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Which SD-WAN element can be a physical appliance

Harry YellandUpdated 10 December 20251 min read
A physical appliance can be used as the WAN edge device in SD-WAN deployments. These are often chosen for performance, redundancy, hardware security, and simplified management, though cloud solutions are increasingly preferred.

SD WAN elements can be deployed in a physical WAN edge, virtualised server instance, or software application. The main reasons for deploying SD WAN using a physical appliance are as follows:

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  • Physical dedicated hardware appliances offer better throughput and processing performance compared to virtual servers or software applications.
  • Hardware devices are configurable with dual power supplies and redundancy, which in turn offer improved uptime.
  • Edge devices are sometimes designed with hardware security that is not possible to replicate within a virtual or software environment.
  • Management of a central hardware device can often be simpler because all users are forced through a gateway.
  • There may be a need to separate out physical interfaces.

However, public cloud technology, which is accessed by users' laptops, phones, or tablets, is now preferred over physical devices, unless there is a specific use case as outlined in this knowledge article.

Robert Sturt
Managing Director

Robert Sturt is a leading expert in SD-WAN and enterprise network solutions with extensive experience in telecommunications and network infrastructure. As a Forbes Business Council member and contributor to TechTarget, he provides strategic insights on network transformation and digital connectivity solutions. His expertise spans SD-WAN implementation, network security, and enterprise digital transformation initiatives.

Fact-checked by: Harry Yelland - Cybersecurity Writer, Netify

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