SD-WAN and Cloud Integration Basics (Cisco 500-560 Guide)
Modern enterprises are no longer operating from a single data center. Applications are distributed across branch offices, SaaS platforms, and multiple cloud providers. This is where SD-WAN and cloud integration become critical — and why it’s an important topic in the Cisco 500-560 Networking: On-Premise and Cloud Solutions exam . This guide explains the fundamentals you must understand for the exam and real-world deployments. What Is SD-WAN? SD-WAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Network) is a technology that simplifies the management and operation of a WAN by separating the networking hardware from its control mechanism. Instead of relying only on expensive MPLS circuits, SD-WAN: Uses broadband, LTE, and MPLS together Dynamically selects the best path Centralizes policy management Improves application performance Cisco’s primary SD-WAN solution: Cisco SD-WAN Why SD-WAN Matters in Cloud Environments Traditional WAN architectures were designed for traffic flowing...