Driven by increasing internet usage and widespread adoption of cloud applications over geographically distributed locations, enterprises often face challenges in improving the performance and reliability of their WAN connections. Enterprise WANs have primarily used MPLS (multiprotocol label switching) and single function CPE (customer premises equipment) for connectivity and security functions. This traditional WAN architecture is often associated with higher capital and operational costs in addition to complex network architecture, slower IT responses, and difficulty in managing branch network and security infrastructure. Software-Defined Wide-Area Networks (SD-WAN) help enterprises (and their managed service providers) in simplifying the WAN and branch networks, providing higher agility and reduced TCO (total cost of ownership).
SD-WAN uses overlay network management and policy creation/enforcement to build enterprise WANs that achieve faster, more reliable and easier to manage connectivity at optimum cost. SD-WAN provides network managers with the flexibility to build and easily managed a hybrid network using private (e.g. MPLS) and internet (e.g. broadband or metro Ethernet) connectivity. SD-WAN also helps managers to create automated per-application policies to ensure data transmission occurs in the most business-logical and cost-effective way.
Quadrant Knowledge Solutions’ recent study of the “Software-Defined Wide-Area Network (SD-WAN) Global Market Outlook” analyzes market dynamics, opportunities and the vendor ecosystem. The study provides strategic analysis of the global SD-WAN market in terms of short-term and long-term growth opportunities. The study also provides a detailed market analysis of the global SD-WAN market across various geographical regions, industries and customer segments. This SD-WAN market research helps companies formulate growth strategies by identifying market trends and drivers, customer challenges, and potential areas of investment.
The research also provides a detailed competitive analysis of the primary SD-WAN vendors, including Aryaka Networks, Cisco, CloudGenix, Fatpipe, Riverbed Networks, Silver Peak, Talari Networks, VeloCloud, Versa Networks, and Viptela.
Versa Networks Receives 2016 Product Performance Leadership Recognition in the Global SD-WAN Market
As part of its research, Quadrant’s competitive analysis of the SD-WAN market compares SD-WAN vendors’ products and solutions capabilities in supporting different use cases. Quadrant analyzed vendors in terms of product portfolio, produc
t innovation, sophistication of technology, competitive strategy, and customer impact. According to its research findings, Quadrant Knowledge Solutions recognizes Versa Networks’ product performance leadership in the global SD-WAN market.
Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Santa Clara, California, USA, Versa Network is amongst the early innovators in the SD-WAN market. With over 35 patents in process for its software-based SD-WAN and SD-Security solutions, Versa is known for its superior platform-level solution that supports the needs of large communication service providers (CSPs) around the world. The Versa solution is based on virtualized network functions (VNFs) and is designed for large enterprises and services providers to improve WAN and branch network performance and agility, while reducing the costs associated with proprietary network hardware.
Versa Capabilities in the Global SD-WAN Market
The Versa SD-WAN solution consists of Versa FlexVNF, Versa Director, and Versa Analytics software components. Together they enable a flexible and scalable SD-WAN and Software-Defined Security (SD-Security) at the branch office.
- Versa FlexVNF: Versa FlexVNF software enables service providers and large enterprises to improve their WAN and branch network performance with improved agility, reliability, and uptime while reducing costs. Versa FlexVNF includes a broad set of virtualized network and security functions (VNF) with carrier-grade multi-tenancy, programmability, service chaining, service elasticity, and cost-effective deployment choices. For service providers, Versa FlexVNF helps in providing next-generation services for managed SD-WAN and managed security. For large enterprises, it provides a highly scalable solution for SD-WAN and branch security projects. All virtualized network and security components are managed centrally through the Versa Director management platform.
- Versa Director: Versa Director is the management platform that helps in simplifying the creation, automation and delivery of network services using Versa FlexVNF software. Versa Director provides management and orchestration capability to deploy Versa VNF-based network and security services for various use cases including SD-WAN with layered security. Versa Director is a single management platform for connectivity and services that can be scaled to thousands of end customers through multi-tenancy and role-based administration. Versa Director, along with Versa FlexVNF, provides complete VNF infrastructure lifecycle management from deployment and configuration to ongoing monitoring and change management of Versa and third-party VNF-based services.
- Versa Analytics: Versa Analytics is a real-time Big Data solution purpose-built for Versa FlexVNF-based managed and enterprise SD-WAN and SD-Security deployments. It provides visibility and control, base lining, correlation, prediction, and a feedback loop into all Versa FlexVNF functions. Versa Analytics solutions enable search and analysis of real-time and historical search and can generate reports on usage patterns, trends, security events, and alerts. The solution can analyze comprehensive datasets from Versa FlexVNF to identify critical data points, resulting in actionable analytics and reports.
Versa is very well positioned to provide advanced SD-WAN and SD-Security solutions to communication service providers. However, the company is also expanding its presence in providing solutions to large enterprises. - SD-WAN for Enterprises: Versa’s software-based SD-WAN and SD-Security solution helps enterprises in simplifying the branch network, improving IT agility, increasing branch security, and reducing both CapEx and OpEx. Versa SD-WAN significantly reduces WAN connectivity costs by integrating internet/broadband alongside MPLS at much lower cost. The company’s solution, with application-aware routing and the ability to identify over 2600 specific applications, can map different enterprise applications across different underlying networks based on business policy and app-specific SLAs. Versa’s complementary SD-Security solution provides a broad set of software-based security functions, including stateful and next-generation firewalls, malware protection, URL and content filtering, IPS and anti-virus, DDoS, VPN, and next-generation VPN.
- SD-WAN for Service Providers: Versa, with its comprehensive VNF-based SD-WAN solution, helps service providers to evolve managed services from being traditionally hardware-based to a more cost-effective and agile software-based model. Versa’s VNF- and software-based approach to SD-WAN enables service providers to offer managed SD-WAN services without requiring truck-rolls or on-site technical expertise, as well as simple service and capacity upgrades. It provides centralized management and provisioning of connectivity and security services. Versa’s solution for managed SD-WAN includes key provider capabilities such as multi-tenancy, integrated security functions, elasticity, and hardware independence to maximize service agility and reduce TCO. Versa SD-Security integrates multiple security functions (including third-party) to help providers offer a richer managed SD-WAN service.
Last Word
Enterprises with multiple branch offices often face challenges in managing and securing their WAN and branch networks due to ever-growing bandwidth requirements, network complexity, increasing use of cloud resources, and growing security challenges. In building managed services, providers face several challenges with traditional WAN products including slow service definition and deployment times, high cost of networking infrastructure and high operational costs.
Versa Networks with its advanced SD-WAN and SD-Security solution is well positioned to help enterprises and service providers in achieving significant business advantage by improving agility, network performance and capacity, security and reducing costs. Driven by strong overall performance in terms of product portfolio, product innovation and customer impact, Quadrant Knowledge Solutions recognizes Versa Networks’ product performance leadership in the global SD-WAN market.
