Secure SD-WAN: The Launch Pad into the Cloud

Introduction

A Software-Defined Wide-Area Network (SD-WAN) is the preferred technology solution to secure cloud deployments for most global organizations.

In a recent Barracuda survey, 23% of the respondents said they have already deployed SD-WAN and another 51% are either in the process of deploying or expect to deploy within the next 12 months. In addition to resolving network issues, SD-WAN solutions are being used to address security concerns; SDWAN is being used by more than half of those who have added security to their public cloud. IT professionals realize that a cloud provider’s native security solutions may not provide sufficient capabilities and they’re looking for third-party providers to help overcome adoption barriers.

While the percentage of IT infrastructure in public cloud is expected to rise from 45% to 76% in the next five years, security is the top concern restricting faster adoption. 7 of 10 organizations say the security of public cloud infrastructure, the impact of cyberattacks, and the security of applications deployed in public cloud are inhibiting their public cloud adoption. Network integration is also a major concern, including integrating public cloud with legacy technologies, better integration with private cloud, and enhanced integration with on-premises infrastructure. (See how organizations are removing security barriers for faster public cloud adoption in the related report, Future shock: The cloud is the new network).

As public cloud continues to drive digital and business innovation, IT organizations are radically transforming how they deliver services to internal and external customers as a result. Gartner predicts the market for public cloud services will grow at roughly three times the rate of the overall IT services market, topping $331 billion by 2022.

This report takes an in-depth look at global SD-WAN adoption trends, acquisition preferences, driving factors, variations by industry, and a variety of related issues.

Methodology

Barracuda commissioned independent market researcher Vanson Bourne to conduct a global survey of 750 IT decision makers who are responsible for their organization’s cloud infrastructure. Survey participants from the U.S., EMEA, and APAC represented organizations of all sizes from a broad range of industries. The survey was fielded in January 2020.