Comparing Major SD-WAN Vendors
- Integrations
- March 19, 2025
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By Jason Bordujenko, Global Head of Solutions Architects
Wondering which SD-WAN vendor is best for your business use case? We’ve rounded up the features and capabilities of six leading providers.
In the face of increasingly complex, far-reaching network architectures, organizations continue to adopt Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) solutions to enhance network performance, security, and agility. Megaport Virtual Edge (MVE) offers a versatile platform that integrates with leading SD-WAN vendors, enabling businesses to deploy their virtual network functions seamlessly.
This article provides an in-depth comparison of six SD-WAN solutions available on MVE, highlighting their unique benefits and use cases.
1. HPE Aruba Networking EdgeConnect SD-WAN
HPE Aruba’s EdgeConnect SD-WAN platform is designed to deliver a high-performance, secure, and reliable WAN experience. It offers features such as path conditioning, dynamic path control, and application-aware routing, optimizing performance for critical applications.
The platform’s integration with MVE allows users to deploy and scale rapidly, making it suitable for enterprises looking to modernize their network infrastructure without the headache.
Key features
- Application-aware routing: EdgeConnect identifies applications on the first packet, which enables granular and secure breakout of internet-bound traffic to the correct path based on application-driven business and security policies.
- Path conditioning: Enhances potentially lossy internet connections by mitigating the effects of packet loss and out-of-order packets, for consistent application performance.
- Dynamic path control: Monitors real-time throughput, loss, latency, and jitter using business intent overlays and the underlying transport services, to identify and remediate potential performance impacts.
- Unified management: The EdgeConnect Orchestration Software enables rapid and consistent implementation of network-wide business intent policies, reducing many of the repetitive manual steps required to configure and connect remote offices and branch locations.
Use cases
- Branch connectivity: Simplify the connection of your branch offices to cloud services and data centers, providing a consistent user experience across all locations.
- Application performance: Enhance the performance of your SaaS applications through intelligent routing and path conditioning, optimizing your user experience.
- Security: Provide integrated security features, including stateful zone-based firewall and integration with leading cloud security partners, to protect against threats.
2. Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN (formerly Viptela)
Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN is a comprehensive solution that combines routing, security, and policy control into a single platform. Its integration with MVE enables businesses to extend their SD-WAN fabric to the cloud, facilitating secure and efficient connectivity.
Cisco is known for its robust security features and scalability, making its SD-WAN solution ideal for large enterprises with complex networking needs.
Key features
- Cloud-scale architecture: Supports large-scale deployments with centralized management and policy enforcement, ensuring consistent performance across all sites.
- Integrated security: Offers a feature-rich security suite including firewall, intrusion prevention, URL filtering, and advanced malware protection, all integrated into the SD-WAN fabric.
- Application optimization: Utilizes application-aware routing and quality of service (QoS) policies to improve performance for critical applications.
- Multicloud integration: Provides workflow based optimized connectivity to cloud services (IaaS and PaaS) as well as major cloud provider integrations, built to readily optimize application experience.
Use cases
- Cloud connectivity: Quickly connect your users to cloud applications with consistent security policies, enhancing user experience and productivity.
- Network segmentation: Allow for segmentation of traffic to enhance security and compliance, enabling your organization to meet regulatory requirements.
- Operational efficiency: Simplify network management through centralized control and automation, reducing operational costs and complexity.
3. Fortinet Secure SD-WAN
Fortinet’s Secure SD-WAN solution integrates networking and security functionalities, providing a unified approach to WAN management. Its integration with MVE enables rapid deployment of virtual SD-WAN instances, offering flexibility and scalability.
Fortinet’s solution is particularly noted for its security capabilities, making it suitable for organizations with stringent security requirements.
Key features
- Security-driven networking: Integrates advanced security features, including next-generation firewall, intrusion prevention, and web filtering, directly into the SD-WAN solution.
- Application awareness: Provides deep application visibility and control, enabling intelligent traffic steering based on application requirements.
- High performance: Delivers high-performance networking with hardware acceleration and optimized traffic handling, minimizing latency and jitter.
- Simplified management: Offers centralized management and orchestration through Fortinet’s Fabric Management Center, simplifying operations and policy enforcement.
Use cases
- Secure branch connectivity: Connect branch offices securely to your corporate network and get consistent security policies across all your locations.
- Application optimization: Get optimal performance for your critical applications through intelligent traffic steering and QoS policies.
- Cost reduction: Reduce your reliance on expensive MPLS circuits by leveraging broadband connections, lowering operational costs.
4. Palo Alto Networks Prisma SD-WAN
Palo Alto Networks’ Prisma SD-WAN is an autonomous, application-defined, and cloud-delivered solution designed to provide superior user experiences and simplified operations. Prisma is known for leveraging advanced machine learning and automation to optimize application performance and ensure robust security.
Key features
- Autonomous digital experience management: Utilizes machine learning to monitor and optimize application performance, ensuring a consistent user experience.
- Application-defined policies: Allows for the creation of policies based on application requirements to improve routing and performance.
- Cloud-delivered security: Integrates with Palo Alto Networks’ security services to provide comprehensive protection across the network.
- Simplified operations: Offers centralized management and automation capabilities, reducing operational complexity.
Use cases
- Branch connectivity: Simplify the connection of your branch offices to cloud services and data centers, providing a consistent user experience across all locations.
- Application performance: Enhance the performance of your SaaS applications through intelligent routing and path conditioning for a better user experience.
- Security: Provide integrated security features, including stateful zone-based firewall and integration with leading cloud security partners, to protect against threats.
5. VMware VeloCloud SD-WAN
VMware’s VeloCloud SD-WAN solution delivers a comprehensive, cloud-delivered WAN solution that is designed to ensure high application performance and availability. It also simplifies WAN operations and optimizes access to cloud services and applications.
Key features
- Dynamic multipath optimization: Monitors real-time network conditions and dynamically steers traffic over the optimal path, ensuring consistent application performance.
- Cloud-delivered architecture: Provides scalability and flexibility by leveraging a cloud-based management and control plane.
- Application-aware routing: Identifies applications on the first packet and applies business-driven policies to ensure optimal routing.
- Integrated security: Offers built-in security features and integrates with leading security solutions to protect the network.
Use cases
- Cloud connectivity: Rapidly connect your users to cloud applications with consistent security policies, enhancing user experience and productivity.
- Network segmentation: Allow for segmentation of traffic to enhance security and compliance, enabling your organization to meet regulatory requirements.
- Operational efficiency: Simplify network management through centralized control and automation, reducing your operational costs and complexity.
6. Versa Secure SD-WAN
Versa Networks’ Secure SD-WAN solution integrates advanced security, routing, and analytics into a single software platform. It provides comprehensive visibility and control for optimal application performance and security.
Key features
- Integrated security: Combines next-generation firewall, unified threat management, and secure web gateway functionalities to protect the network.
- Advanced routing: Offers robust routing capabilities, including support for dynamic routing protocols and policy-based routing.
- Comprehensive analytics: Provides detailed insights into application performance, security events, and network usage, enabling informed decision-making.
Use cases
- Secure branch connectivity: Connects branch offices securely to the corporate network for consistent security policies across all locations.
- Application optimization: Optimize performance for your critical applications through intelligent traffic steering and QoS policies.
- Cost reduction: Reduce your reliance on expensive MPLS circuits by leveraging MVE derived connections using Virtual Cross Connects (VXCs), lowering operational costs.
Optimize your SD-WAN with Network Function Virtualization
Selecting the best SD-WAN solution for your business depends on your specific organizational needs, existing infrastructure, and desired outcomes. Whichever vendor you use, the integration of these leading SD-WAN solutions with MVE offers a flexible and easy way to modernize your network architecture.
By deploying the above vendor SD-WAN images on MVE, you can extend your SD-WAN fabric to the cloud for secure and efficient connectivity. This integration makes your network more agile and simplifies the deployment of SD-WAN services across distributed environments.
Using Megaport’s global software-defined network, you’ll get high-performance connectivity to cloud services and data centers for faster and smoother application performance and user experience. Plus, you’ll have an expedited path to branch offices on internet circuits, direct from key network locations where MVE is deployed around the globe.
Integrating your SD-WAN solutions with Megaport Virtual Edge unlocks a powerful combination of advanced networking capabilities and a global, high-performance network infrastructure. By using MVE, businesses can rapidly deploy virtual network functions, improve application performance, and enhance security across their network.
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