As the name states, software-defined wide-area networks use software to control the connectivity, management and services between data centers and remote branches or cloud instances. Like its bigger technology brother, software-defined networking, SD-WAN decouples the control plane from the data plane.

An SD-WAN deployment can include, existing routers and switches or virtualized customer premises equipment (vCPE) all running some version of software that handles policy, security, networking functions and other management tools, depending on vendor and customer configuration.   

One of SD-WAN’s chief features is the ability to manage multiple connections from MPLS to broadband to LTE. Another important piece is the ability to segment, partition and secure the traffic traversing the WAN.

SD-WAN’s driving principle is to simplify the way big companies turn up new links to branch offices, better manage the way those links are utilized – for data, voice or video – and potentially save money in the process.

Source from networkworld