GigaOm Key Criteria for Evaluating Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) Solutionsv5.0

1. Executive Summary

A software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) gives branch offices, distributed workforces, and remote workers access to corporate applications, resources, and services managed via a centralized dashboard. Decoupling the control and management plane from the physical network hardware, an SD-WAN leverages encrypted tunnels and intelligent systems to create a virtual network overlay with centralized management and end-to-end observability, enabling flexible, responsive, and scalable wide area connectivity that dynamically adapts to changing application demands and network conditions.

At its core, SD-WAN creates a virtualized network overlay that can use multiple connection types, including broadband internet, cellular, and multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) networks, allowing organizations to reduce their reliance on expensive MPLS circuits while maintaining or improving network performance. Furthermore, an SD-WAN’s centralized control plane enables administrators to implement network-wide policies and make changes rapidly, significantly simplifying WAN management.

Key capabilities of an SD-WAN include:

• Bandwidth aggregation: Multiple connection types can be combined to increase available bandwidth and improve reliability.
• Application-aware routing: An SD-WAN can prioritize critical applications and dynamically select the best path based on real-time network conditions.
• Cloud optimization: An SD-WAN provides direct, optimized access to cloud and SaaS applications, improving performance and the user experience.
• Enhanced security: Built-in encryption and next-generation firewall capabilities protect data across all connection types.
• Centralized management: A single interface simplifies operations by providing configuration, monitoring, and troubleshooting of the entire WAN.

The importance of SD-WAN has grown significantly as organizations increasingly adopt cloud services and support remote work. Traditional WAN architectures struggle to meet the demands of cloud-centric, distributed enterprises. SD-WAN addresses these challenges by providing a more flexible, cost-effective, and cloud-friendly approach to networking.

As the technology evolves, several trends are shaping the future of SD-WAN:

• Integration within secure access service edge (SASE): SD-WAN is becoming a key component of SASE frameworks, combining networking and security functions in a cloud-delivered model.
• AI and ML integration: Advanced analytics and machine learning are being incorporated to enhance automation, troubleshooting, and predictive capabilities.
• Multicloud optimization: SD-WAN solutions are improving their ability to manage and optimize connections across multiple cloud environments.
• Enhanced application performance: Technologies like real-time application steering and forward error correction (FEC) are being refined, thereby improving application performance.
• Network-as-a-service (NaaS) models: Consumption-based SD-WAN offerings are becoming more prevalent, allowing organizations to scale their networks more flexibly.

As SD-WAN continues to mature, it is becoming an essential technology for enterprises looking to modernize their networks, improve application performance, and support digital transformation initiatives. By providing a more agile, secure, and efficient approach to wide-area networking, SD-WAN is well-positioned to meet the evolving needs of today’s distributed, cloud-centric organizations.

Business Imperative
From a CxO perspective, deploying an SD-WAN solution offers compelling advantages that directly impact an organization’s bottom line and operational efficiency. By optimizing network performance and reducing reliance on expensive MPLS circuits, SD-WAN can significantly lower WAN costs while simultaneously improving application performance and the user experience, particularly for cloud-based services. Moreover, SD-WAN’s centralized management and built-in security features enhance network agility and resilience, enabling organizations to rapidly adapt to changing business needs and strengthen their overall security posture in an increasingly complex digital landscape.

Sector Adoption Score
To help executives and decision-makers assess the potential impact and value of deploying an SD-WAN solution, this GigaOm Key Criteria report provides a structured assessment of the sector across five factors: benefit, maturity, urgency, impact, and effort. By scoring each factor based on how strongly it compels or deters the adoption of an SD-WAN solution, we provide an overall Sector Adoption Score (Figure 1) of 4.6 out of 5, with 5 indicating the strongest possible recommendation to adopt. This indicates that an SD-WAN solution is a very credible candidate for deployment and worthy of thoughtful consideration.

The following sector brief section explains in more detail the factors contributing to the Sector Adoption Score for SD-WAN.

Figure 1. Sector Adoption Score for SD-WAN

This is the fifth year that GigaOm has reported on the SD-WAN space in the context of our Key Criteria and Radar reports. This report builds on our previous analysis and considers how the market has evolved over the last year.

This GigaOm Key Criteria report highlights the capabilities (table stakes, key features, and emerging features) and nonfunctional requirements (business criteria) for selecting an effective SD-WAN solution. The companion GigaOm Radar report identifies vendors and products that excel in those decision criteria. Together, these reports provide an overview of the market, identify leading SD-WAN offerings, and help decision-makers evaluate these solutions so they can make a more informed investment decision.