Vodafone Ireland has launched a new software-based enterprise network that will help businesses become more flexible, allowing them to more easily manage traffic and bandwidth while also controlling costs.
Software-defined wide-area network (SD-WAN) is a cost effective, secure and on-demand network technology that simplifies the management and operation of a wide-area network by separating the hardware from its control mechanism.
The virtual solution works with the customer’s existing network to help control applications, devices and bandwidth through a self-service portal, using a managed wifi solution, a secure firewall, analytics and application controls.
Vodafone is expecting the adoption of the technology to increase at a fast pace in 2020.
The technology can allow businesses to expand faster; for example, airline Ryanair used the technology, along with Vodafone's global network, to set up a new airport site in 10 days, a process that previously took weeks.
The airline was one of the early adopters of The Vodafone technology. The two companies announced the deal in November, and although no official figure was out on the deal, industry experts valued it at €40 million.
Businesses
SD-WAN can lead to lower costs for businesses, with the software optimising network performance to meet demand.
Vodafone is also offering a managed service option that will see engineers and experts monitor and manage the customer network.
Vodafone's business director Regina Moran said the technology was the future for Irish companies. "Imagine a tool that gives you total visibility of what's happening on your network and also allows you to solve everyday networking issues," she said. "The overall goal is to simplify the IT administrator's workload, to free them up to focus on adding value to the system."
