About five years ago, the term software-defined WAN or SD-WAN became popularized by leading publications and, since then, the technology has been unraveling 30 years of networking convention.

As applications move to the cloud, it no longer makes sense to backhaul all traffic over MPLS to centralized data centers. SD-WAN arrived to simplify branch IT, reduce MPLS costs, and deliver a great user experience.

Put together, these advantages are driving organizations to rethink their network architectures and establish local internet breakouts to send internet-bound traffic directly to the cloud. SD-WAN simplifies traffic routing in the branch and delivers improved connectivity to the internet, cloud applications, and the data center. But those connections still need to be secured.

Some SD-WAN solutions provide basic security, but it’s fair to say that they do not deliver the same comprehensive level of security at each branch that is found at corporate headquarters gateway.