Many legacy WANs consist of disparate and isolated links which make consistent security policy enforcement nearly impossible. Vulnerabilities frequently occur due to security tools and products that are not used across all WAN links. A holistic configuration requires network security teams to individually deploy and manage security for each specific link—a process that’s not only resource-intensive but increases the probability of human error. As a result, businesses are shifting to more comprehensive security foundations for their WAN—SD-WAN, within an overall software-defined network (SDN) environment.
A next-generation WAN
What has become a highly effective approach for securing the WAN is to overlay software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) functionality to act as a platform to provide consistent management and comprehensive visibility. This method allows for consistent policy implementation and holistic use of security solutions across the WAN. A single network “image” reduces complexity and simplifies deploying better security. It also reduces potential errors or omissions that can occur when the network is comprised of links that must be secured individually. With a SD-WAN, network operations and security teams can ensure that there is documented and consistent use of security solutions and policies across the WAN.
Securing your WAN
Secure WAN solutions require more than just the basics. There are several specific features and capabilities to look for when using SD-WAN and software-defined networking (SDN) to WAN security.
SD-WAN and SDN provide a software-defined platform for managing, securing and operating the WAN that can dramatically enhance security.
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