SD-WAN Zone

SD-WAN (Software-Defined WAN) is a technology that simplifies the management and operation of a Wide Area Network (WAN) by allowing network administrators to configure and manage network traffic through software instead of physical devices.

In Fortigate firewalls, SD-WAN is supported through the use of SD-WAN zones. An SD-WAN zone is a logical grouping of interfaces that are configured to participate in the SD-WAN feature of the firewall.

SD-WAN zones are created to provide a simplified way of configuring policies for traffic steering across different network links such as MPLS, broadband, or 4G/LTE. They help administrators to easily manage WAN links, prioritize applications, and optimize bandwidth usage across multiple paths.

In an SD-WAN zone, network administrators can set policies for traffic routing and apply Quality of Service (QoS) settings to ensure that critical applications receive the required bandwidth and priority.

SD-WAN zones also provide administrators with visibility into the performance of different WAN links, allowing them to make informed decisions about network capacity and performance. They can view network statistics such as bandwidth utilization, latency, packet loss, and jitter, and configure policies to optimize traffic flow and network performance.

Overall, SD-WAN zones in Fortigate firewalls provide a simple and efficient way of managing WAN links, optimizing bandwidth usage, and improving network performance, which is especially useful in today's distributed and remote work environments.