SD-WAN: Don’t Let Your Network Hold Up Digital Transformation
Enterprises prioritizing digital transformation often focus on the applications that deliver an enhanced customer experience or that offer collaborative tools with time-saving capabilities. These exciting tools promise advances that line-of-business managers want, but in the race to achieve digital transformation goals, the organization may overlook investing in the network. Enterprises pursuing digital transformation should consider what software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) can do for them.
In many cases, it’s network technology that’s holding an enterprise back in their digital transformation plans. Take a look at how SD-WAN empowers the process:
Improved visibility and control: SD-WAN uses a virtual overlay over the physical network, providing better visibility than with traditional network infrastructure. If there’s a problem with congestion or jitter, network administrators are able to identify and troubleshoot it.
Better control comes from the capability SD-WAN offers for routing data transmissions according to a variety of distinguishing features, such as user or application type. The network can be set up to automatically route network traffic based on pre-set priorities, and if a specified pathway is experiencing problems, the network will automatically route it to the next-best option.
Uniting technology islands: When a company invests in cloud applications but doesn’t have the network to handle the performance requirements of those applications, the result can be highly technologically advanced islands that swim out in the IT infrastructure without integrated connectivity. SD-WAN improves communication between applications so that true digital transformation is possible and applications perform in the way they’re intended.
It’s not always about costs: Cost is often the catalyst for the first SD-WAN conversation, but while SD-WAN does allow enterprises to optimize broadband use, cost savings are dwarfed by innovation and other opportunities. The prioritization of digital transformation demands the advance of the network and the flexibility and control SD-WAN offers.
Choosing the right SD-WAN solution starts with choosing the best partner. While it may be tempting to lean towards the SD-WAN option that offers the flashiest features, it is better to work with an agent that aligns well with your business philosophy and growth trajectory. A slightly less-flashy SD-WAN with the ideal cloud agent is often your best investment for digital transformation success.
To learn more about how the right network solution fuels your digital transformation, contact us at One Connect. Your immediate benefits with SD-WAN include better control and visibility, but long-term, you will find that SD-WAN powers growth for your organization.