A managed SD-WAN is a service where a provider handles the deployment, configuration, monitoring and optimisation of your WAN. Meanwhile, a cloud-managed SD-WAN adds centralised control via the cloud, making it easier to apply consistent policies, improve performance and maintain security across distributed networks without internal resource strain. Learn more about this product through our comprehensive managed SD-WAN solutions guide.

Benefits of Forcepoint Secure SD-WAN include the following:

Centralized management

Improved application performance

Protection against advanced threats

Reduced operating costs 

SD-WAN costs are determined by factors, including the type of deployment, the size of the network, the number of locations to connect, the type and amount of data transiting the network and any existing infrastructure that may be leveraged when deploying an SD-WAN solution.

SD-WAN security helps organizations enable effortless connection to cloud resources while protecting users, data and IT environments from attack.

Ad SD-WAN solution applies software-defined networking principles to the wide area network.

SD-WAN providers enable organizations to deploy SD-WAN technology.

SD-WAN appliances are physical or virtual controllers located on-premises or in the cloud that connect an organization’s users to applications, services and workloads.

SD-WAN appliances and products are designed to overcome the challenges of ensuring fast and secure connectivity for branch locations and hybrid workforces. The traditional wide area network uses a hub-and-spoke model that requires all traffic to flow through a central data center. For organizations with a highly distributed workforce, this model adds unacceptable levels of latency that negatively affect user experiences and productivity. Additionally, legacy WANs are built with costly Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) connections that are time-consuming to manage and deploy, preventing organizations from scaling easily and cost-efficiently. SD-WAN overcomes these issues by creating a virtual overlay for the network that abstracts network connections and enables the use of additional, low-cost transport services that add redundancy and flexibility.

Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) is data forwarding technology that increases the speed and controls the flow of network traffic.

SD-WAN is a networking technology that uses software to make wide area networks more intelligent and flexible by connecting sites directly to the internet over commodity broadband links. Configurations and access policies are centrally managed and easily applied across all sites, removing the need to manual administer each WAN device individually. MPLS is data forwarding technology for network traffic that directs data through a path via labels instead of requiring complex lookups in a routing table at every stop. Traditional networking technology, MPLS, has seen competition from SD-WAN solutions to meet today's high demands and expanding needs for networked business-critical systems.

An SD-WAN device or SD-WAN appliance refers to the physical hardware installed at network locations. Meanwhile, SD-WAN software runs on these or virtual platforms, managing routing, prioritisation and security functions. The terms are often used interchangeably, but "software" focuses on the functionality, while "appliance" and "device" refer to the hardware form factor.

Forcepoint Secure SD-WAN uses advanced clustering for high availability, ensuring continuous uptime even during maintenance or unexpected failures. Traffic is dynamically rerouted using Multi-Link technology, with automatic failover across connections. This setup eliminates single points of failure and protects application performance across sites. It also supports remote branches and cloud edges with always-on security, making it ideal for public and critical infrastructure requiring uninterrupted operations.

Forcepoint delivers centralised policy enforcement and real-time monitoring through the Secure SD-WAN Manager Console (SMC). Admins can manage thousands of SD-WAN nodes from one dashboard, with granular visibility into link health, application traffic and latency. The executive dashboard view highlights how business-critical applications are performing across locations. Such a unified platform enables faster threat detection, proactive issue resolution and consistent enforcement of security policies across on-premise, branch and multi-cloud environments.

Forcepoint Secure SD‑WAN enables organisations to enforce data residency by ensuring traffic routing and inspection occur within Australian borders, supporting compliance with the Privacy Act 1988 (APPs), Notifiable Data Breach scheme and My Health Records Act. As a leading SD‑WAN provider in Australia, Forcepoint helps maintain accountability and control under national frameworks like the ACSC and Critical Infrastructure Act while securing cross‑border connectivity.

Forcepoint is a reputable vendor of managed SD‑WAN in Australia, offering robust support for the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act and Australian Cyber Security Centre standards. Our cloud‑managed SD‑WAN platform integrates local encryption and centralised policy enforcement, ensuring secure link redundancy, simplified auditing and compliance. Ideal for industries like healthcare, finance and government, it balances operational agility and regional regulatory demands.