Discussion | Technical advantages of the top 9 leading SD-WAN providers abroad

SD-WAN technology helps make wide area networks more flexible and efficient, thereby reducing network management costs. This article compares the key features and functions of the products and services of nine leading SD-WAN vendors, available platforms, target users, and pricing and licensing information. The vendors are listed in alphabetical order.

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Aryaka

Aryaka SmartConnect is a managed global SD-WAN product that provides secure, enterprise-grade connectivity for enterprises. SmartConnect can be deployed anywhere in the world in a few days and improves the performance of customers' on-premises, cloud or SaaS applications. It combines cloud-native global private networks, SD-WAN, WAN optimization and application acceleration technologies, connectivity to cloud platforms, content delivery network capabilities and network visibility into a single product.

Headquartered in San Mateo, California, Aryaka provides a cloud-native private network for SD-WAN, including nearly 30 points around the world, enabling it to deliver performance faster for mission-critical applications around the world, with a service-level agreement reliability of 99.99%. Aryaka's global SD-WAN technology is provided as a service, which can help reduce WAN complexity by minimizing the hassles of deployment and management. Prices are paid monthly.

Cisco

Cisco offers two SD-WAN technology products: Cisco SD-WAN and Cisco Meraki MX.

Cisco SD-WAN, which incorporates the SD-WAN technology of its acquired company Viptela, is positioned as Cisco's high-end product. It is a cloud-managed overlay WAN that provides comprehensive routing, security and policy capabilities, as well as advanced analysis support. Cisco SD-WAN is scalable and can be optimized for integration with SaaS and cloud-based applications. Its analytical capabilities enable visibility, planning, and intelligent policy recommendations. Cisco SD-WAN supports applications and software-based platforms, and is priced by device, software license, or subscription.

Cisco Meraki provides easy-to-use managed network products for SMBs. Meraki MX devices provide integrated SD-WAN technology as part of the Cisco Meraki cloud-managed IT product suite. Cisco Meraki MX provides easy management and monitoring for SD-WAN, as well as full-featured Cisco security features, providing an all-in-one branch WAN and security device. Meraki users who invest in the full Meraki ecosystem can manage their entire branch architecture from a single management console.

Meraki offers a software-defined branch with security, SD-WAN, switching, Wi-Fi, endpoint management, and security cameras, all managed in an easy-to-use cloud interface. Meraki targets distributed organizations with lean IT teams, including retail, healthcare, professional services, hospitality, and other vertical industries. Cisco Meraki offers an application platform with subscription pricing.

Citrix

Citrix is ​​headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Its NetScaler SD-WAN is a full-featured SD-WAN hardware, software and cloud platform. It provides advanced application delivery capabilities, including deep packet inspection application inspection, WAN optimization, firewall and routing to deliver applications from the data center, cloud or the Internet via SaaS. The product can be used on-premises or in the cloud and can support single or multi-tenancy.

NetScaler can intelligently understand the underlying network and can make timely decisions on how to adapt traffic to network performance, even minor degradations. This is especially evident in real-time voice and unified communications applications. The platform is designed to deliver Citrix XenApp and XenDesktop over the WAN. NetScaler supports physical and virtual appliances with a variety of licenses, including subscription and bandwidth-based perpetual licenses.

Cradlepoint

The Cradlepoint NetCloud platform combines cloud-based management, orchestration and virtual overlay with software-defined edge routing and security software, packaged with purpose-built edge devices. NetCloud-powered SD-WAN capabilities are optimized for 4G Long Term Evolution connections and provide a path to Gigabit LTE and 5G.

NetCloud features include support for up to 4 cellular carriers, automatic carrier selection, and policy-based traffic control based on real-time LTE performance and usage data. Cradlepoint's SD-WAN platform can support both wired and LTE connections. For internal branch office IoT, NetCloud provides SD-WAN routing and software-defined peripheral IoT device isolation and device-to-cloud connectivity in the same product.

Boise, Idaho-based Cradlepoint is designed for organizations with lean IT teams that require uninterrupted WAN availability and highly distributed small branch offices. Cradlepoint appliances are available in one-, three- and five-year subscriptions.

Riverbed Technology

Headquartered in San Francisco, Riverbed helps enterprises maximize digital performance through its unified digital experience, cloud networking and Cloud Edge products. Riverbed SteelConnect provides policy-based orchestration across the entire distributed network fabric - LAN or wireless LAN, WAN, data center and cloud, with one-click connectivity and optimization to AWS and Microsoft Azure. SteelConnect supports zero-touch configuration and continuous network management, allowing users to make network or policy changes with just a few clicks of the mouse.

Riverbed SteelHead SD is a WAN edge platform that integrates SD-WAN, WAN optimization, and perimeter firewall capabilities into a converged platform to ensure fast, secure delivery of all remote applications through centralized policies. Riverbed offers appliances, software, and a cloud-based platform with flexible pricing; appliances and software are available via subscription.

Silver Peak Systems

Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, Silver Peak is a privately held, venture-backed WAN company. Its EdgeConnect SD-WAN product connects users to applications, delivering predictable application performance over any combination of transport services, including MPLS, business and consumer broadband, and 4G LTE wireless. Centralized orchestration of these network functions simplifies management, consolidates branch infrastructure, and enables secure connections to cloud-based applications directly from anywhere in the branch. EdgeConnect SD-WAN supports a business intent-driven model, allowing IT to simplify and automate WAN configuration and effectively respond to the WAN to adapt to changing business needs.

Silver Peak also offers a license that includes Unity Boost, Silver Peak’s WAN optimization capability, along with EdgeConnect. Unity Boost supports application service layer protocols across any combination of WAN transport services, including consumer broadband and 4G LTE wireless.

The existing Silver Peak SD-WAN platform includes physical appliances, software and a cloud-based platform, which can be priced by appliance, licensed software or subscription.

Talari Networks

Talari is a private venture-backed WAN company headquartered in San Jose, California. Talari provides carrier-agnostic SD-WAN that delivers MPLS-class reliability for hybrid and mesh-wide WANs. Talari SD-WAN enables WAN administrators to take full advantage of cloud and Internet economics without sacrificing performance.

Talari SD-WAN offers a multinetwork product that reduces WAN costs and provides higher reliability and application quality of experience. Talari's SD-WAN platform provides Internet economics, reduced troubleshooting costs, superior cloud access, and support for hybrid cloud IT infrastructure.

Talari's SD-WAN technology provides continuous unidirectional measurement of all traffic on all paths between any two locations. This enables sub-second responses to network events, intelligent link aggregation using all bandwidth across different links, and packet replication, all of which can support real-time applications that are sensitive to latency and jitter. Talari SD-WAN supports appliances, white boxes, and cloud platforms with a variety of pricing options, including perpetual and subscription licensing.

Versa Networks

Versa Networks, headquartered in San Jose, California, is a venture-backed SD-WAN startup. The company's mission is to solve the major operational and business challenges faced by enterprises and service providers with traditional WAN and legacy network hardware, and provide software-based networking and security.

Versa Cloud IP Platform is a cloud-native, multi-tenant, multi-service software platform that integrates full-featured routing, SD-WAN and multi-layer security capabilities. Based on cloud principles, Versa's products provide automation, visibility, flexibility and elasticity for easy, highly scalable and secure deployment.

Versa provides an all-in-one software platform that includes connectivity, networking, SD-WAN, security, management, visibility and analytics. The vendor differentiates its SD-WAN offering with security integrated into a single software service platform. Secure SD-WAN is designed for distributed and cloud-first enterprise organizations. Versa supports appliances, white boxes and cloud platforms, with one-, three- and five-year subscriptions.

VeloCloud

Palo Alto, California-based VeloCloud was acquired by VMware in 2017, launching VMware into the SD-WAN market. VeloCloud Cloud-Delivered SD-WAN provides a simple, secure and flexible WAN, including cloud-based gateways and managed distributed networks, as well as virtual edge software for branch offices.

VeloCloud Cloud-Delivered SD-WAN technology enables bandwidth expansion and provides direct, optimal access to cloud-based applications. It also enables virtual service integration in cloud and on-premises environments while increasing operational automation. VeloCloud Cloud-Delivered SD-WAN has three main differentiators: WAN simplification, guaranteed application performance, and secure cloud onboarding.

VMware-VeloCloud is aimed at customers who have or use both cloud and data center applications. It allows customers to use commercial broadband to securely and reliably access cloud applications through VeloCloud's SD-WAN gateway. The device and software licensing model is supported through an annual subscription.

In short, each organization has its own business needs and network requirements, so each organization's requirements for SD-WAN services are different. The SD-WAN market is mature, and vendors and providers can help organizations find SD-WAN products that meet their needs.