Software Defined VPN’s: Evolution of Virtual Private Networks with SD-WAN

Traditional VPNs are no more an option for Enterprises. The surge of Cloud, Internet and emerging technologies have drastically increased network endpoints. Managing these Endpoints at the same time securing a massive efflux of Data requires next-gen Virtual Private Network backed by SD-WAN.

The falling Gravitas of MPLS VPNs

VPNs have been crucial in securing data over the network. Enterprises for long, have relied on traditional VPNs. Traditionally, VPNs used a mix of IP and MPLS. These were delivered using Ethernet or other high-speed connections.

The public Internet circuits were always inexpensive. But yet there were well-known security issues. Regardless, few enterprises adopted both MPLS and Internet. Manual configurations added extra rigmarole. On the other hand, the cost of using MPLS with connection of any sort was humongous. Bandwidth scarcity, weak security, lack of visibility, rigid set ups made the entire WAN set cumbersome. All these made WAN expensive, complex and less agile.

Today as businesses are transforming to cloud, getting digitized. Using Internet has become a necessity. As more internet driven, cloud-based services emerge; older (MPLS) VPNs are becoming less relevant. Data Privacy has impacted not only businesses but everyday consumers in a big way.

The Rise of Software Defined VPNs

Not only VPNs but overall Enterprise Network is evolving. SDN and NFV have made WAN intelligent and automatic. The rise of software defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) has proven to be a stepping stone to resolve enterprise network issues of all sorts. With SD-WAN, VPN services can be used as an overlay. It allows using a combination of both MPLS VPNs and the Internet. While NFV makes VPNs fast, agile and flexible by leveraging software rather network hardware.

SD-WAN is a valuable way of producing uniform VPN services as infrastructures. MPLS VPNs were never built to cater to today’s challenging traffic flow. Optimize bandwidth to sync well with Public cloud and the Internet. MPLS architecture was not built for cloud, which makes it a roadblock to digitization.

VPN with SD-WAN Today

The new SD-WAN version has completely transformed older VPN’s. Groundbreaking SDN algorithms allow seamless control of operations with unprecedented speed. Not only that Not only that creating Network Groups is easier now. Earlier it was complex and cumbersome to create and maintain a VPN using command based scripts. Something that took hours can now be done in seconds with intent-driven user interface, and fast REST API based transactions. All these were was not possible earlier.

Except the encryption standards (IPSec/SSL) nothing matches with its previous generation. SD-WAN VPN infrastructures are dynamic, software-defined and orchestrated today. It is no more hardware-intensive, complex and expensive. Let’s take a look at how VPNs today looks with SD-WAN.

Topology: SD-WAN allows specifying the topology (next-hop type) and network encapsulation mode and its associated parameters. This helps realize a virtual private network (VPN) in different topologies such as hub-and-spoke and peer-to-peer configurations, including full mesh with multiple encapsulation options.

Virtualisation: Using Standard GRE encapsulation, SD-WAN allows interoperability with other devices supporting the same protocol. IPSec and SSL encrypted tunnel is being combined with generic routing encapsulation (GRE). It allows creating- a direct point-to-point connection between network nodes- virtualized overlay networks. The network can run over any wired and wireless WAN access network, including 4G LTE.

Cloud like orchestration: SD-WAN make it possible to build VPN overlay networks. This eliminates the configuration complexity of traditional VPNs. Lavelle Networks feature ScaleAOn solves private networking on the WAN with zero need of legacy network protocols, and ensures no matter how large or complex your WAN, it is Always On.

Traffic Steering: In SD-WAN traffic on a Network is steered by policies. These policies are implemented between physical underlay and virtual overlay of networks. To address bandwidth demands both MPLS alongside Internet broadband links are used in a hybrid WAN ecosystem. This not only improves performance but availability as well as.

End-to-End Security: With SD-WAN, multi-layered security approach can be extended to data centers out to the edge of your network. VPN connections end-to-end across the enterprise can be managed over Cloud. Eliminating traditional LAN/WAN hustle bustle. This not only gives better network control but also fosters visibility and security.

Crossing the Network chasm with SD-WAN