinced, here is the definitive guide of SD-WAN for you.
What is SD-WAN? SD-WAN or Software Defined Wide Area Network is a highly secure, cloud-delivered technology that uses SDN (Software Defined Networking) approach over a wide area network. It ...
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