SMOAD SD-WAN and the Internet of Things (IoT): Enhancing Connectivity and Control
There’s no denying that SD-WAN has indeed enhanced the quality of connectivity and the business application experience. The continued evolution of SD-WAN has also enabled enterprises to take advantage of new customised IoT devices. The health industry greatly benefits from remote monitoring systems that report a patient’s vital signs to medical care providers within seconds. Retail stores can now automatically alert their warehouses with the list of products that need replenishment. The magnitude of IoT has constantly been on the rise since its creation, and it is estimated that the size of IoT gadgets may reach 500 billion by the end of 2030. Thanks to SD-WAN-enabled IoT! Flexibility, centralised management, and high security offered by SD-WAN solutions have enabled IoT devices to perform better and be more productive.
Networking Challenges Faced by IoT
Low-latency connectivity, high cost, and poor management of IoT applications spread across multiple locations are the major challenges faced by IoT applications. Let’s take the surveillance camera, for example – the considerable quantity of data that public surveillance cameras transfer can overwhelm the traditional WAN network connections.
You need a solution that prioritises traffic and chooses the right WAN path according to the quantity of traffic transferred. Software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) does the same and streamlines connectivity effortlessly and cost-effectively.
Security is another great challenge faced by IoT applications. Developers usually leave backdoor access open for further development purposes. This makes IoT devices vulnerable to hacks and cyber-attacks. SD-WAN offers advanced security functionalities, and since it can be easily integrated with new devices, security-related challenges can be overcome with ease.
Why is SD-WAN considered the Key Enabler of IoT
By now, you might be aware that SD-WAN offers flexibility which is much needed for the smooth running of numerous IoT devices connected over a wide range of networks. Besides that, it also makes the management of distant IoT applications easy. This is possible because SD-WAN can adapt to devise necessity and application requirements.
Here’s how SD-WAN plays an essential role in simplifying IoT management:
1) Reduces Complexity
IoT devices rely on a range of connections, including wireless, mobile, wired, static, and even cellular. Each connection has its speed, protocol, and agility. While some IoT devices may run on a specific type of connection, most others rely on a combination of one or more connectivity options. This can complicate the connectivity process and pose challenges when it comes to troubleshooting or ensuring a consistent performance from the IoT device.
SD-WAN does away with this complexity by enabling the combination of a range of connections into one hybrid network. SD-WAN allows management of the network from one interface and also makes routing decisions while trying to prioritise traffic.
2) Enhances Security
As mentioned earlier, IoT devices are subject to hacks and attacks. The developer may leave endpoints open for further developmental processes, and these endpoints ultimately serve as vulnerable loopholes for hackers. Improper penetration testing of IoT applications can be another reason IoT devices suffer security issues.
SD-WAN offers high-quality security features through fine-grain segmentation of WAN. Through fine-grain segmentation of WAN, IoT devices are isolated or detached from the rest of the network, thus preventing hackers from accessing extremely secure and sensitive information. Moreover, SD-WAN also enables the virtualisation of security services so that they are deployed across a range of networks in a software format.
3) Enhances Network Visibility
Real-time visibility is another challenge faced by IoT devices dependent on a spectrum of connections. Poor visibility results in the inability to identify the performance attributes of the IoT devices. This could prevent an information officer from gaining access to important metrics and ultimately result in poor device performance.
Most service providers offer SD-WAN solutions embedded with real-time visibility functionality that allows capturing the application and network performance in real-time. Even data such as the total bandwidth consumed by the IoT device can be captured using this functionality. This data can further be used to troubleshoot existing application issues or eventually enhance the device’s performance.
Adopting SD-WAN for your business can provide uninterrupted connectivity keeping your IoT devices on the toe round the clock. For more information on SD-WAN for your IoT devices, contact SMOAD.
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