Why SD‑WAN Is the Backbone of the IoT Era

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a driving force behind the digital transformation of the global economy. According to Hubert da Costa, SVP and GM EMEA at Cybera, the worldwide appetite for IoT solutions continues to grow. GlobalData forecasts that the market for IoT‑enabling software, hardware, and services will hit $318 billion (€283 billion) by 2023—more than double the $130 billion (€117 billion) recorded in 2018.

Cost‑effective, secure, and manageable connectivity is the cornerstone of IoT adoption, yet IDC reports that traditional WANs are prohibitively expensive and complex for the new wave of applications and devices appearing at remote sites.

Enter Software‑Defined Wide Area Network (SD‑WAN) solutions, which deliver the flexibility, security, and simplicity that modern enterprises demand. Here's why.

Why SD‑WAN?

SD‑WAN is a software‑centric approach that excels at linking remote locations to a distributed enterprise network. At the network edge, SD‑WAN overlays existing infrastructure, letting remote sites consolidate multiple network functions and applications over inexpensive broadband links.

Because it is software‑driven, SD‑WAN reduces the number of physical devices and connections required at each site, cutting complexity and cost. It also offers remote, real‑time configuration and updates, enabling the network to evolve with shifting business needs.

In many cases, SD‑WAN is delivered as a cloud‑based managed service. This removes the burden of maintaining on‑premises SD‑WAN data centres and delivers rapid deployment, seamless upgrades, and web‑scale scalability—all at the lowest possible cost.

These benefits are critical for organisations that are investing strategically in the IoT. With projections of up to 21.5 billion active IoT connections by 2025, enterprises must be able to deploy and centrally manage networks cost‑effectively. SD‑WAN is uniquely positioned to meet these requirements—and the security challenges that accompany mass connectivity.

SD‑WAN and IoT Security

The proliferation of billions of connected devices dramatically expands the attack surface. Until recently, many organisations relied on Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to control costs when adding remote locations and new applications. However, as application portfolios grow, VPNs become increasingly expensive and difficult to secure—particularly at the network edge.

The influx of IoT devices has stretched traditional enterprise perimeters, exposing the weaknesses of VPN‑centric approaches. Remote sites often lack the technical expertise, resources, or budget to implement robust security, turning them into the weakest link in the organisation’s security chain.

A promising solution is to pair SD‑WAN with Unified Threat Management (UTM). UTM bundles firewall, web and application filtering, SIEM, SSL inspection, intrusion detection, and anti‑malware capabilities into a single, cloud‑delivered platform that scales with the enterprise.

A Bright Future for Secure SD‑WAN Solutions

IDC predicts that spending on SD‑WAN infrastructure will hit $4.5 billion (€4 billion) by 2022, while the managed‑services market will reach $5.4 billion (€4.8 billion). The same study shows that 82 % of surveyed enterprises plan to adopt SD‑WAN, and 75 % are already using it or will do so within two years.

SD‑WAN and IoT together provide a strategic roadmap for the future, allowing organisations to harness the benefits of a fully connected world while maintaining tight control and robust security—key drivers of business success.

The author is Hubert da Costa, SVP and GM EMEA at Cybera