SD-WAN — Software-Defined Wide Area Network
Definition
A networking architecture that abstracts WAN connectivity from physical circuits, using intelligent software to route traffic across multiple transport types (broadband, MPLS, LTE, satellite).
Context & Usage
SD-WAN replaces traditional MPLS-only WAN architectures with hybrid multi-circuit designs. Traffic is steered by application policy — voice/video over the lowest-latency circuit, bulk data over the cheapest, etc. Major SD-WAN vendors: Cisco Meraki, VMware VeloCloud (now Broadcom), Aruba EdgeConnect, Fortinet Secure SD-WAN, Palo Alto Prisma SD-WAN. Typical deployment cost is 30-50% lower than equivalent pure-MPLS architecture.
Examples
- Cisco Meraki MX series
- Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN appliances
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