Government organisations face unique IT and security challenges. Many still rely on legacy WAN systems, which can be slow, difficult to scale, and costly to maintain. At the same time, remote and hybrid working are becoming the norm, and employees need fast, reliable access to secure digital services to deliver public-facing and internal functions effectively.
SD-WAN, often implemented as part of a wider SASE installation for government organisations, offers a modern solution, improving network resilience, while the security aspect of SASE strengthens security, enhancing the day-to-day experience for government service workers. By centralising networking in the cloud, organisations can reduce complexity, optimise performance, and provide staff with the tools they need to work efficiently from any location.
This article will cover what WAN is, the benefits of moving from a legacy WAN with SASE, a consolidated SD-WAN, and how CAE helps secure distributed government workforces while improving productivity and user experience.
What is WAN?
A Wide Area Network (WAN) connects offices, data centres, and employees across multiple locations, allowing users to access applications, share data, and collaborate efficiently.
Traditional WANs often rely on hardware-heavy infrastructure, such as MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching), which can be expensive to maintain, difficult to scale, and slow to adapt to changing business needs.
What are SD-WAN benefits for public sector workers?
Consolidating your WAN as part of a single cloud solution provides a whole host of benefits for government workers, both working in a centralised office and remotely. Benefits of SD-WAN include:
Flexibility of WAN solutions
SD-WAN adapts to the dynamic needs of government departments, supporting everything from remote offices to mobile staff on the move. Scaling up or down is simpler and faster than with legacy infrastructure, allowing agencies to respond to changing demands without delays or costly hardware upgrades. By moving to a next-generation, internet-first WAN model, departments gain more choice and agility than with rigid MPLS networks.
Centralised management platform
A single, cloud-based dashboard gives IT teams complete visibility and control over the network. With this cloud solution, policies can be enforced consistently across multiple departments or agencies, reducing complexity and streamlining administration.
Learn more about the cloud as we answer the most common questions on cloud solutions.
Stronger employee experience
With secure, reliable access to applications and data provided by SD-WAN working alongside SSE, employees can work efficiently whether they are in the office, at home, or visiting different sites. Integrated Digital Experience Monitoring (DEM) ensures performance issues are detected and resolved proactively, so staff enjoy a smoother digital experience that reduces frustration, supports productivity, and enables them to deliver services more effectively.
Traffic optimisation
Cloud WAN intelligently directs traffic through the fastest, most efficient routes, preventing any form of slowdown in access and availability to an organisation’s critical applications.
Cost savings and efficiency gains
By shifting from costly, fixed MPLS circuits to Direct Internet Access (DIA) via SD-WAN, organisations can reduce ongoing connectivity expenses while gaining flexibility and performance improvements. This internet-first approach, combined with the consolidation of multiple tools into a single SASE platform, helps government bodies lower costs, simplify operations, and drive greater efficiency.
These benefits of SD-WAN only scratch the surface of the capabilities, and when combined with SSE as part of a SASE solution, the benefits of SD-WAN, only get more impactful. Download our guide on SASE for the Local and Regional Government to learn more.
How can SASE support a consolidated cloud approach?
SASE combines networking and security into a single, cloud-delivered architecture While SD-WAN is a component of SASE that focuses on optimising connectivity and performance, the full suite of SASE functionality adds a layer of integrated security to protect users, data, and applications across distributed government networks.
With network security tools such as Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), Secure Web Gateway (SWG), and Firewall-as-a-Service (FWaaS), SASE ensures that traffic is verified, monitored, and protected, no matter where employees are working.
By combining Cloud WAN and SASE, government organisations gain both resilience and robust security, enabling secure, high-performance access for distributed workforces while simplifying network and security management.
Secure your public sector distributed workforce
Government employees frequently work across multiple offices, agencies, and in the field. SASE ensures they can connect securely to cloud services and internal systems, with consistent performance and protected access wherever they are.
CAE supports public sector organisations by designing, deploying, and managing tailored SASE solutions that meet both operational demands and regulatory compliance requirements. With the right framework in place, agencies can improve network resilience, safeguard data, and deliver a better experience for both employees and citizens.
