Riverbed has revamped its SD-WAN portfolio with the release of SteelConnect EX, an enterprise-class and carrier-grade WAN Edge Infrastructure solution with best-of-breed SD-WAN, integrated application acceleration and advanced network security services.
Riverbed said its unique combination of SD-WAN and advanced network security with application acceleration will enable large organizations to confidently deploy and operate SD-WAN at high scale (5,000 sites) within the world’s most complex and secure networks. Product solutions include:
- SteelConnect EX SD-WAN enables enterprises to cost-effectively expand WAN capacity, accelerate the roll-out of new sites and applications and streamline operations for hybrid and Internet-based WAN topologies.
- SteelConnect EX App Acceleration provides industry-leading application acceleration and optimization capabilities to boost app performance and end-user experience by up to 33x or more for on-premises, cloud and SaaS-based applications. SteelConnect EX interoperates directly with SteelHead physical and virtual appliances today. And with the availability of SteelConnect EX, Riverbed also announces plans to further integrate Riverbed’s industry-leading application acceleration and optimization capabilities into the SteelConnect EX platform in Q1 2020 for a converged SD-WAN Edge solution.
- SteelConnect EX Security enables fully integrated and layered security services to deepen and simplify branch security. Provides a broad set of security functions, including Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW), Secure Web Gateway (SWG), Antivirus (AV), and Intrusion Detection and Protection Services (IDS/IPS).
“Riverbed now offers the most complete and powerful digital networking solution in the market to help organizations achieve higher levels of agility, efficiency, innovation and growth. Riverbed’s new SteelConnect EX encompasses the scalability, performance, and security to meet the needs of the most complex networks,” said Dante Malagrino, Chief Development Officer at Riverbed. “With a proven track record of WAN expertise, world-class support and professional services, Riverbed sets the new standard for digital networking to propel and accelerate digital transformation with confidence.”
Riverbed to resell Versa Networks’ SD-WAN
Riverbed signed a global original equipment manufacturing (OEM) agreement with Versa Networks that brings together Riverbed’s global support and services with Versa Networks’ enterprise-class secure SD-WAN technology.
Riverbed said it will now offer an expanded portfolio of SD-WAN solutions alongside Riverbed SteelConnect, which will now include a new enterprise offering leveraging Versa Network’s Secure Cloud IP software platform. Since the initial 2016 launch of Riverbed’s SD-WAN solution SteelConnect, Riverbed has grown its SD-WAN customer base to 1,000+ organizations.
“The agreement with Versa Networks allows Riverbed to provide our customers with a broader set of choices and address the modern networking needs of organizations of all types and sizes – large, medium and small, cloud-first, hybrid and traditional – across the globe,” said Paul Mountford, CEO at Riverbed. “Versa’s enterprise-class technology complements Riverbed’s leading SD-WAN, application acceleration and digital experience management solutions nicely, and will be backed by Riverbed’s leading support and professional services that customers rely on. This expanded portfolio allows Riverbed to more fully go after our large enterprise installed base, which includes the vast majority of the Fortune 2000, and will empower our customers to choose the right SD-WAN solution to help them transform their networks, gain agility and remain competitive in their respective industries.”
“Versa is teaming up with Riverbed to leverage the organization’s global reach into large enterprise, industry-leading support and services, and expertise and leadership in digital performance, which will drive greater opportunities for Versa and a strong offering for enterprise customers,” said Kelly Ahuja, CEO at Versa Networks.
Next Gen SD-WAN: Automation and Programmability
In enterprises today, too many tasks are manual, but as the network evolves from site-to-site to a user-to-app model this will change, says Kelly Ahuja, CEO of Versa Networks.
A key to this is network telemetry from wherever the user is located. This data will open new possibilities for (1) security/compliance and (2) automation/programmability.
Kelly Ahuja, CEO of Versa Networks, discusses market momentum with SD-Branch services. Versa recently surpassed 1,000 enterprise customers and 200,000 software licenses.
