A Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) is a virtual WAN architecture that allows enterprises to leverage any combination of transport services – including MPLS, LTE, and multiple broadband internet services – to securely connect users to applications.

Traditional WANs based on conventional routers are not cloud-friendly.

They typically require back-hauling all traffic – including that destined to the cloud – from branch offices to a hub or headquarters data center where advanced security inspection services can be applied.

The delay caused by back-haul impairs application performance resulting in a poor user experience and lost productivity.

Unlike the traditional router-centric WAN architecture, the SD-WAN model is designed to fully support applications hosted in any data centers, public or private clouds, and SaaS solutions such as Salesfore.com, Workday, Office365, and Dropbox, while delivering the highest levels of application performance.