6 Hot SD-WAN Technologies To Follow In 2019

The SD-WAN market is crammed with solutions from both emerging startups to established networking vendors. But here are six SD-WAN technologies that solution providers should keep an eye on this year.

Sizing Up SD-WAN

It seems like there's always a new software-defined networking WAN (SD-WAN) offering being added to the crowded market with both veteran IT companies and startups getting in on the action. And with the SD-WAN space predicted to hit $4.5 billion and grow at a 40.4% compound annual growth rate from 2017 to 2022, now's the time for providers to bring their differentiated offerings to the market, which research firm IDC says is still in its early days.

Here are six SD-WAN technologies from channel-friendly companies that solution providers should keep on their radars this year.

Aerohive Networks' XR600P

Cloud networking provider Aerohive Networks has a growing SD-WAN portfolio, including its XR600P SD-WAN branch router, which began shipping last fall. The router-based SD-WAN offering provides secure routing and SD-WAN functionality for mid-enterprise branches with demanding throughput requirements, the Milpitas, Calif.-based company said.

Aerohive Networks' SD-WAN offerings all include end-to-end LAN and WAN policy enforcement, as well as a single cloud-based interface to manage wired and wireless LAN and WAN environments. Aerohive does all its business through the channel.

CloudGenix SD-WAN

SD-WAN startup CloudGenix's flagship SD-WAN offering uses AppFabric, which lets users use any type of WAN they may have, including MPLS, broadband Internet, and cellular. Using AppFabric, CloudGenix SD-WAN can map applications, sites, and WAN links to requirements for performance, security, and compliance -- all without complicated router configurations from IT administrators, according to the San Jose, Calif.-based company.

CloudGenix has been working on making integration easier between its SD-WAN offering and core services needed to run the branch office, such as Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) and security. The company partners with some of the leading security, UCaaS and cloud providers, which lets customers tie their SD-WAN and security technologies together for a more integrated IT solution. Its partners include Palo Alto Networks, Symantec and Zscaler on the security side, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure in the cloud, and RingCentral and Fuze for UCaaS.

Comcast ActiveCore with SD-WAN

Cable giant Comcast quietly launched its ActiveCore SDN platform in September. SD-WAN was the first offering that was made available on the platform. The Philadelphia-based company's SD-WAN offering is powered by Versa Networks' technology.

Comcast in March said that its ActiveCore platform is ready for prime time with Comcast Business channel partners.

Fat Pipe Symphony

Fat Pipe Networks considers itself "the best-kept secret" in the SD-WAN space. The Salt Lake City-based company has been offering SD-WAN for the past 20 years, according to Fat Pipe.

The company's SD-WAN portfolio, Fat Pipe Symphony, can be used by enterprises to control and manage their WANs. The company offers SD-WAN Basic, SD-WAN Advanced, and SD-WAN Pro, depending on the features needed at each branch. Fat Pipe's SD-WAN offerings can be hosted in the cloud, including AWS and Azure environments. The company also has integrations with its SD-WAN product with Avaya and Nutanix. Fat Pipe does upwards of 90 percent of its business through the channel.

Juniper Contrail

Juniper Networks in April launched its first cloud-delivered version of SD-WAN, Juniper Contrail SD-WAN as a service. The offering, according to the company, will help customers take the "next step" in their multi-cloud strategies by letting enterprises centralize, automate, and manage all of their environments, including the branch, campus and cloud SD-WAN, now with managed security and Mist Learning WLAN technology.

The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based company unveiled its premise-based Contrail SD-WAN offering in 2018.

Silver Peak Unity EdgeConnect

WAN player Silver Peak differentiates its SD-WAN service by building in WAN optimization -- which happens to be the company's original product -- and routing, security, visibility and control into the platform.

The Silver Peak Unity EdgeConnect SD-WAN edge platform lets businesses connect users securely and directly from branch offices to cloud and SaaS applications via broadband connections while still giving applications the performance they require. Silver Peak's SD-WAN services include application visibility and a zone-based firewall via partnership with the likes of best of breed security providers, such as Check Point Software Technologies, Palo Alto Networks and Zscaler. The company does 100 percent of its business through the channel, and partners can also integrate various third-party technologies into its SD-WAN platform, including from the likes of Google Cloud Platform, Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services.