In path selection for SD-WAN, which factor is NOT typically considered?

• A. Client OS version
• B. Latency
• C. Jitter
• D. SLA requirements

Answer: (A)

Path selection in SD-WAN is driven by how the network performs and what policies require, not by the end-user device’s operating system. The SD-WAN edge analyzes real-time metrics from available transport paths—latency, jitter, packet loss, and available bandwidth—and applies configured policies or SLA targets to pick the best path for each application or flow. Latency and jitter directly affect user experience, while SLA requirements formalize the minimum performance those applications should meet, so they are central to decision-making. The client’s OS version doesn’t indicate the health or performance of the WAN links, so it isn’t used to decide which path to take. It might matter for endpoint compatibility or feature support, but not for path quality or selection.