Healthcare WAN Edge Infrastructure Supports Evolving Networks

Healthcare wide area network (WAN) edge infrastructure is evolving as organizations need to support more dynamic networks that include on-premises and cloud-based models. “By year-end 2023, more than 90% of WAN edge infrastructure refresh initiatives will be based on virtualized customer premises equipment (vCPE) platforms or software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) software/appliances versus traditional routers (up from less than 40% today),” according to Gartner’s latest Magic Quadrant. Enterprise organizations are looking to deploy a decentralized network infrastructure that allows network connectivity from distributed locations. As a result, the networking market has evolved from traditional branch routers to accommodate the needs of digital transformation. The WAN edge market includes software-defined WAN (SD-WAN). “WAN edge functionality can exist on or off the enterprise premises via physical or virtual appliances, and is typically sourced from network equipment providers (and their channels), network service providers (NSPs) or managed service providers (MSPs),” Gartner explained. “WAN edge infrastructure must be agnostic to the underlying network transport provider and services.” This transition makes traditional branch routers unable to sustain strong enough connections to support the influx of network activity within and outside the organization.