Also known as SD-WAN.

Wide Area Networks connect remote offices together over any one of several secure transport services and protocols, including Multi Packet Label Switching, cellular networks and broadband internet. However, where a ‘standard’ WAN is somewhat inflexible and bound to the protocol or transport service for which it was designed, a Software-defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) is a virtual overlay on the existing WAN architecture allowing any the use of any underlying service. The SD-WAN establishes ‘tunnels’ using any available protocols and services, providing enhanced reliability while always using the optimal service available. It is ‘software defined’ because software determines how the WAN performs, rather than specific hardware limitations.