Software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) is increasingly part of the discussion as enterprises seek to solve the challenges of a more complex network. Increased data flow, security threats and geographical disparity of branch locations make traditional networking inadequate for today’s business environment. You may be considering SD-WAN, and wondering what the differences are between managed SD-WAN service and SD-WAN as a service.
SD-WAN offers enterprises the ability to segment network traffic so that certain data transmissions can be prioritized over others, by application, user, or other designation. With a centralized, high level of visibility and control, network engineers enjoy zero-touch provisioning and the ability to identify and isolate any security threats.
While these benefits will vary in their execution based on provider and type of SD-WAN service, the technology is solving many of the common challenges facing enterprises. In your evaluation of an SD-WAN solution, you’ll likely consider both managed SD-WAN and SD-WAN as a service. Here are the different advantages each of them offers:
Managed SD-WAN Services
Managed SD-WAN is fully maintained and managed by a service provider that supplies your hardware, software, transport, and networking services for supporting SD-WAN. You’ll have a service level agreement (SLA) that defines the uptime expectations as well as performance for the network. The managed service provider handles all security, monitoring, and management of your SD-WAN solution. Your pricing will depend on the number of locations, as well as link speed and the level of service in your SLA, and the contract will typically be for at least one year.
Many enterprises favor the managed services approach because it completely removes the headaches of managing and monitoring the network.
SD-WAN as a Service
In software as a service (SaaS) for SD-WAN, a third-party provider hosts SD-WAN applications and makes them available to your enterprise over a network. This service is available through a monthly subscription. In this delivery method, the customer is responsible for the management and monitoring of SD-WAN through a cloud portal. It also requires you to handle your own contracts with service providers for WAN connections, such as multi-protocol label switching (MPLS), broadband, and 4G long-term evolution (LTE).
There are some benefits to SD-WAN as a service, including the ability to access the latest functions and upgrade easily when more features are needed. In addition, your enterprise will only pay for the features you use and need, and you’ll be able to add or remove functions as necessary.
At Wanify, we help you identify the right SD-WAN solution for your enterprise, providing unmatched customer support throughout the implementation process. Contact us for more information about SD-WAN.