300-420 Question 49
Single answerA large enterprise is implementing a new SD-WAN solution that requires secure communication between branch offices and the data center. The design team has proposed an overlay network using tunneling. Which tunneling protocol is MOST suitable for this scenario, considering scalability, ease of deployment, and support for secure encryption?
- A
Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE)
- B
IPsec
- C
Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS)
- D
Virtual Extensible LAN (VXLAN)
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
IPsec is the most appropriate tunneling protocol for an SD-WAN overlay network in this scenario because it provides secure communication through encryption, authentication, and data integrity. While other protocols like GRE and VXLAN have specific use cases, they lack built-in security mechanisms, making them less suitable for this requirement. MPLS, on the other hand, is a transport technology rather than a tunneling protocol, which also makes it inappropriate for this specific use case.
- A. Incorrect.
GRE is a lightweight tunneling protocol but does not provide encryption or security mechanisms on its own, making it unsuitable for secure communication requirements in this scenario.
- B. Correct.
IPsec is a widely used protocol for secure tunneling, offering encryption, authentication, and integrity. It is highly scalable and suitable for SD-WAN deployments requiring secure communication.
- C. Incorrect.
MPLS is a transport technology rather than an overlay tunneling protocol. While it provides traffic engineering and QoS, it does not inherently offer encryption or end-to-end tunneling for secure communication.
- D. Incorrect.
VXLAN is primarily used for extending Layer 2 networks over Layer 3 infrastructure, typically in data center environments. It is not designed for secure communication between branch offices and the data center.