In general, it is safe to say that the SD-WAN (software-defined wide area networking) market is expected to thrive. While there may have been some dips in demand during the COVID-19 pandemic, recently published reports support the idea that it will continue to grow.
Data published by the Dell’Oro Group states that the worldwide SD-WAN market grew 50% in the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to the prior year. Also, they point out that the market still grew 32% in 2020, which was “very impressive given the challenging macroeconomic environment that we faced throughout the year.”
But what does all of this mean as to what we can expect in the future? Let’s take a look at some of the things that are next for SD-WAN.
Offering SD-WAN as a Service
The technology offers several cutting-edge capabilities, making it a great fit for organizations looking to leverage SD-WAN as a service solution. Organizations are more open to implementing managed SD-WAN solutions that offer superior, cloud-based connectivity and performance. The Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology, for example, recently announced that it is upgrading its state-run education network to SD-WAN. Also, AT&T recently announced its plans to expand SD-WAN to better support remote workers.
Companies Are Replacing MPLS Connections With SD-WAN
One of the trends in the business world is that IT managers are looking at SD-WAN technology as a way to boost capacity, access, and performance. According to the TeleGeography WAN Manager Survey, MPLS sites have dropped from 82% in 2018 to only 58% in 2020. Surveyed IT managers ranked the factors that drove them to pursue SD-WAN deployments, and their leading choices were cutting costs, reducing provisioning time, and improving security.
VMware Is a Top Contender in the SD-WAN Market
VMware SD-WAN is recognized for its superior network reliability. It was named a leader in Gartner 2020 Magic Quadrant for WAN Edge Infrastructure. Also, findings from the Global SD-WAN Managed Services Market Size, Status and Forecast 2020-2026 report point to VMware SD-WAN technology as one of the top three giants in the SD-WAN market.