SD-WAN is a new technology born out of a recognition that one of the major expenses for many organizations is their bandwidth. Over the years numerous technologies have been introduced to reduce these costs: The carriers have also been trying to stretch and maximize their investments.
For most of us the network has become a utility. We expect an always on network and use it constantly. Just look around, the proliferation of hand held mobile devices with a plethora of applications that allow non-stop communication, entertainment, and access to information (Maps, Google, Starbucks) has created a demand for bandwidth that is frankly challenging to meet.