SD-WAN & Azure Virtual WAN For Better Security & Performance

As more businesses rely on cloud services, SD-WAN and Azure Virtual WAN allow for seamless and secure access to cloud applications. They are easy to integrate and have built-in high-speed networking plus security capabilities.

Microsoft Azure Virtual WAN is a managed networking service. It provides a single operational interface combining many security, networking, and routing functionalities. Some of the main features of this service are branch connectivity, remote user and site-to-site VPN connectivity. 

It also provides VPN ExpressRoute interconnectivity and encryption, allowing organisations to use dynamic path selection. Thanks to the integration of Fortinet’s Secure SD-WAN solution in a hybrid cloud environment. You can learn more about how managed SD-WAN solutions can ensure better security and performance in your organisation.

What Is Microsoft Azure Virtual WAN?

Microsoft Azure Virtual WAN is a cloud-based SD-WAN (software-defined wide area network). It provides routing, connectivity, and security services. This allows it to ensure seamless interconnection with SASE technologies. This service enables a global transit network architecture in an organisation. The cloud-hosted network “hub” enables transitive connectivity between the distributed endpoints.

In this architecture, the Azure regions are the hubs connected in full mesh in a Standard Virtual WAN. The users can set up Azure Virtual WAN themselves. They can also use the Virtual WAN CPE partner solution for spoke connectivity with SD-WAN/VPN devices. Once integrated, you will have a single management interface for all the Virtual WAN services.

How Does Microsoft Azure Virtual WAN Help Organizations?

SD-WAN is an excellent alternative to WAN infrastructure for highly-trafficked networks. Microsoft Azure WAN helps organisations simplify their networking needs. This service helps your organisation in speeding up digital transformation. It allows you to focus more on responsiveness, agility, and cost-effectiveness. 

It lets you protect, route traffic, connect, and monitor your wide area network. Through automated IPsec tunnels, organisations can enjoy fast path routing between virtual appliances, on-premises, and Azure-hosted workloads.

What Is Fortinet Secure SD-WAN

Fortinet Secure SD-WAN is a flexible, fast, and scalable software-defined wide-area network. It can be used on-premises and in the cloud. This service allows organisations to achieve operational efficiencies and orchestrate network policies. It also allows them to accelerate security convergence and deliver a superior quality of experience at any scale.

This service enables organisations to transform at scale without compromising security. This is made possible by tightly integrating their security architecture and network infrastructure. Its capabilities can also be combined with a next-generation firewall as it ensures consistent security enforcement across flexible perimeters.

How Does Fortinet Secure SD-WAN Help Organizations?

Fortinet Secure service uses only one operating system. This allows it to adopt a secure networking approach by consolidating advanced routing, next-generation firewall (NGFW), software-defined wide area network, and ZTNA application gateway functions. This makes it an important part of Zero Trust Architecture implementation. It is also foundational for a seamless transition to SASE and SD-Branch.

This service allows granular visibility into the network traffic. Thus, organisations can analyse traffic data and automate responses based on the results. Organisations can optimise the hybrid workforce, predict app performance, and simplify secure SD-Branch.

Fortinet Secure SD-WAN for Azure Virtual WAN

Fortinet Secure and Azure Virtual WAN provide firewall capabilities to the cloud. It can be deployed directly from the virtual hub via the Azure portal or Azure Marketplace. This significantly simplifies the deployment and integration for IT professionals.

The best features of Fortinet Secure software-defined wide area network include application awareness and application identification. It also includes automatic failover, path remediation, and a single pane of glass management. These benefits, combined with Azure capabilities, allow organisations to simplify their IT infrastructures. Organisations can also significantly reduce their WAN costs by replacing expensive MPLS connections with inexpensive internet links.

Addressing Multi-cloud Security Challenges

With more organisations moving towards cloud infrastructure, customers now require end-to-end capabilities. For instance, next-generation firewall functionality. Azure Virtual WAN allows you to apply extensive services to your network. This lets you address multiple-cloud security challenges. These services include application control, SSL, and IPS. Also, the service’s application identification and traffic-steering capabilities can be leveraged to help organisations build a resilient, secure, and high-performing network.

The solution is load balanced, scalable, and configured for active-active, highly resilient deployments. Because of these qualities, your required services can be seamlessly deployed over the cloud network. This lets you experience safe and uninterrupted connectivity between different segments, including branch offices, on-premises data centres, and Azure Virtual Networks. To ensure added safety in multi-cloud connectivity, capabilities like microsegmentation bolster an organisation’s resistance to an attack.

Conclusion

Azure Virtual WAN provides branch and remote user connectivity, along with private connectivity, all with a single administrative interface. Fortinet’s SD-WAN and next-generation firewall services can also be integrated into this platform. Contact our team of experts to know more about how WAN/SD-WAN can make your business thrive.

Rob Rattray

Rob Rattray is the Sales Director of A1 Technologies, a Microsoft consultancy based in Australia. Rob's focus is settings the strategic and cultural direction for A1 Technologies, while also overseeing Sales and Marketing. Rob is passionate about business and helping good people do good things through technology.