SD-WAN – This is a software defined network with the ability to virtualize network services using both the public Internet and private connectivity. Security, dynamic traffic control, and failover are a few of the embedded features. We offer a best fit several vendor approaches or a do-it-yourself option.
MPLS ( Multiprotocol Label Switching) – It is a routing technique using a managed private network that directs data from one node to the next based on short path labels rather than long network addresses. With scalability, performance, better bandwidth utilization, reduced network congestion MPLS can provide a better end-user experience.
IPSEC VPN – While IPSEC does provide encryption and authentication, there is a trade off in performance. It’s a secure network protocol suite that authenticates and encrypts the packets of data to provide secure encrypted communication. The disadvantages are wide area access range, compatibility issues, and computing power required.
MPLS versus SD-WAN
SD-WAN represents evolution of MPLS technology which has successfully powered private connectivity for more than two decades. In many ways, SD-WAN can be seen as a software abstraction of MPLS technology that is applicable to wider scenarios i.e. it brings secure, private connectivity agnostic to all kinds of links and providers and is cloud aware. Whereas MPLS handled failure scenarios with backup links, SD-WAN handles them with real-time traffic steering based on centralized policy. Also, given that SD-WAN unifies the entire WAN backbone, it delivers comprehensive analytics across the full enterprise back bone, globally. This wasn’t possible before due to disparate pieces of infrastructure and policy.