Is SD-WAN right for your Portland business?
SD-WAN makes sense when you’re managing multiple offices, need stronger security across locations, or want to free up IT staff from routine network maintenance. Company size matters less than how distributed your operations are, so weighing your specific setup matters before switching.
Not sure if SD-WAN fits how your business actually runs?
Making the switch to a software defined wide area network can be a huge leap forward for the right business, but there are some obstacles to overcome. This article will detail if Portland SD-WAN is right for your organization.
How Your Business Benefits from SD-WAN in Portland, Oregon
Network security is essential to any company that uses computers. Without it, you’re at risk of data breaches and other attacks.
For organizations with multiple offices, however, it can be a challenge to properly secure your networks. You need to balance safe operations with connectivity between your employees, making sure that people can still effectively do their work. You also need to do this without blowing through your budget.
Fortunately, there’s a solution that manages all of these things at once.
What is SD-WAN?
A software defined WAN (wide area network) differs from traditional networking methods in several ways.
Instead of physically connecting computers at a single location, this type of network contains devices, servers, and cloud-based software at multiple locations. A form of intelligent connectivity, software defined wide area networks use a variety of methods to communicate securely across long distances.
They’re also safer than traditional methods of computer to computer communication. Experts agree that they’re an effective way to improve security and optimize performance while reducing your costs.
The benefits of intelligent connectivity
By switching to a managed solution, companies free up their IT staff by reducing the strain of maintaining unique instances of software on dozens of computers. Looking at networking over a wide area also makes it easier to keep programs and operating systems up to date when you have multiple offices in different locations.
Among other things, switching your organization to SD-WAN can:
- improve the user experience
- simplify network operations
- make your workflows more secure
- improve the user experience
- simplify network operations
- make your workflows more secure
- save you money and staff time
How can I tell if my business needs it?
According to Gartner, 70% of enterprises will have implemented SD-WAN by 2026, up from about 45% in 2021.
Although most organizations will benefit from the boost to productivity and the reduction in IT overhead and costs, managed networking isn’t necessarily for everyone.
To determine the best solution for your company, consider the following:
Cloud operations – If you use lots of cloud-based software or need to transmit sensitive information from place to place, you can significantly reduce your security risk.
Budget – In most cases, switching from a do it yourself network can save your company money. This is especially true for organizations that are just starting to explore the need for a wide area network.
Reliability – IT support that scales with your organization’s growth is difficult to obtain. By moving routine software and processes to the cloud, you can improve the reliability of your networked operations and free up your IT staff to focus on the work that really matters.
Company size – Even organizations with a single office can benefit from this approach, but larger companies and those which are more dispersed geographically tend to reap the biggest rewards.
Software Defined WAN providers in Portland, Oregon
The resources and expertise required to offer SD-WAN are immense.
As a result, most vendors are national companies. While every provider has their own strengths and weaknesses, it’s important to select one that understands your local situation and cares about your corporate goals and strategies. If the vendor you select is located on the opposite side of the country, that can be challenging.
Meriplex has been satisfying customers with its unique blend of national quality and local attention for years. As a distributed organization ourselves, we understand the importance of this service and can speak directly to its benefits. We have offices in cities around the country, including just outside Portland in Lake Oswego.
Let us put our knowledge of the Rose City’s industries and our 70+ years of combined technical expertise to work for you!
