Have you ever heard of SD WAN vs SD Branch? You probably have, but do you know what the difference between them is? In this blog post, we will be going over the differences between SD WAN and SD Branch, so that you can understand which one may be a better fit for your company.
SD WAN vs SD Branch
SD-Branch is a type of network that connects smaller locations through a wide area network. It is a network that consists of multiple sites (branches) connected over the WAN. The SD-WAN and SD-Branch both use the same technology (Internet), but they differ in the way they connect and speed.
SD Branch uses the Internet to connect branches. While SD-WAN uses private lines to connect locations. So, SD-Branch is cost-effective and has lower maintenance costs.
On the other hand, SD-WAN is used when connecting branch offices to headquarters. SD-WAN is also faster than SD-Branch. Both have the same features. But have different implementations.
Thus, SD-WAN vs SD-Branch is both used to connect locations over a long distance. However, they differ in how they are connected and the way the connection works.
The Differences Between SD-WAN vs SD-Branch
SD-WAN is a wide area network that connects multiple sites or locations over long distances by using the Internet. On the other hand, SD-Branch is a network that connects smaller locations. That is through a wide area network.
Also, SD-WAN is a private line connection used for connecting branch offices to headquarters. On the other hand, SD-Branch is a cost-effective network that uses the Internet. SD-WAN uses private line connections to connect locations over long distances and it is faster than SD-Branch.
On the other hand, SD-Branch uses the Internet to connect branches and it is cost-effective. Also, it has lower maintenance costs than SD-WAN. Both have the same features but have different implementations.
Cost
The main difference between an SD-WAN and an SD-Branch is in their implementation. An SD-WAN uses private lines to connect locations over long distances. Whereas an SD-Branch uses the internet to connect small locations over shorter distances to reduce costs.
An SD-WAN is used when connecting branch offices to headquarters, and it is faster than an SD-Branch. Moreover, the cost of implementing an SD-WAN is higher than an SD-Branch. Because of the cost of installing and maintaining private lines.
Also, an internet connection can be shared among branches. But private lines cannot be shared among branches and require more maintenance. Lastly, an internet connection can be secured using encryption software.
While private lines cannot be encrypted and require expensive hardware equipment to secure them. Thus, making them very costly in the long run in case of security breaches or hacking attempts on your business’s data by cyber-criminals. So, what is the biggest advantage of using an internet connection for your office’s local area networks (LAN) instead of using private lines?
It is the flexibility it provides you with in terms of scalability and mobility. You can easily scale up your network capacity (by adding more LANs) and create mobile workforces by combining different LANs. This is without any extra cost or hassle since you will not have to worry about maintaining any expensive hardware equipment.