Enterprise network design has long been a balancing act. From deciphering IP addressing schemes and VLAN structures to wrestling with routing protocols, security policies, and wireless configurations, IT teams are constantly forced to make trade-offs between scalability, security, and performance. And every time operations evolve, teams have to go back to the drawing board – reworking designs, troubleshooting problems, and patching security gaps so they can scale sustainability.
From an efficiency perspective, this is holding companies back. But more than this, it’s a vicious cycle that drains resources, spirals budgets, and stifles innovation. So, what’s the fix? Here, we give you the lowdown on a smarter, leaner, more resilient way to build networks using SD-Access architecture, and explain how it can supercharge your business.
What is SD-Access?
SD-Access is a software application that runs within the Cisco® Digital Network Architecture (DNA), built on intent-based networking protocols. By applying the principles of software-defined networking (SDN) to the access layer (the entry point where individual user devices connect to the network via wired and wireless access points), it offers visibility, automation, and end-to-end segmentation to isolate user, device, and application traffic within a local area network (LAN) – all without the need to redesign the underlying infrastructure. Instead of being tied to static, manual configurations, SD-Access abstracts network policies into a centrally managed fabric that dynamically applies automation, segmentation, and security controls.
In other words, SD-Access architecture is a secure, scalable, and flexible solution that makes managing your network feel effortless. When integrated with software-defined networks (SD-WANs), it can ensure secure, seamless, and optimised connectivity between the LAN and wide-area network (WAN), regardless of the network's size or geographical distribution.
Traditionally, managing an enterprise network is a painstaking, time-consuming process. Every new user, device, or application requires manual virtual local area network (VLAN) configurations, precise IP addressing, and carefully crafted access control lists (ACLs) to enforce security policies. As businesses expand, these settings must be replicated, maintained, and coordinated across multiple teams – often leading to mismatches, security gaps, and scalability roadblocks. Even the smallest tweaks can trigger a chain reaction of reconfigurations, forcing IT teams into an endless cycle of updates, troubleshooting, and policy enforcement. Instead of focusing on strategic growth, teams are held back by reactive fixes to keep the network functional.
How does Cisco SD-Access architecture work?
Conveniently managed within the Cisco DNA centre, SD-Access provides a simple, centralised platform to automate and control the entire network. By shifting functions from rigid, hardware-dependent architecture, the network can be dynamically reconfigured, independent of physical topology, to meet business needs as they evolve. So, you can unlock complete visibility, at all times.
The SD-Access fabric consists of two key components: an underlay (the physical network infrastructure, such as switches, routers, and wireless access points) and an overlay (the virtualised network layer that enables segmentation and identity-based policy enforcement instead of relying on IP address and VLANs).
The key differences between Cisco SD-Access architecture and traditional LANs include:
IP addressing is no longer tied to services. Devices and applications can move freely within the network without requiring manual reconfiguration.
Policy enforcement is identity based. Access is controlled through endpoint groups – dynamic groups based on user roles, device types, and contextual attributes – rather than static ACLs and IP-based security policies.
VLAN complexity is eliminated. Traditional VLAN planning becomes a thing of the past as segmentation is handled within the SD-Access fabric itself, reducing operational and management overheads.
Single IP subnets span multiple locations. Unlike traditional designs that require separate subnets for different areas, SD-Access allows a subnet to be shared across multiple access locations while still maintaining full Layer 3 segmentation.
Seamless mobility without address changes. Users and devices can move between different network locations without requiring new IP assignments or disrupting session continuity.
Cisco SD-Access: benefits for both public and private sectors
Whether you’re a hospital fighting to protect sensitive patient data, a retail chain keen to streamline transactions, or a finance leader hungry to innovate, SD-Access is a genuine gamechanger. It provides the power to simplify, secure, and scale your infrastructure – faster, smarter, and more efficiently than ever before. Here, we outline top five benefits you can look forward to:
Slashed costs
Every new device, user, and application piles more complexity onto a traditional network, making infrastructure management a logistical nightmare and bleeding businesses dry. Couple this growth with rising security risks, and the burden almost becomes too costly, complex, and time-consuming to manage.
With Cisco SD-Access architecture, organisations can simplify LAN, WLAN, and WAN deployments by integrating networks into one streamlined fabric. This frees valuable resources from the shackles of constant configurations, minimisess errors, and saves time spent troubleshooting. Thanks to the automated and centralised Cisco DNA Centre, policy updates that once took several hours (if not weeks) can now be applied in minutes. The result? A network that works harder for you in the background while increasing business continuity, reducing waste resources, and slashing unnecessary network OpEx.
Operational flexibility
The world isn’t waiting for your network to catch up. Wired, wireless, mobile, VPN, IoT – it needs the flexibility to support all of them seamlessly, no matter where users are or how they connect. As applications become more dynamic and decentralised, this level of access is only growing in demand.
By centralising control, automating network changes, and dynamically segmenting traffic across all endpoints, Cisco SD-Access benefits your business with ultra-fast network service deployment, real-time policy enforcement, and seamless scalability. While any network can deliver basic connectivity, only SD-Access fabric can guarantee this level of unparalleled experience across all locations and access points.
Resilient connectivity
Traditional networks can provide basic component-based failover at the network layer, but they’re not equipped to prioritise application traffic or ensure critical services stay uninterrupted during an outage. And when something goes wrong, they often fail to consider business-critical applications, resulting in sluggish recovery that damages operations.
SD-Access architecture takes high availability to the next level by integrating application awareness into the SD-Access fabric, so your most essential services are always up and running. Rather than simply rerouting traffic, it ensures mission-critical applications receive priority treatment – even during network disruptions. This intelligent failover capability, powered by Cisco DNA Centre’s centralised control and real-time policy enforcement, allows vital business traffic to flow uninterrupted, minimising downtime and maintaining a seamless user experience.
Ironclad security
As business operations become more digital, traditional networks simply can’t keep up with new security threats and tightened regulations. And outdated solutions – such as virtual routing and forwarding (VRFs), VLANs, and ACLs – are labour-intensive, prone to errors, and a nightmare to modify. But no matter what’s on the line, whether it’s lives, data, or multi-millions of pounds, you can’t afford to let security slip.
With meticulous micro-segmentation, SD-Access architecture ensures no one gets access to what they shouldn’t, simplifying security with automated orchestration. It segments your network, allowing guest users, IoT devices, corporate assets, and critical infrastructure to operate in silos, each with tailored levels of access to prevent unauthorised entry. With deep visibility into users and devices, it’s easier to monitor their location and posture to enforce precise policies. It also limits the lateral movement of malware, preventing threats from spreading, and ensuring any infected endpoints are shut out. This is security that adapts as quickly as your business, with the power to protect your bottom line at every turn.
Seamless cloud integration
In traditional networks, on-premise applications are managed separately from those hosted in the cloud, with different policies, security protocols, and configurations for each. So, if you needed to update or secure an application in each, you’d likely have to go through different processes, tools, and teams, which eats into resources, adds unnecessary overheads, and increases potential risks.
By eliminating the walls between private, public, and hybrid clouds, Cisco SD-Access architecture lets you deploy applications at lightning speed, without the logistical headaches. By breaking down these silos, you can accelerate development cycles, improve scalability, and simplify cloud adoption. Ultimately, SD-Access is key to making your network cloud-ready at every level. So, if you want to seamlessly integrate IoT sensors from your factory floor with cloud-based analytics, or securely connect remote health services with centralised patient data, SD-Access gives you the agility and control to do it all, seamlessly.
Sheffield Teaching Hospital: transforming healthcare with SD-Access
With decades of experience under our belt, we're well-versed in the benefits of SD-Access, and how to assess, design, and deploy a solution that enhances how you operate – now and in the future. But when you don’t deal with this architecture every day, it’s often simpler to see the rewards our other clients have reaped.
Take Sheffield Teaching Hospitals as a prime example. As one of the UK’s largest and busiest healthcare organisations, responsible for managing five major hospitals and a workforce of 17,000, it needed a network that could keep up with the demands of modern healthcare. One that was not only secure and resilient but truly optimised to support critical applications. Partnering with Cisco, we replaced legacy infrastructure with SD-Access architecture to automate network management, reduce troubleshooting time, and provide complete visibility over the entire digital estate.
Now, staff can work seamlessly across multiple sites, clinical-grade systems remain secure and responsive, and IT teams spend less time firefighting and more time driving innovation. With automation, full segmentation, and enhanced mobility, SD-Access is helping Sheffield’s healthcare professionals focus on what matters most – pioneering patient care, clinical research, and education, while contributing to the region’s growth.
Unlock the power of SD-Access
SD-Access migration isn’t an overnight switch – it requires careful assessment, bespoke design, strategic implementation, and thorough testing. At EDNX, our experts will help you unlock your network’s true potential with a smooth migration plan, complete with hands-on Cisco SD-Access training to empower your team. Plus, your old and new networks can run in parallel, so you can experience the power of SD-Access firsthand before taking the final leap – minimising downtime and maximising confidence.
