Software Defined Wide Area Networks (SD-WAN) - Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key SD-WAN concepts, strengths, and related terms discussed in the lecture notes.

SD-WAN

A virtualized wide-area network architecture that uses a software control plane to manage and optimize traffic across multiple transport types between branch sites, data centers, and cloud environments.

Centralized control function

A software-based controller that securely and intelligently routes traffic across the WAN, decoupling control from hardware.

Transport agnosticism

The ability to use any mix of network transports (MPLS, broadband Internet, cellular, etc.) to connect users to applications.

Application-aware routing

SD-WAN intelligence that identifies the applications in use and routes their traffic to optimal paths for improved performance.

Overlay network / SD-WAN overlay

A virtual network layer on top of physical links that enables flexible, policy-driven traffic routing.

MPLS

A traditional WAN transport used for predictable performance; SD-WAN can leverage it alongside other paths.

Cloud-first enterprise

An organization prioritizing cloud-based applications and using SD-WAN to reliably connect users to them.

Star topology (traditional WAN)

A hub-and-spoke layout where branches connect to a central headquarters, enabling centralized security but potential bottlenecks.

IaaS, PaaS, SaaS

Cloud service models accessed over the network; SD-WAN helps improve performance and reliability for these workloads.

Quality of Experience (QoE)

End-user perceived performance and satisfaction, improved by SD-WAN through optimized routing.

Security posture enhancement

Improved security readiness achieved by SD-WAN through centralized policy enforcement and secure cloud access.

Control plane extraction

Moving the network control logic from hardware into software for centralized, software-defined management.

Backhaul bottlenecks

Delays caused when branch traffic is sent back to a central point (e.g., HQ); SD-WAN aims to reduce these bottlenecks.