Securing Your SD-WAN: Why Performance Under Load Matters
Modern businesses are rapidly adopting SD-WAN architectures to enhance network flexibility, agility, and cost efficiency. However, this transformation introduces new security challenges, especially at the branch office where direct internet access (DIA) is common. Ensuring robust security without sacrificing network performance is paramount. This is where the capabilities of your network gateway become critical.
Choosing the right platform to protect your distributed network is a significant decision. Security platforms must be able to inspect traffic deeply, identify threats, and enforce policies – all while maintaining high throughput and low latency, even when handling complex, high-volume data streams.
Recent rigorous testing highlights the importance of validated performance in real-world scenarios. Specifically, the Cisco Catalyst 8300 series has demonstrated exceptional performance in independent security tests focusing on Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) and SD-WAN security capabilities.
These tests, often aligned with standardized methodologies, measure how effectively a device can apply security functions like intrusion prevention, application control, and threat detection under heavy traffic loads. Unlike simple throughput tests, these evaluations assess performance with security features actively engaged, reflecting true operational conditions.
Key findings from such tests often reveal that the Catalyst 8300 series maintains high levels of performance even when comprehensive security policies are applied. This includes demonstrating strong throughput for both encrypted and unencrypted traffic while simultaneously performing deep packet inspection and threat analysis. The ability to handle a large volume of concurrent connections and process diverse traffic types efficiently is also a critical indicator of readiness for modern network demands.
What does this validated performance mean for your business?
- Consistent User Experience: Security shouldn’t be a bottleneck. High-performance security gateways ensure applications remain responsive, even during peak usage or when facing potential threats.
- Effective Threat Prevention: A device that slows down under load might be forced to bypass security inspections, leaving gaps. Maintaining performance ensures that security features are always active and effective.
- Simplified Infrastructure: Consolidating routing, SD-WAN, and comprehensive security onto a single, high-performance platform like the Catalyst 8300 simplifies management and reduces hardware sprawl at the branch.
Actionable Security Considerations:
When evaluating security solutions for your SD-WAN or branch office:
- Look Beyond Basic Throughput: Demand performance metrics that reflect security functions enabled. Ask vendors for results from independent, standardized tests.
- Prioritize Integrated Platforms: Solutions that seamlessly combine SD-WAN, routing, and advanced security simplify deployment and policy management.
- Ensure Scalability: Choose a platform that can handle your current traffic volume and scale to meet future growth and increasing threat landscapes without performance degradation.
- Regularly Update Security Intelligence: Even the highest-performing hardware needs up-to-date threat signatures and policies to remain effective against evolving threats.
Investing in network security platforms validated for performance under realistic conditions, such as the Cisco Catalyst 8300 series, provides the confidence that your distributed network is protected without compromising the very performance and agility that SD-WAN is designed to deliver.
Source: https://feedpress.me/link/23532/17089732/cisco-catalyst-8300-excels-in-netsecopen-ngfw-sd-wan-security-tests
