By: John Shepler

Software Defined Networks (SDN) and Software Defined Wide Area Networks (SD-WAN) are seeing increased implementation due to their ability to offer cost-effective, high-quality bandwidth for businesses. SD-WAN is sometimes the sole option for acceptable bandwidth in remote or rural locations. These software-defined networks act as a blend of various connection technologies, intelligently maximizing the use of each available connection, including satellite.

The Need For SD Networks

Traditionally, connecting to the internet or a cloud service provider involved ordering a “last mile” connection from a business location or a dedicated point-to-point line between two points, like an office and a cloud provider.

While effective, this approach often leads to overpaying for unused premium bandwidth or settling for budget-friendly options that compromise performance. Different tasks have varying connection needs. For instance, call center telephone lines prioritize minimal latency, jitter, and packet loss over high bandwidth, while cloud file backups require substantial bandwidth for reasonable completion times.

SDN/SD-WAN addresses this through an intelligent processor acting as a traffic manager for every network packet. Voice packets are directed to dedicated, high-performance, limited bandwidth circuits, while file backups utilize cable broadband or lower-priority connections. Critical business applications are allocated high-performance connections for optimal reliability and response times.

Cost Optimization through SD Networks

The SDN controller’s processing power analyzes traffic requirements based on predefined parameters and constantly monitors the status of each provided connection. This can include a mix of T1, DS3, cable broadband, 4G/5G wireless, Point-to-Point Microwave, Ethernet over Copper/Fiber, SONET, MPLS networks, DSL, and two-way Satellite.

The controller’s real-time understanding of each connection’s performance is crucial. Cost-effective connections aren’t always slow. DSL or cable links can be surprisingly fast, with lower costs stemming from shared bandwidth rather than dedicated access.

Satellite connections can offer high speeds and minimal packet loss. However, geosynchronous satellites inherently have high latency, which is noticeable in voice and video calls but less impactful for file transfers or video downloads.

Wireless connections often have usage limits due to limited bandwidth, requiring SDN to allocate connections carefully and avoid slowdowns or extra charges.

The key takeaway is that costly bandwidth solutions aren’t always necessary. SDN/SD-WAN maximizes the utilization of high-cost connections while offloading less demanding traffic to economical links, ensuring cost-effectiveness and automatic failover in case of link failures.

Prioritizing Availability

In areas with limited connectivity options, SD networks are invaluable. High-bandwidth satellites offer fast speeds and reliable connections. A dedicated T1 line-based SIP trunk addresses latency concerns for VoIP calls. Combining these with cellular broadband can provide sufficient bandwidth and performance without requiring expensive and sometimes unavailable fiber optic cable installations.

If you’re facing high connectivity costs or limited availability, consider exploring SDN/SD-WAN solutions for affordable, high-performance network options.