If your organization has a poor-performing network, it can result in poor network connectivity and security.
This can result in decreased employee productivity and network vulnerabilities that can lead to cyberattacks that cost your organization hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair the network.
For this reason, it is important that your organization prioritizes reliable network connectivity and security to avoid these consequences in your network.
However, many solutions are available and it may be difficult to figure out which solution is right for your organization.
Coeo understands how important reliable network performance is to an organization and has delivered network solutions to thousands of organizations to improve network connectivity and security and help them avoid cyberattacks.
We want you to understand the differences between SDN and SD-LAN so you can determine which solution is best for your organization.
By the end of this article, you will know what SDN is, what SD-LAN is, the differences between the two, and which solution is the best fit for your organization.
What is SDN?
SDN is a network architecture that uses all layers of the network to improve network flexibility and scalability.
SDN improves network control by allowing a network engineer or administrator to control the traffic from a centralized controller without having to adjust switches within the network infrastructure.
The centralized SDN controller directs the switches to deliver network connectivity wherever in your network it is required.
What is SD-LAN?
Software-Defined Local Area Network brings Software-Defined Networking (SDN) principles to Local Area Network (LAN) architectures.
SD-LAN does not rely on ethernet connections and instead, is able to deliver programmability, automation, and flexibility benefits to your LAN.
This can take some of the pressure off of your IT staff by allowing your LAN to automate tasks instead of having your team manually control and manage your solution.
SD-LAN virtualizes your LAN so that policy control is transferred from the network switches providing better control and visibility into your network.
The differences between SDN and SD-LAN
SDN and SD-WAN have multiple similarities but also have differences that make them unique solutions from each other. The main differences between SDN and SD-LAN include:
Focus
One of the main differences between SDN and SD-LAN is the focus of the two solutions. SDN is more of a strategy whereas SD-LAN is more of a network solution.
In this case, SD-LAN focuses on connecting, optimizing, and managing a LAN within a building such as an office, or between multiple buildings in a single location such as a college campus.
On the other hand, an SDN solution, while typically focusing most on connecting a LAN, can also address the entire network infrastructure including WANs as well as data centers.
Network control
SD-LAN typically allows you to have more control over your network than SDN. With SDN, you typically have different protocols and staff and access layer issues that restrict your view and management of your network.
This can limit your ability to customize your network solution to meet your needs since you are unable to view your entire network and see analytics about your network.
On the other hand, SD-LAN brings SDN to the LAN to provide better visibility and control over your network.
In a way, SD-LAN is a combination of SDN and SD-WAN and provides centralized management, access management, and bandwidth sharing to provide better flexibility, scalability, adaptability, and more control over your network.
Implementation
Another difference between SDN and SD-LAN is the way they are implemented into the network.
SDN is typically implemented using SDN controllers and APIs to enable communication between the SDN controllers and the data plane while SD-LAN is implemented using centralized controllers that control and manage a LAN and the devices within it.
If you would like to speak with our team to learn more about SDN or SD-LAN or ask any questions you may have you can schedule an appointment.
Which solution is the right fit for your organization?
Now you know what SDN is, what SD-LAN is, and the differences between the two. However, it is also important that you understand which solution is the right fit for your organization.
If your organization has a LAN and is looking to connect your LAN within a single building or across multiple buildings in the same area, an SD-LAN solution may be the right fit for your organization.
For this reason, SD-LAN is a good fit for organizations operating in a single office building or separate buildings in the same location such as a college campus.
If your organization is looking for better network control to allow your organization to better manage and improve visibility into your network internally, SD-LAN may be a good fit for your organization.
However, if you are looking to connect more than just a LAN, SDN may be a good fit for your organization. SDN can help you connect your entire network including LANs, WANs, and data centers.
If you are looking to connect your entire network which involves multiple different network services and technologies, SDN may be the right fit for your organization.
Determining if SDN or SD-LAN is a good fit for your organization
Now you understand what SDN is, what SD-LAN is, the differences between the two, and which one is the right fit for your organization. This will help you determine which solution is the better fit for your organization so you can ensure you invest in the right solution.
No one wants to experience poor network performance issues that lead to poor network connectivity and security.
These issues can decrease your employee productivity and lead to network vulnerabilities that can cost your organization hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair your network following an attack.
To avoid these consequences, it is important that your organization prioritizes reliable network solutions that improve your network performance and security.
However, there are many solutions available on the market that your organization can choose from making it more difficult to find the right solution for your organization.
Coeo understands how important reliable network performance and security are to an organization and has delivered thousands of solutions to organizations to improve their network performance and security and help them avoid cyberattacks.
We want you to understand the differences between SDN and SD-LAN so you can determine which one is the right fit for your organization.
If you would like to speak with our team to learn more about SDN or SD-LAN or ask any questions you may have you can schedule an appointment.
Now that you understand what SDN and SD-LAN are, the differences between the two, and which solution is the better choice for your organization, check out this article to learn the differences between a WAN and a LAN:
