SD-WAN vs MPLS: Battling for Network Dominance

Grab your headphones, we've got a podcast recommendation.

TeleGeography Senior Manager of Enterprise Research Greg Bryan recently visited MEF's Executives at the Edge podcast. He chatted with host and MEF co-founder Pascal Menezes about the evolving landscape of enterprise networking as SD-WAN becomes the norm and SASE gains traction.

Listen in as the pair assesses how MPLS is declining (yet persisting) and why NaaS generates buzz.

In This Episode

Has SD-WAN truly become the new normal for enterprise networks?
What SD-WAN deployment models are companies using—DIY, managed services, or hybrid?
Is MPLS on its way out, or will it continue to play a role in enterprise connectivity?
How rapidly is SASE adoption growing, and how does it tie into the SD-WAN trend?
What are the key drivers and obstacles for enterprises embracing NaaS?

And if you dig this conversation, be sure to check out Greg and Pascal's chat on Lifecycle Service Orchestration from our pod TeleGeography Explains the Internet.

Key Takeaways

MEF is focused on automating the full lifecycle of network services across multiple service providers using a framework called Life Cycle Service Orchestration (LSO). This automation is designed to allow service providers to seamlessly provision, test, operate, and manage services, even when they require working with different wholesale partners around the globe. The aim is to deliver a "cloud-like experience" for enterprises, enabling near real-time service activation rather than taking months.
MEF is expanding its standardization efforts beyond traditional connectivity (like Carrier Ethernet) to encompass newer, value-added services such as SD-WAN, SASE, zero trust, and edge computing. By creating common definitions and frameworks for these services, MEF helps the industry adopt them more uniformly and enables service providers to offer a comprehensive "secure network as a service" package that integrates connectivity, security, and multi-cloud access. This helps carriers provide more value and avoid simply becoming a "bit pipe" to hyperscalers.
The automation and standardization work aims to make networks more programmable for enterprises and prepare for future digital transformation use cases. The idea is that enterprise developers, through code, could influence network behavior (like quality of service or security posture) based on application needs, rather than relying solely on administrator configurations. Looking ahead, emerging digital transformation applications like IoT, smart manufacturing, and connected vehicles will demand highly precise, automated, and secure networks, which is what MEF's current work is designed to enable.