{"id":4178,"date":"2025-05-23T19:41:37","date_gmt":"2025-05-23T12:41:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/audithink.com\/?p=4178"},"modified":"2025-09-25T20:17:02","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T13:17:02","slug":"sd-wan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/audithink.com\/en\/blog\/sd-wan-adalah\/","title":{"rendered":"SD-WAN: What, benefits, how it works and how it differs from MPLS?"},"content":{"rendered":"

In today's digital era, networks are the main backbone of smooth business operations. Many companies now rely not only on one head office, but have branches in various locations with the need for fast, secure, and efficient data access. This is where the role of SD-WAN technology (Software-Defined Wide Area Network<\/em>) is becoming increasingly important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This technology allows you to manage a wide area network (WAN) using software flexibly and efficiently. This article will discuss what SD-WAN is, its benefits, how it works, how it differs from MPLS, as well as why today's businesses are starting to adopt this technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Basic understanding and functions of SD-WAN<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

SD-WAN stands for Software-Defined Wide Area Network<\/em>this is a list of the most common types of web hosting (WAN<\/strong><\/a>) centrally and dynamically using the software. SD-WAN connects a variety of business locations\u2014from headquarters, branches, to data centers or the cloud\u2014in a more efficient and secure way compared to traditional methods such as MPLS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Software-Defined Wide Area Networks work by separating network control from hardware, allowing network admins to intelligently route data traffic, based on specific policies such as quality of Service (QoS), latency, security, and application needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benefits of SD-WAN for business<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Adopting a Software-Defined Wide Area Network brings many advantages to businesses, especially those that have many branches or rely on cloud applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Cost Efficiency<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Salah satu benefit terbesar SD-WAN adalah cost saving. You can use a regular internet connection (broadband, LTE, 5G) to replace some or all of the MPLS needs that tend to be expensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Centralized Management<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

With SD-WAN, you can manage your entire network from one central dashboard. This makes it easy to set policies, update configurations, and monitor network performance in real-time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Increased Security<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

SD-WAN generally comes with built-in security features such as end-to-end encryption, firewalls, VPNs, and network segmentation. Some providers even offer integration with external security systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Better Application Performance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This technology is able to manage application traffic lanes based on lane priority and performance. For example, important applications such as VoIP or video conferencing can be prioritized so as not to lag, while other applications can use secondary lines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. High Scalability<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You can add new branches or locations quickly without complex configuration. This is very beneficial for a company that is constantly growing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How SD-WAN works<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In General, Software-Defined Wide Area Networks work on the principle of separating the data plane (data transmission) and control plane (policy setting) from the physical infrastructure. Here's the workflow in outline:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Network Virtualization<\/strong>
    <\/strong> SD-WAN uses software to create a virtual layer that governs data traffic from various lines such as MPLS, broadband, LTE, or 5G.
    <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Dynamic Path Selection<\/strong>
    <\/strong> The system will automatically select the best path to transmit data based on parameters such as latency, jitter, packet loss, and bandwidth.
    <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Pengaturan Kebijakan (Policy-based Routing)<\/strong>
    <\/strong> You can set specific policies, such as \u201cif latency exceeds 100ms, move line to LTE connection\u201d or \u201cX applications must always pass MPLS line\u201d.
    <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Encryption and security
    <\/strong> All traffic passing through SD-WAN will generally be encrypted with security protocols such as IPSec to maintain privacy and data integrity.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Examples of SD-WAN implementations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Case study: Retail company with many branches<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Imagine you manage a retail company with 50 branches throughout Indonesia. Previously, all branches were connected to the expensive and difficult to manage MPLS network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Dengan Software-Defined Wide Area Network:<\/p>\n\n\n\n