Traffic Optimization: Cisco IWAN aims to optimize the flow of traffic across the WAN by intelligently routing and prioritizing data. It employs various techniques such as application-based routing, Quality of Service (QoS), and protocol optimization to ensure that critical applications receive the necessary bandwidth and resources.
Path Selection: IWAN uses dynamic path selection to intelligently choose the best path for different types of traffic. This can include considering factors like link quality, latency, and bandwidth to make real-time decisions on how to route traffic for optimal performance.
Performance Monitoring: IWAN provides tools for monitoring the performance of the WAN, allowing administrators to identify and address issues quickly. This includes visibility into network traffic, application performance, and the overall health of the WAN.
Security Integration: Security features are often integrated into Cisco IWAN to help protect data as it traverses the WAN. This may include encryption, firewall capabilities, and threat detection/prevention mechanisms.
Centralized Management: Cisco IWAN typically offers centralized management through a control plane that allows administrators to configure and monitor the entire WAN infrastructure from a central location. This can streamline the management of complex network deployments.
Application Visibility and Control: Cisco IWAN includes features that provide visibility into the types of applications running on the network and the ability to control their behavior. This allows for more granular control over how bandwidth is allocated based on the specific needs of different applications.
Cloud Connectivity: With the growing importance of cloud services, Cisco IWAN may include features to optimize connectivity to cloud-based applications and services. This can involve direct integration with cloud providers and the ability to dynamically adapt to changing network conditions.