# Best SD-WAN Solutions *By [Tian Lin](https://research.g2.com/insights/author/tian-lin)* SD-WAN is a hybrid application of software-defined networking (SDN) and wide area network (WAN) connectors. Companies use SD-WAN solutions to link enterprise networks across large geographic areas. Businesses can connect remote offices and employees to securely deliver applications and information. These products eliminate a fair amount of hardware and service costs required to connect services through the cloud. The tools secure internet connections between end users and cloud-based applications. Many also provide virtualization features to enhance security even more through [virtual private networks (VPN)](https://www.g2.com/categories/virtual-private-network-vpn). These tools can also improve the quality and security of communications tools like [voice over internet protocol (VoIP)](https://www.g2.com/categories/voip), [web conferencing](https://www.g2.com/categories/web-conferencing), and [audio conferencing](https://www.g2.com/categories/audiconferencing) software solutions. SD-WAN solutions are related to a lot of [other IT infrastructure](https://www.g2.com/categories/other-it-infrastructure) software, but have a unique set of characteristics and uses that set them apart. These dynamic software tools fulfill a range of network security, application optimization, and IT administration needs. To qualify for inclusion in the SD-WAN category, a product must: - Support multiple WAN connectors - Ability to support VPNs, firewalls, or web gateways - Link SDN and WAN connectors - Sync networks across long distances ## Category Overview **Total Products under this Category:** 90 ## Trust & Credibility Stats **Why You Can Trust G2's Software Rankings:** - 30 Analysts and Data Experts - 1,300+ Authentic Reviews - 90+ Products - Unbiased Rankings G2's software rankings are built on verified user reviews, rigorous moderation, and a consistent research methodology maintained by a team of analysts and data experts. Each product is measured using the same transparent criteria, with no paid placement or vendor influence. While reviews reflect real user experiences, which can be subjective, they offer valuable insight into how software performs in the hands of professionals. Together, these inputs power the G2 Score, a standardized way to compare tools within every category. ## Best SD-WAN Solutions At A Glance - **Leader:** [Prisma SD-WAN](https://www.g2.com/products/prisma-sd-wan/reviews) - **Highest Performer:** [Bigleaf Networks](https://www.g2.com/products/bigleaf-networks/reviews) - **Easiest to Use:** [Aryaka Networks](https://www.g2.com/products/aryaka-networks/reviews) - **Top Trending:** [Cato SASE Cloud](https://www.g2.com/products/cato-networks-cato-sase-cloud/reviews) - **Best Free Software:** [Ericsson Enterprise Wireless Solutions](https://www.g2.com/products/ericsson-enterprise-wireless-solutions/reviews) ## Top-Rated Products (Ranked by G2 Score) ### 1. [Prisma SD-WAN](https://www.g2.com/products/prisma-sd-wan/reviews) Prisma SD-WAN is an application-aware SD-WAN solution that delivers end-to-end application assurance for all applications by accurately identifying apps up to layer 7 to provide direct-to-app access, intelligent traffic engineering, and prioritization based on application SLAs. It natively integrates with Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access - a cloud-delivered security services edge to provide the industry’s most comprehensive SASE solution that protects all users, apps and devices and simplifies branch operations with complete visibility and AI-powered ops. **Average Rating:** 4.2/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 64 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Ease of Use:** 8.1/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 8.2/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 8.4/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Quality of Support:** 8.4/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Palo Alto Networks](https://www.g2.com/sellers/palo-alto-networks) - **Year Founded:** 2005 - **HQ Location:** Santa Clara, CA - **Twitter:** @PaloAltoNtwks (128,686 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/30086/ (21,355 employees on LinkedIn®) - **Ownership:** NYSE: PANW **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Top Industries:** Computer & Network Security, Information Technology and Services - **Company Size:** 41% Mid-Market, 30% Enterprise #### Pros & Cons **Pros:** - Ease of Use (1 reviews) - Security (1 reviews) **Cons:** - Connection Issues (1 reviews) ### 2. [Aryaka Networks](https://www.g2.com/products/aryaka-networks/reviews) Aryaka Networks is the leader in delivering Unified SASE as a Service, the only solution designed to provide performance, agility, simplicity, and security without compromise. Aryaka's platform integrates networking and security into a single, cloud-delivered service, enabling enterprises to modernize, optimize, and transform their environments seamlessly. With flexible delivery options, Aryaka empowers organizations to implement and manage their solutions according to their unique needs. Trusted by hundreds of global enterprises, including several Fortune 100 companies, Aryaka provides cutting-edge software-defined networking and security services. For more information, please visit www.aryaka.com<http:></http:>. **Average Rating:** 4.6/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 73 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Ease of Use:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 9.2/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Quality of Support:** 9.3/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Aryaka Networks](https://www.g2.com/sellers/aryaka-networks) - **Company Website:** https://www.aryaka.com - **Year Founded:** 2009 - **HQ Location:** Santa Clara - **Twitter:** @AryakaNetworks (12,096 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/304863/ (572 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Top Industries:** Manufacturing, Airlines/Aviation - **Company Size:** 58% Mid-Market, 42% Enterprise ### 3. [Cisco Meraki](https://www.g2.com/products/cisco-meraki/reviews) Cisco Meraki is a cloud-managed IT solutions provider that simplifies the management of complex networks through a centralized, web-based dashboard. Their comprehensive product portfolio includes wireless access points, switches, security appliances, and IoT devices, all designed to deliver secure, scalable, and high-performance networking experiences. Key Features and Functionality: - Cloud-Managed Access: Meraki's wireless access points and switches enable seamless connectivity for users, devices, and applications, ensuring robust security and simplified management from the edge to the cloud. - Software-Defined WAN (SD-WAN): Their SD-WAN solutions connect users and sites to applications over wide area networks without compromising security, speed, or user experience. - Connected IoT Solutions: Meraki offers smart cameras and sensors that create intuitive and secure experiences for various environments, including workplaces and educational institutions. - Centralized Management: The Meraki dashboard provides a unified platform to monitor, manage, and optimize the entire network infrastructure, offering real-time visibility and control. Primary Value and User Solutions: Cisco Meraki addresses the challenges of managing complex IT infrastructures by offering a cloud-first platform that simplifies deployment, monitoring, and troubleshooting. By integrating networking and security capabilities, Meraki enables organizations to deliver exceptional network experiences, enhance operational efficiency, and adapt to evolving business needs with agility. This approach reduces operational expenses and allows IT teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than routine maintenance tasks. **Average Rating:** 4.3/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 200 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Ease of Use:** 9.1/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 9.2/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 8.7/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Quality of Support:** 8.4/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Cisco](https://www.g2.com/sellers/cisco) - **Year Founded:** 1984 - **HQ Location:** San Jose, CA - **Twitter:** @Cisco (721,388 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/cisco/ (95,742 employees on LinkedIn®) - **Ownership:** NASDAQ:CSCO **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Who Uses This:** IT Manager, Network Engineer - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services, Hospital & Health Care - **Company Size:** 62% Mid-Market, 20% Small-Business #### Pros & Cons **Pros:** - Ease of Use (7 reviews) - Device Management (6 reviews) - Features (6 reviews) - Security (6 reviews) - Deployment Ease (5 reviews) **Cons:** - Expensive (7 reviews) - Limited Customization (3 reviews) - Connection Issues (2 reviews) - Lacking Features (2 reviews) - Licensing Issues (2 reviews) ### 4. [Check Point SASE](https://www.g2.com/products/check-point-sase/reviews) The internet is the new corporate network, leading organizations to transition to their network security to Secure Access Service Edge (SASE). However, current solutions break the user experience with slow connections and complex management. Check Point SASE is a game-changing solution that delivers 10x faster internet security, SaaS Security, and full mesh Zero Trust Access and optimized SD-WAN performance—all with an emphasis on streamlined management. Combining innovative on-device and cloud-delivered network protections, Check Point SASE offers a local browsing experience with tighter security and privacy, and an identity-centric zero trust access policy that accommodates everyone: employees, BYOD and third parties. Its SD-WAN solution unifies industry-leading threat prevention with optimized connectivity, automated steering for over 10,000 applications and seamless link failover for uninterrupted web conferencing. Using Check Point SASE, business can build a secure corporate network over a private global backbone in less than an hour. The service is managed from a unified console and is backed by an award-winning global support team that has you covered 24/7. **Average Rating:** 4.5/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 210 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Ease of Use:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Quality of Support:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Check Point Software Technologies](https://www.g2.com/sellers/check-point-software-technologies) - **Company Website:** https://www.checkpoint.com/ - **Year Founded:** 1993 - **HQ Location:** Redwood City, CA - **Twitter:** @CheckPointSW (70,978 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/check-point-software-technologies/ (8,356 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services, Computer & Network Security - **Company Size:** 46% Mid-Market, 36% Small-Business #### Pros & Cons **Pros:** - Security (46 reviews) - Ease of Use (39 reviews) - Secure Access (34 reviews) - Protection (26 reviews) - Reliability (25 reviews) **Cons:** - Complex Implementation (28 reviews) - Complex Configuration (24 reviews) - Complex Setup (22 reviews) - Expensive (17 reviews) - Learning Curve (17 reviews) ### 5. [Cato SASE Cloud](https://www.g2.com/products/cato-networks-cato-sase-cloud/reviews) Cato provides the world’s leading single-vendor SASE platform. Cato creates a seamless and elegant customer experience that effortlessly enables threat prevention, data protection, and timely incident detection and response. Using Cato, businesses easily replace costly and rigid legacy infrastructure with an open and modular SASE architecture based on SD-WAN, a purpose-built global cloud network, and an embedded cloud-native security stack **Average Rating:** 4.5/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 80 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Ease of Use:** 9.1/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Quality of Support:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Cato Networks](https://www.g2.com/sellers/cato-networks) - **Company Website:** https://www.catonetworks.com - **Year Founded:** 2015 - **HQ Location:** Tel-Aviv, Israel - **Twitter:** @CatoNetworks (12,664 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/3533853/ (1,479 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services, Financial Services - **Company Size:** 55% Mid-Market, 23% Enterprise #### Pros & Cons **Pros:** - Ease of Use (5 reviews) - Customer Support (4 reviews) - Reliability (4 reviews) - Threat Protection (4 reviews) - Deployment Ease (3 reviews) **Cons:** - Limited Features (3 reviews) - Connection Issues (2 reviews) - Expensive (2 reviews) - Compatibility Issues (1 reviews) - Expensive Licensing (1 reviews) ### 6. [Dell Virtual Edge Platform 4600](https://www.g2.com/products/dell-virtual-edge-platform-4600/reviews) The VEP4600 is a Universal CPE (uCPE) and is ideal for hosting SD-WAN and other VNFs (virtual network functions), with applicability for the SP Edge and Enterprise Branch. **Average Rating:** 4.1/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 10 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Ease of Use:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 10.0/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Quality of Support:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Dell Technologies](https://www.g2.com/sellers/dell-technologies-decced23-0884-427d-88d4-718c9d1d4ea6) - **Year Founded:** 1984 - **HQ Location:** Round Rock, TX - **Twitter:** @Dell (795,585 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/delltechnologies/ (123,563 employees on LinkedIn®) - **Ownership:** NYSE: DELL **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Company Size:** 40% Small-Business, 40% Mid-Market ### 7. [FortiGate SD-WAN](https://www.g2.com/products/fortigate-sd-wan/reviews) FortiGate SD-WAN is a comprehensive solution that integrates software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) capabilities with advanced security features into a single platform. Designed to enhance network performance and security, it enables organizations to manage and optimize their WAN infrastructure efficiently. Key Features and Functionality: - Integrated Security and Networking: Combines SD-WAN functionalities with next-generation firewall (NGFW) security, intrusion prevention, and secure web gateway services, eliminating the need for separate security appliances at branch locations. - High Performance: Utilizes purpose-built ASIC processors to deliver accelerated performance for application identification, steering, and overlay performance, ensuring low latency and optimal user experience for business-critical applications. - Flexible Deployment Options: Available in various form factors, including physical appliances and virtual machines, to accommodate diverse branch sizes and bandwidth requirements. - Centralized Management: Offers single-pane-of-glass management through FortiManager, simplifying operations and providing unified visibility and control over the entire network. - Advanced Routing and WAN Optimization: Supports advanced routing protocols and WAN optimization techniques, such as protocol optimization and caching, to enhance application performance and bandwidth efficiency. Primary Value and Solutions Provided: FortiGate SD-WAN addresses the challenges of modern WAN management by reducing operational costs, simplifying network complexity, and improving application performance. By integrating security and networking functions, it ensures consistent policy enforcement and protection against cyber threats across all WAN connections. The solution's high-performance capabilities and flexible deployment options make it suitable for organizations transitioning from traditional MPLS to broadband, seeking to enhance their network agility and user experience without compromising security. **Average Rating:** 4.6/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 44 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Ease of Use:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 9.3/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Quality of Support:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Fortinet](https://www.g2.com/sellers/fortinet) - **Year Founded:** 2000 - **HQ Location:** Sunnyvale, CA - **Twitter:** @Fortinet (151,464 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/6460/ (16,112 employees on LinkedIn®) - **Ownership:** NASDAQ: FTNT **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Who Uses This:** Network Engineer - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services, Computer & Network Security - **Company Size:** 54% Mid-Market, 32% Enterprise #### Pros & Cons **Pros:** - Management Ease (2 reviews) - Affordable Pricing (1 reviews) - Automation (1 reviews) - Ease of Use (1 reviews) - Reliability (1 reviews) **Cons:** - Complex Implementation (2 reviews) - Expensive (1 reviews) - Limited Customization (1 reviews) ### 8. [Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN](https://www.g2.com/products/cisco-catalyst-sd-wan/reviews) Cisco SD-WAN gives users the ability to manage connectivity across their WAN from a single dashboard that simplifies day to day monitoring and operations. Cisco SD-WAN can be cloud-managed or deployed on premise offering comprehensive routing, security and policy control, along with advanced analytics with the flexibility to connect to multiple clouds with greater speed, reliability, and efficiency. It can be deployed across a small number of locations or easily scales to thousands of locations across all major industries, globally. **Average Rating:** 4.4/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 79 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Ease of Use:** 9.1/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 9.3/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Quality of Support:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Cisco](https://www.g2.com/sellers/cisco) - **Year Founded:** 1984 - **HQ Location:** San Jose, CA - **Twitter:** @Cisco (721,388 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/cisco/ (95,742 employees on LinkedIn®) - **Ownership:** NASDAQ:CSCO **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Who Uses This:** Network Engineer - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services, Hospital & Health Care - **Company Size:** 43% Mid-Market, 41% Enterprise ### 9. [Bigleaf Networks](https://www.g2.com/products/bigleaf-networks/reviews) Bigleaf is a hybrid WAN internet connectivity solution designed to help organizations optimize their network performance and maintain reliable internet access. This innovative platform simplifies the complexities often associated with internet connectivity, offering a suite of services that include network optimization and 5G wireless solutions. Tailored specifically for IT professionals and their organizations, Bigleaf empowers users to conduct business online with confidence, ensuring that connectivity issues do not hinder productivity. Targeted primarily at IT departments and organizations that rely heavily on internet-based applications, Bigleaf effectively addresses common challenges such as circuit degradation and outages. Its seamless integration with existing firewalls, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and various applications allows for a straightforward installation process. Users can quickly benefit from its capabilities without extensive downtime. Once implemented, Bigleaf operates autonomously, continuously monitoring and optimizing network performance, which alleviates the need for constant oversight from IT staff. Key features of Bigleaf include its advanced traffic management techniques, which prioritize critical applications to preserve performance even during adverse conditions, such as internet circuit failures. This ensures that essential business functions remain operational, providing peace of mind to organizations that depend on uninterrupted connectivity. Additionally, Bigleaf's user-friendly design allows for deployment with minimal disruption to daily operations, making it an attractive option for businesses looking to enhance their network infrastructure without significant investment in new hardware. The benefits of using Bigleaf extend beyond just maintaining internet access. By optimizing network performance, organizations can enhance user productivity and improve the overall experience for both employees and customers. The service footprint spans North America, positioning Bigleaf to support a diverse range of businesses, from small enterprises to larger corporations. Its commitment to providing reliable and efficient internet connectivity solutions makes Bigleaf a valuable partner for organizations navigating the complexities of modern digital business environments. By leveraging existing infrastructure while enhancing connectivity, Bigleaf stands out as a comprehensive solution for today's connectivity challenges. **Average Rating:** 4.8/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 79 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Ease of Use:** 9.7/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 9.6/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 9.3/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Quality of Support:** 9.6/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Bigleaf Networks](https://www.g2.com/sellers/bigleaf-networks) - **Company Website:** https://www.bigleaf.net - **Year Founded:** 2012 - **HQ Location:** Tigard, US - **Twitter:** @BigleafNetworks (545 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/bigleaf-networks/ (69 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Who Uses This:** President - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services, Telecommunications - **Company Size:** 59% Small-Business, 37% Mid-Market ### 10. [Barracuda CloudGen Firewall](https://www.g2.com/products/barracuda-cloudgen-firewall/reviews) Barracuda's Cloud Generation Firewalls redefine the role of the Firewall from a perimeter security solution to a distributed network optimization solution that scales across any number of locations and applications, connects on-premises and cloud infrastructures, and helps organizations transform their business. **Average Rating:** 4.5/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 50 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Ease of Use:** 8.5/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 9.4/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Quality of Support:** 9.1/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Barracuda](https://www.g2.com/sellers/barracuda) - **Year Founded:** 2002 - **HQ Location:** Campbell, CA - **Twitter:** @Barracuda (15,235 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/barracuda-networks/ (2,229 employees on LinkedIn®) - **Ownership:** Private **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services - **Company Size:** 56% Mid-Market, 24% Enterprise #### Pros & Cons **Pros:** - Centralized Management (2 reviews) - Features (2 reviews) - Network Connectivity (2 reviews) - Versatility (2 reviews) - Advanced Security (1 reviews) **Cons:** - Complex Configuration (2 reviews) - Compatibility Issues (1 reviews) - Complexity (1 reviews) - Dependency Issues (1 reviews) - Expensive (1 reviews) ### 11. [VeloCloud SD-WAN](https://www.g2.com/products/velocloud-sd-wan/reviews) VeloCloud provides cloud based software-defined wide area networking solutions. **Average Rating:** 4.7/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 12 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Ease of Use:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Quality of Support:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Arista Networks](https://www.g2.com/sellers/arista-networks-39d4d864-54b5-4f9b-bebc-dc5cf72757ca) - **Year Founded:** 2004 - **HQ Location:** Santa Clara, US - **Twitter:** @arista_channels (2,447 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/80069/ (5,422 employees on LinkedIn®) - **Ownership:** NYSE:ANET **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Top Industries:** Telecommunications - **Company Size:** 58% Enterprise, 25% Mid-Market ### 12. [Symantec SSL Visibility](https://www.g2.com/products/symantec-ssl-visibility/reviews) Caching web and video to save on bandwidth, reduce backhaul and accelerate content for an improved user experience **Average Rating:** 4.3/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 19 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Ease of Use:** 8.6/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Quality of Support:** 8.5/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Broadcom](https://www.g2.com/sellers/broadcom-ab3091cd-4724-46a8-ac89-219d6bc8e166) - **Year Founded:** 1991 - **HQ Location:** San Jose, CA - **Twitter:** @broadcom (63,117 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/broadcom/ (55,707 employees on LinkedIn®) - **Ownership:** NASDAQ: CA **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services - **Company Size:** 50% Enterprise, 30% Mid-Market #### Pros & Cons **Pros:** - Affordable (1 reviews) - Ease of Use (1 reviews) - Security Protection (1 reviews) **Cons:** - Slow Performance (2 reviews) ### 13. [FatPipe SD-WAN](https://www.g2.com/products/fatpipe-sd-wan/reviews) FatPipe SD-WAN is a leading software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) solution that transforms enterprise connectivity with advanced features like dynamic path selection, load balancing, and seamless failover. It’s engineered to enhance application performance, optimize bandwidth usage, and provide uninterrupted network reliability for businesses with distributed locations. With patented technology, FatPipe SD-WAN supports hybrid WAN environments, enabling secure, scalable, and cost-efficient networking for cloud and on-premises deployments. **Average Rating:** 4.5/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 11 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Ease of Use:** 8.7/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Quality of Support:** 9.2/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [FatPipe Networks](https://www.g2.com/sellers/fatpipe-networks) - **Year Founded:** 1989 - **HQ Location:** Salt Lake City, Utah - **Twitter:** @fatpipe_inc (1,075 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/35943 (261 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Company Size:** 45% Small-Business, 27% Mid-Market ### 14. [Aruba EdgeConnect](https://www.g2.com/products/aruba-edgeconnect/reviews) Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN solution is designed to enable enterprises to reduce cost and complexity of WANs. **Average Rating:** 4.4/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 13 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Ease of Use:** 8.5/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 8.1/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Quality of Support:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company](https://www.g2.com/sellers/aruba-a-hewlett-packard-enterprise-company) - **HQ Location:** Santa Clara, California - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/aruba-a-hewlett-packard-enterprise-company/ (5,118 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Company Size:** 50% Mid-Market, 44% Enterprise ### 15. [Cisco vManage](https://www.g2.com/products/cisco-vmanage/reviews) We securely connect everything to make anything possible. **Average Rating:** 4.3/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 12 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Ease of Use:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 7.8/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Quality of Support:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Cisco](https://www.g2.com/sellers/cisco) - **Year Founded:** 1984 - **HQ Location:** San Jose, CA - **Twitter:** @Cisco (721,388 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/cisco/ (95,742 employees on LinkedIn®) - **Ownership:** NASDAQ:CSCO **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Company Size:** 50% Enterprise, 25% Small-Business ### 16. [Oracle SD-WAN](https://www.g2.com/products/oracle-sd-wan/reviews) The Oracle SD-WAN delivers a reliable high performing network for business critical Services. Business outcomes are highly dependent on availability and performance of enterprise critical services that span across geographies. Employee productivity is dependent upon constant availability and responsiveness of remote services from their location. In order to provide the highest customers satisfaction, services are highly dependent on the ability to deliver the services consistently and reliably even when infrastructure is compromised. The cost of operating and maintaining business critical infrastructure is highly corelated to the infrastructure’s ability to self maintain and self heal. The Oracle SD-WAN reduces the operational burden of provisioning, administrating, and monitoring the IT networks, as well as providing a safe and secure network from clouds to data centers to the edge. **Average Rating:** 4.4/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 27 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Ease of Use:** 8.1/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Quality of Support:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Oracle](https://www.g2.com/sellers/oracle) - **Year Founded:** 1977 - **HQ Location:** Austin, TX - **Twitter:** @Oracle (827,310 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/1028/ (199,301 employees on LinkedIn®) - **Ownership:** NYSE:ORCL **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Company Size:** 55% Enterprise, 34% Mid-Market ### 17. [Fusion Connect: Modern Connectivity and Communications Solutions](https://www.g2.com/products/fusion-connect-modern-connectivity-and-communications-solutions/reviews) Fusion Connect, an industry leading cloud communications provider, removes complexity so customers can focus on running their business. We use our technical expertise and industry know-how to build the ‘right-fit’ communications and collaboration solutions for our customers, be it managed connectivity and network access, UCaaS, CCaaS, SD-WAN, managed security, or Microsoft Teams. Fusion Connect, a Morgan Stanley Company, takes a unique customer-first approach to building, implementing, and supporting customized solutions with uptime performance backed by an industry-leading service guarantee. **Average Rating:** 4.3/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 64 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Ease of Use:** 8.4/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 8.5/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 8.5/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Quality of Support:** 8.7/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Fusion Connect](https://www.g2.com/sellers/fusion-connect) - **Company Website:** https://www.fusionconnect.com - **Year Founded:** 2003 - **HQ Location:** Atlanta, Georgia, United States - **Twitter:** @FusionConnectSM (1,115 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/63248/ (1,619 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Top Industries:** Non-Profit Organization Management, Restaurants - **Company Size:** 36% Small-Business, 34% Mid-Market #### Pros & Cons **Pros:** - Helpful (31 reviews) - Customer Support (25 reviews) - Ease of Use (16 reviews) - Reliability (16 reviews) - Customer Service (14 reviews) **Cons:** - Poor Customer Support (12 reviews) - Customer Service (11 reviews) - Billing Issues (8 reviews) - Account Management (6 reviews) - Complex Processes (6 reviews) ### 18. [Check Point Quantum Edge](https://www.g2.com/products/check-point-quantum-edge/reviews) CloudGuard Edge protects branch offices on-premise with top-rated Threat Prevention, that can be deployed in minutes, and be managed by a unified threat prevention and access platform. **Average Rating:** 3.9/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 14 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Ease of Use:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 8.1/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 8.1/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Quality of Support:** 7.4/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Check Point Software Technologies](https://www.g2.com/sellers/check-point-software-technologies) - **Year Founded:** 1993 - **HQ Location:** Redwood City, CA - **Twitter:** @CheckPointSW (70,978 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/check-point-software-technologies/ (8,356 employees on LinkedIn®) - **Ownership:** NASDAQ:CHKP **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Company Size:** 50% Mid-Market, 36% Small-Business ### 19. [Ericsson Enterprise Wireless Solutions](https://www.g2.com/products/ericsson-enterprise-wireless-solutions/reviews) Ericsson Enterprise Wireless Solutions enables enterprises to take advantage of cellular connectivity through its Cradlepoint LTE and 5G Wireless WAN routers. Through the NetCloud platform, these routers are configured, managed, and monitored, with SD‑WAN and zero trust networking capabilities applied to support secure and reliable connectivity across distributed and mobile environments, including sites, vehicles, and IoT deployments. **Average Rating:** 4.6/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 40 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Ease of Use:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 9.4/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Quality of Support:** 9.1/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Ericsson Enterprise Wireless Solutions](https://www.g2.com/sellers/ericsson-enterprise-wireless-solutions) - **Year Founded:** 2006 - **HQ Location:** Boise, ID - **Twitter:** @EricssonEnt (4,797 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/ericsson-enterprise-wireless/ (1 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services - **Company Size:** 46% Mid-Market, 27% Enterprise ### 20. [Telia SD-WAN](https://www.g2.com/products/telia-sd-wan/reviews) The world’s best-connected global SD-WAN service. Build a resilient overlay, a stable underlay, and everything in-between. **Average Rating:** 4.4/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 10 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Ease of Use:** 8.6/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 7.8/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Quality of Support:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Arelion](https://www.g2.com/sellers/arelion) - **HQ Location:** Stockholm, Solna - **Twitter:** @TeliaCompany (4,618 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/1176523 (593 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Company Size:** 40% Mid-Market, 40% Enterprise ### 21. [Command|Link](https://www.g2.com/products/command-link/reviews) ONE platform to manage your SD-WAN, UCaaS, CaaS, firewalls, MPLS, network, switches, IP phones, installs, trouble tickets, bills, and network performance across the entire globe Complete control of your technology stack without interference or dependency on vendors Increase agent efficiency and speed up issue resolution using CommandLink's proprietary ITSM Streamline IT support with automated software-enabled support workflows Shape service experiences for employees anywhere with full transparency at the most granular level Make real-time moves, adds, changes without picking up the phone Analyze and control bandwidth traffic by application, port, IP, and or protocol. Enable real-time, dynamic, and pre-scheduled bandwidth modifications as often as you like. Direct communication with your tier 3 engineering POD, enabling you to scale your IT infrastructure without headcount and especially without headaches Deliver high-quality services proactively and at scale with real-time analytics and reports If you need access to third party apps like ServiceNow, the CommandLink API enables streaming push and pull functions with any API enabled app. **Average Rating:** 4.8/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 20 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Ease of Use:** 9.4/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 9.5/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 9.6/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Quality of Support:** 9.7/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [CommandLink](https://www.g2.com/sellers/commandlink) - **Year Founded:** 2012 - **HQ Location:** Bothell, Washington, United States - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/commandlink (277 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Company Size:** 55% Mid-Market, 35% Enterprise #### Pros & Cons **Pros:** - Customer Support (13 reviews) - Response Time (9 reviews) - Reliability (6 reviews) - Robust Support (5 reviews) - Ease of Use (4 reviews) **Cons:** - Limited Features (4 reviews) - Communication Issues (3 reviews) - Insufficient Information (3 reviews) - Lack of Features (2 reviews) - Poor Support Services (2 reviews) ### 22. [Lumen SD-WAN](https://www.g2.com/products/lumen-sd-wan/reviews) CenturyLink® SD-WAN solutions integrate disparate connectivity types into a seamless hybrid software-defined WAN for complete visibility and enhanced performance of your entire network ecosystem through a centralized customer portal.​ CenturyLink was recently recognized with the Frost and Sullivan Innovation and Leadership Award for SD-WAN in North America to go along with our 2017 MEF Award as the Best SD-WAN Managed Service of the Year, Worldwide. CenturyLink® SD-WAN with hybrid connectivity is a complete WAN solution to support secure, scalable networks across a full range of connectivity types. Our SD-WAN solutions integrates disparate connectivity types into a seamless hybrid software-defined WAN. It utilizes aggregated and customer provided circuits including a mix of MPLS, Dedicated Internet, low cost Broadband Internet, LTE based on your site and application requirements. &nbsp;SD-WAN gives you complete visibility of the entire WAN through a centralized customer portal. &nbsp;Branches can get out to the internet/cloud directly without having to hairpin through a central HQ, for improved performance. CenturyLink SD-WAN can help improve application performance features like application-aware routing and QoS.​ CenturyLink was recently recognized with the Frost and Sullivan Innovation and Leadership Award for SD-WAN in North America to go along with&nbsp;the 2017&nbsp;MEF Award as the Best SD-WAN Managed Service of the Year, Worldwide. We offer Complete Managed / Co- Managed Global Hybrid Network Solution​s including: • WAN design, deployment, initial configuration, site activation, 24/7 support​ • Multiple CPE options, including x86 with SD-WAN software provided ​ • Flexible transport options: MPLS, Broadband, LTE, Internet or BYON​ • Centralized administration control via CenturyLink portal​ Security​ • Authentication, key exchange and encryption​ • Advanced security options: Built-In next-generation firewall, Dashboards and analytics and Detailed event logs ​ Application Performance​ • Automatic, customer and pre-defined identification for 2,800+ applications for policy-based control​ • Application QOS: Prioritization, Policing and Shaping & Marking​ • Optimal Path Selection​ Analytics and Reporting Tools​ • Historical analytics and near real-time reporting​ • Appliance, circuit, policy, application and VRF utilization​ • SD-WAN availability, packet loss, jitter and latency performance​ • Near real-time visibility and troubleshooting tools **Average Rating:** 3.3/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 10 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Ease of Use:** 6.7/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 6.1/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 6.1/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Quality of Support:** 6.3/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Lumen Technologies](https://www.g2.com/sellers/lumen-technologies) - **Year Founded:** 1930 - **HQ Location:** Monroe, LA - **Twitter:** @lumentechco (9,142 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/lumentechnologies/ (50,002 employees on LinkedIn®) - **Ownership:** NYSE:LUMN **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Company Size:** 80% Mid-Market, 10% Small-Business ### 23. [Versa SASE](https://www.g2.com/products/versa-networks-versa-sase/reviews) Versa SASE is a cloud-native, multi-tenant, multi-service software for a software defined network. **Average Rating:** 4.7/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 10 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Ease of Use:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 9.3/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Quality of Support:** 8.7/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Versa Networks](https://www.g2.com/sellers/versa-networks) - **Year Founded:** 2012 - **HQ Location:** Santa Clara - **Twitter:** @versanetworks (27,880 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/2746392 (871 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services - **Company Size:** 46% Enterprise, 46% Mid-Market #### Pros & Cons **Pros:** - Ease of Use (1 reviews) - Efficiency (1 reviews) - Reliability (1 reviews) - Security (1 reviews) - Speed (1 reviews) **Cons:** - Connection Issues (1 reviews) - Performance Issues (1 reviews) - Technical Issues (1 reviews) ### 24. [Wanify SD-WAN](https://www.g2.com/products/wanify-sd-wan/reviews) The Technology behind Wanify: Wanify leverages multiple best of breed technologies to deliver enterprise class SDWAN solutions. VeloCloud cloud-delivered SD-WAN enables you to support application growth, network agility, and simplified branch implementations while delivering optimized access to cloud data centers and applications. All at a price that works for you. The Wanify Experience: There are more than enough SD-WAN solutions on the market to choose from, but not all solutions are created equal. That’s why we bring you the unique experience of getting a flexible network without having to work with inflexible carriers. We have partnered with the leading SD-WAN provider, VeloCloud. And we have the resources to manage all your internet providers, too. The Wanify Promise: We’ve heard time and again that the big carriers are unresponsive and don’t provide the level of customer support that’s needed. Instead of going directly to a carrier for SD-WAN, work with Wanify. We will manage the entire solution for you and provide you with personalized support and a 24/7 dedicated contact. **Average Rating:** 4.7/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 9 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Ease of Use:** 9.8/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 10.0/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 9.2/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Quality of Support:** 9.3/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Wanify](https://www.g2.com/sellers/wanify) - **HQ Location:** Huntington Beach, US - **Twitter:** @wanifytech (9 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/24798260/ (1 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Company Size:** 60% Mid-Market, 20% Enterprise ### 25. [Barracuda SecureEdge](https://www.g2.com/products/barracuda-secureedge/reviews) Barracuda’s cloud-first SASE platform enables businesses to control access to data from any device, anytime, anywhere, and allows security inspection and policy enforcement in the cloud, at the branch, or on the device. Barracuda SecureEdge delivers enterprise-grade security including Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), Firewall-as-a-Service, web security, and fully integrated office connectivity with Secure SD-WAN. **Average Rating:** 4.4/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 15 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Ease of Use:** 8.1/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 9.3/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Quality of Support:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Barracuda](https://www.g2.com/sellers/barracuda) - **Year Founded:** 2002 - **HQ Location:** Campbell, CA - **Twitter:** @Barracuda (15,235 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/barracuda-networks/ (2,229 employees on LinkedIn®) - **Ownership:** Private **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Company Size:** 73% Mid-Market, 13% Small-Business ## Parent Category [IT Management Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/it-management) ## Related Categories - [WAN Edge Infrastructure Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/wan-edge-infrastructure) - [Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platforms](https://www.g2.com/categories/secure-access-service-edge-sase-platforms) - [Secure Service Edge (SSE) Solutions](https://www.g2.com/categories/secure-service-edge-sse-solutions) --- ## Buyer Guide ### What You Should Know About SD-WAN Solutions ### What are SD-WAN Solutions? SD-WAN is a wide area network (WAN) architecture used to connect users to applications safely and reduce network management costs. It aids in virtualizing the WAN with centralized control to deploy and manage branch-office services. WAN functionality typically helps to establish a connection between end-users at the workstation and server-based applications in the data center. Usually, dedicated [multiprotocol label switching (MPLS)](https://www.g2.com/articles/multiprotocol-label-switching) circuits were used to provide a secure and reliable connection. However, on the cloud, SD-WAN technology utilizes [virtual private networks](https://www.g2.com/categories/virtual-private-network-vpn) (VPN), internet, and wireless services. It helps reduce costs, optimize resources for multisite implementation, and ensure optimal performance of essential applications. **What Does SD-WAN Stand For?** SD-WAN stands for software-defined wide area network (or networking). WAN&nbsp; is a private telecom network that connects geographically distributed local area networks (LANs). SD-WAN solutions combine software-defined networking (SDN) with WAN connectors to help organizations connect corporate networks across vast geographic locations. #### What Types of SD-WAN Solutions Exist? The types of SD-WAN are differentiated based on their deployment. There are three types of SD-WAN:&nbsp;&nbsp; **On-premises SD-WAN solutions** An on-premises SD-WAN solution either replaces or increases the effectiveness of an existing private network. It is deployed within the organization's premises as an SD-WAN box, i.e., a plug-and-play router. The SD-WAN box helps in real-time congestion management and network performance optimization by regulating network data transfer at each site. This SD-WAN architecture connects not to a cloud gateway but to other organizational sites. Hence, it provides complete control over the SD-WAN controller environment.&nbsp; This architecture helps cut down cloud-enablement costs, provides multi-circuit load-balancing functionalities, aids real-time packet or traffic shaping, enhances WAN application performance, and supports disaster recovery (DR). **MPLS-based SD-WAN solutions** Multiprotocol label switching or MPLS-based SD-WAN architecture consists of multiple appliances placed at network endpoints. These tools create a virtual internet protocol (IP) network between appliances exclusive to the vendor, providing them with end-to-end control of network packets. While SD-WANs offer higher speed and bandwidth at lower costs, some companies utilize MPLS links. This is because MPLS links are network lines dedicated to a particular organization with a low risk of a data breach. **Cloud-enabled SD-WAN solutions** A cloud-enabled SD-WAN solution has an onsite SD-WAN box connecting to a cloud gateway. This architecture provides the advantages of an on-premises SD-WAN along with enhanced speed and reliability of cloud applications. If the organization’s internet circuit fails while using a cloud-based application, the gateway helps keep the cloud session active. Additionally, if the organization has an alternate internet circuit, the cloud-enabled SD-WAN can re-route the application on the cloud immediately to the alternate circuit, thereby preventing bottlenecks during the session. **What are the Common Features of SD-WAN solutions?** The following are some core features within SD-WAN software that can help users make the most of them: **Zero-touch provisioning** : Zero-touch provisioning (ZTP) is a standard feature on most SD-WAN devices. It automatically configures the device using a switch feature that helps IT teams efficiently deploy network devices in a large-scale environment. It eliminates the time, error, and cost of configuring the devices manually. All that is needed is an internet connection so the device can connect and auto-configure quickly, efficiently, and in a standardized manner. This happens through the use of predefined templates. **Data analytics** : Organizations want their SD-WAN architecture to provide real-time network analytics. This helps provide visibility into the applications running on the corporate network and assists in the timely detection of issues. Some solutions also offer historical logs, which help in diagnosing problems easily. It provides all information and control from a centralized dashboard. **Application-aware routing** : Cloud-based SD-WANs can bring high degrees of application intelligence. This is achieved through application-aware routing that outlines the paths applications need to take for better app monitoring and management. It enhances application reliability and consistency. SD-WAN solutions can be configured to emphasize business-critical applications and services and direct them via the most efficient route. Application-aware routing helps reduce bandwidth costs by efficiently balancing traffic among diverse circuits. Traffic is automatically directed to WAN links with the necessary network functionalities and path conditions to run these applications in real-time. ### What are the Benefits of SD-WAN Solutions? With organizations increasingly undergoing digital transformation, traditional network frameworks fall short while accommodating the complexities of most digital transformation initiatives. In such scenarios, SD-WAN benefits businesses in multiple ways, as listed below: **High-security level** : SD-WAN technology provides a robust connection with full-fledged security. It has built-in security features and encryption capabilities to ensure secure and authorized access to applications on a corporate network. In some instances, the functionality of SD-WAN can be extended to LAN connections of the branch office to enable its security features to protect locally deployed devices and secure direct connections to online resources.&nbsp; **Centralized management** : SD-WAN provides a policy-driven interface that centrally manages and audits all applications, irrespective of location. It simplifies the management of applications and their performance from a single point. Cloud-based SD-WAN offers integrated and centralized monitoring capabilities to manage and scale networks. **Automation** : Automation and self-managed protocols of SD-WAN come in handy, especially for small and mid-size businesses (SMBs), as it helps scale down the requirement for an external technical team. It offers automation capabilities, allowing network managers to configure and generate responses to dynamic network traffic conditions. For example, during instances of a dip in the voltage level of the electrical line, the inability of the network to switch over to a reliable backup system, or network congestion, SD-WAN facilitates the automatic switching of applications from one link to another. **Cloud connectivity:** The SD-WAN tool is beneficial in connecting the branch office traffic to the cloud. It allows employees direct access to cloud applications regardless of location without additional traffic burden to the core network. When using IaaS, a virtual instance of the SD-WAN router can be configured within the cloud service provider’s domain to give IT admins visibility into cloud applications. **Cost reduction** : With increased movement of applications and services to the cloud, SD-WAN helps in lowering bandwidth costs by efficiently balancing traffic among the diverse circuits ### Who Uses SD-WAN Solutions? The following personas most commonly use SD-WAN solutions. **Finance teams** : Companies that offer financial services rely heavily on secure and trustworthy network connections. Despite increasing cybersecurity risks, such organizations' network infrastructure is often compromised due to budget and other constraints. Multiple organizations flounder with outmoded VPN connections and complex, aging MPLS networks that no longer provide secure access to cloud-native applications. Modern SD-WAN solutions leverage internet broadband and 5G or LTE connections at a lower cost than expensive MPLS lines while providing the same benefits. The software also shields financial institutions against the loss of financial data by securely backing it up. **Manufacturers** : With digitalization, companies in the manufacturing sector are adopting smart manufacturing strategies, which necessitate manufacturers to migrate from traditional WAN to SD-WAN. A manufacturing business comprises warehouses, factories, and branch offices in diverse geographic locations. Manufacturers must be connected to suppliers and distributors to manage the supply chain. The SD-WAN technology adoption helps manufacturers scale quickly to meet business connectivity requirements. It enforces centralized management via an orchestration engine that ensures the optimum allocation of network resources and balances workloads. **Retailers** : Companies in the retail space have multiple branches in diverse locations that require connecting those locations into a singular network. It is imperative to ensure optimal performance and a high level of security of this network. Retail organizations transmit confidential data, such as customers' credit card details, which must be encrypted and protected. Retailers can use SD-WAN to improve the security of internal networks while also improving performance and speed. **Healthcare professionals** : Healthcare providers are now adjusting to the fact that patients may want direct access to their healthcare records to review their healthcare data. This would translate to granting individuals access to secure information, which must be done in a way that doesn’t violate security protocols. Additionally, the healthcare sector often has to connect with many third parties. The adoption of SD-WAN technology is crucial to accommodate such requirements for enhancing network security and connectivity. ### What are the Alternatives to SD-WAN Solutions? The following software is an alternative to SD-WAN that can replace this type of software, either partially or completely: [Virtual private network (VPN) software](https://www.g2.com/categories/virtual-private-network-vpn): A VPN is an encrypted server that ensures the safe transmission of data over the internet from a device to a network. It prevents unauthorized access and allows remote users to work securely. It enables employees to connect to the office network and view data on their devices while working remotely. It is a helpful tool to keep confidential information safe off-site. ### Challenges with SD-WAN Solutions While SD-WANs provide numerous advantages to businesses worldwide, they pose certain challenges, as listed below, which organizations must weigh before adopting this technology: **Technical issues** : By default, routers are designed to function without updates. However, SD-WAN routers require timely software updates, without which there may be instances of failure to work. This is a potential challenge in working with routers configured with SD-WAN architecture. **Lack of the right skill sets** : SD-WAN offers a fresh approach to WAN management and requires proper training for IT teams to ensure the smooth functioning of the system. This can be expensive for organizations with a low budget as IT departments need to allocate sufficient resources to train the technical teams on SD-WAN technology. **Security** : Though SD-WAN technology provides a layer of security, there is no denying that WANs represent certain security challenges as they are outward-facing and depend on transport outside the corporate firewall. SD-WAN technology lacks onsite security features, a data leak in one machine can adversely impact the whole organization. **​​Complexity** : Most companies looking to deploy an SD-WAN solution usually have WAN infrastructure in place. The SD-WAN will be an overlay in addition to the existing WAN infrastructure, which is the underlay. Re-architecting the WAN connections to enable smooth migration of applications to the SD-WAN increases complexities for the organization. ### How to Buy SD-WAN Solutions #### Requirements Gathering (RFI/RFP) for SD-WAN Solutions Whether a company is looking to purchase its first SD-WAN solution or upgrade to new WAN architecture—wherever a business is in its buying process, [g2.com](https://www.g2.com/categories/sd-wan) can help select the best SD-WAN solution. Choosing and deploying an SD-WAN solution can be a significant initiative for the organization, especially when multiple branch offices are located at diverse physical locations. A company can address various problems by migrating from a traditional WAN deployment to a software-defined WAN. An organization can evaluate the right software fit after determining the business goals it is trying to achieve by implementing this solution.&nbsp; Most importantly, an organization must determine whether it wants a do-it-yourself (DIY) solution or the SD-WAN service from a managed service provider (MSP). While organizations can purchase and deploy SD-WAN software from scratch to the end independently (DIY), they can also buy it as a managed service. Purchasing the service from an MSP helps save the time required for managing many of the minor tasks essential for supporting the service. Depending on the scope of the deployment, it might be helpful to produce an RFI, a one-page list with a few bullet points describing what is needed from the platform to have a successful deployment. #### Compare SD-WAN Software Products **Create a long list** Vendor evaluations are essential to the software buying process, from meeting the business functionality needs to implementation. Long lists are created by eliminating the options that do not align with the organization’s strategy. It is essential to put together a consistent list of questions to ask potential vendors keeping in mind the following considerations: - **Business requirements:** The organization must determine the purpose behind implementing SD-WAN architecture. For instance, if the organization wants to enhance the performance of various applications running on the corporate network, it must opt for SD-WAN vendors whose core strength lies in WAN optimization. If they are looking to tighten application and network security, vendor evaluation should be based on how security infrastructure is handled. Some vendors offer SD-WAN solutions with built-in security features, while others may not specifically address the organization’s security concerns with their product. So the buyer should select an offering that prioritizes security. If the concern is around deploying SD-WAN at multiple branch office locations within a limited period, they may opt for the services from an MSP.&nbsp; - **Integration with the existing framework:** Organizations expanding their operations through mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are required to rapidly integrate their new branch offices across diverse locations with the existing corporate WAN. Such organizations should look for a solution that enables such integrations faster than traditional VPN technologies while also comparing the cost implications of such solutions. - **Bandwidth requirements and traffic prioritization:** Balancing WAN traffic load is a crucial functionality of SD-WAN solutions. An important consideration while selecting the right solution is the organization’s WAN bandwidth requirement and how it will change in the future. In a fully managed service, buyers should look for SD-WAN service providers who ensure effective bandwidth management and prioritize traffic for each site and application through a single management pane.&nbsp; **Create a short list** From the long list of vendors, buyers should read user reviews, view ratings on the [G2 Grid®](https://www.g2.com/categories/sd-wan#grid) for the SD-WAN category, read useability ratings, and shorten the list of vendors in the G2 “My List” down to a handful. With this list, businesses can compare the functionalities offered by different vendors and the pricing structure of various solutions. **Conduct demos** Demos provide an opportunity to buyers to see how the SD-WAN solution works. While pre-recorded demonstrations and tutorials are available on the product webpage, it is lucrative to request the vendor for a live demo of the SD-WAN architecture to dive deep into their technical capabilities.&nbsp; Additionally, mapping out a draft deployment plan or proof of concept (PoC) is highly recommended before selecting a product as it provides a roadmap for subsequent activities and defines the resources required in each phase. A PoC should prove (or disprove) whether the technology matches the organization’s requirements.&nbsp; #### Selection of SD-WAN Solutions **Choose a selection team** Before getting started, creating a winning team that will work together throughout the entire process, from identifying pain points to implementation, is crucial. The software selection team should consist of organization members with the proper interest, skills, and time to participate in this process. A good starting point is to aim for three to five people who fill the required roles. This can include the primary decision maker, process owner, system owner or staffing subject matter expert, technical lead, and the network or security administrator. In smaller companies, the vendor selection team may not be that big, with fewer participants that multitask and take on more responsibilities. The selection team should compare notes, facts, and figures they recorded during the process, such as the availability of advanced capabilities, usability, and security features. **Negotiation** It is imperative to open up a conversation regarding pricing and licensing. For example, the vendor may be willing to provide a discount for multi-year contracts or to recommend the solution to others. **Final decision** After this stage, and before settling for the SD-WAN solution, it is recommended to roll out a test run or pilot program to test adoption with a small sample size of users. If the solution is well used and received, the buying organization can be confident that the selection is correct. If not, it might be time to re-evaluate offerings from other vendors. ### How Much Do SD-WAN Solutions Cost? SD-WAN providers broadly offer a mix of the following two pricing models:&nbsp; - An advance purchase plan for SD-WAN hardware that cuts down subscription fees - A subscription-based model that distributes the cost throughout a multi-year contract Depending on the customer's preference, SD-WAN vendors can offer both solutions.&nbsp; Additionally, the cost of the solution also depends on whether the organization chooses a DIY SD-WAN or opts for the services of an MSP. DIY SD-WAN implementation incurs capital expenditures, licensing costs, and continuous maintenance costs. Additionally, the organization must purchase multiple WAN connections for each branch location. On the other hand, many SD-WAN providers offer managed or co-managed services. A managed service allows the organization to shift from capital expenditure (CAPEX) to operating expense (OPEX). It involves a subscription-based model, and the organization can predict future costs associated with the deployment. ### SD-WAN Solutions Trends **Adoption of SASE architectures** A trend likely to gain more visibility in the near future is the integration of SD-WAN with secure access service edge (SASE) technology. SASE combines networking (such as software-defined networking (SDN) and SD-WAN) and security features to build a highly secure, high-performing, and resilient network architecture. SD-WAN, combined with services like SASE or zero-trust network access (ZTNA), is making headway as a secure remote access solution. Adoption of SASE has snowballed recently and is expected to keep growing as network security and agility become paramount.&nbsp; **Rise of managed services** Deployment of SD-WAN demands the right skillset on the part of the technical team to set up and maintain the architecture. The team should be able to integrate and maintain all the branch offices, data centers, and various cloud deployments within a single SD-WAN architecture. Additionally, they should be able to quickly troubleshoot SD-WAN whenever there is a glitch. However, if the organization opts for managed SD-WAN service or SD-WAN-as-a-Service, the provider deploys, configures, updates, manages, and maintains the entire SD-WAN network. Managed SD-WAN services are on the rise for businesses willing to work with an outsourced MSP and those who want to free up their technical team to focus on other business-critical operations.&nbsp;