As AI, SASE, and SD-WAN technologies evolve, businesses can anticipate enhanced application experiences, optimized connectivity, and more effective troubleshooting. The integration of AI into SD-WAN technology is set to significantly improve how enterprise IT teams implement and manage their networks.
SD-WAN, which stands for software-defined wide area network, has been utilized by enterprises for about a decade to lower costs and increase WAN flexibility. This technology allows organizations to route traffic over various WAN links—such as broadband, MPLS, or cellular—ensuring secure and high-quality connectivity among campus, branch, and edge locations. By decoupling the data plane from the management plane, it enables direct traffic flow to cloud resources, bypassing traditional enterprise data centers.
Recent research from IDC indicates that the intersection of AI and machine learning with SD-WAN will enhance automation, management, and security protocols. AI-driven network management will give enterprises the ability to prioritize traffic according to user needs and business objectives, and in the event of network performance issues, it will facilitate quicker identification and resolution through advanced automation tools.
According to Brandon Butler, senior research manager at IDC, AI will impact SD-WAN in two significant ways. First, AI will enhance management by analyzing real-time network performance data to improve user and application experiences, enabling dynamic optimization of WAN path selection. Second, AI will enable more efficient connectivity for AI workloads running over the WAN, accounting for their unique traffic patterns and real-time data delivery needs.
Moreover, automated features such as zero-touch provisioning will expedite the setup of numerous SD-WAN sites. Enhanced troubleshooting capabilities are expected to rapidly identify and resolve performance or security issues.
As SD-WAN continues to develop, its role in enterprise SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) strategies will become increasingly crucial. This year, integrating security features within SD-WAN solutions will be a primary focus as businesses seek to bolster their network security.
Innovations in SD-WAN security might include data loss prevention (DLP) aimed at GenAI workloads, preventing sensitive data from being exposed through SD-WAN to AI large language models. IDC anticipates that many organizations will use SD-WAN as a foundation for SASE, utilizing its capabilities to securely connect to cloud applications and services.
As the SD-WAN and SASE markets converge, businesses are encouraged to evaluate the integrated security features offered by different SD-WAN vendors, which may include intrusion detection systems, next-generation firewalls, and content filtering solutions. Enterprises should consider whether to adopt a single-vendor approach to SASE, as a recent IDC survey showed that 73% of respondents favor using the same vendor for both SD-WAN and security solutions.
Ultimately, businesses must determine their specific needs regarding SASE architecture, weighing the benefits of single versus multi-vendor implementations based on existing deployments and required capabilities.
