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What are Major Weaknesses of SD-WAN?

February 26, 2024 ,

What are Major Weaknesses of SD-WAN?

SD-WAN, or Software-Defined Wide Area Network, is a network architecture that enables enterprises to manage and control network traffic from a single place. 

It offers an adaptable and scalable solution for connecting remote offices, branch offices, and data centers. However, there are certain significant vulnerabilities in SD-WAN that must be addressed. In this blog post, we'll look at the top six weaknesses of SD-WAN.

What are Major Weaknesses of SD-WAN?
Fig 1.1- SD-WAN Infrastructure

1. Complexity in Configuration

SD-WAN configuration can be complex and time-consuming for IT managers who are unfamiliar with the technology. This might cause network issues and downtime when changes must be performed fast or new devices are introduced to the network.

2. Limited Support for Legacy Applications

Some SD-WANs may not support legacy applications such as VPNs or firewalls that were once utilized by enterprises but have since been supplanted by newer technologies such as Wi-Fi 6E and 5G networks. This can reduce the usefulness of SD-WANs in businesses where legacy apps are still commonly utilized.

3. Public Internet provisioning

Most SD-WAN offerings are provisioned through the open internet, with no end-to-end quality of service (QoS) for traffic flow. This can be difficult, particularly for global providers with multiple ISPs.

4. Limited Bandwidth control

Another disadvantage of SD-WAN is its limited bandwidth control capabilities. While it can minimize bandwidth utilization for specific apps or services, it cannot ensure that all users have constant access to high-speed internet connections.

5. Lack of Integration with Other Technologies

Several SD-WANs might not work well with different technologies such as cloud computing platforms or IoT devices, making it difficult for businesses to effectively leverage these technologies without compromising performance or security standards set by traditional networking solutions.

6. Layer 2 Support not available

SD-WAN does not allow Layer 2 support despite its ability to manage Layer 3 routing. This restriction limits the usage of Layer 2 VLANs (Virtual LANs) and quality of service (QoS) capabilities.

Conclusion

While SD-WANs offer many benefits over traditional networking solutions , they also have several weaknesses that need to be addressed before they become fully adopted by businesses worldwide as a primary solution for network connectivity management across multiple locations and departments within an organization’s IT infrastructures.