Computer networking demands have gotten far more complex than years ago. With the advent of SaaS apps, remote work and an expanding cyberthreat landscape, many organizations have embraced SD-WAN along with bundled SASE, to provide the performance and security they now require.
SD-WAN technology can be ideal for midmarket organizations due to its agility and scalability. Bonus: It's cost-effective, requiring less investment in physical network infrastructure and hands-on staff maintenance than with traditional MPLS networks.
While there is no hard data readily available on the rate of SD-WAN adoption in the midmarket, MES Computing's recent survey of midmarket IT leaders shows that 19 percent of them are planning to spend on networking technology this year.
MES Computing spoke with four vendors providing SD-WAN services. They are companies competing with titans like Oracle and AT&T, but they say they specifically have a focus on the midmarket with their offerings.
Aryaka
Aryaka unveiled its midmarket SD-WAN offering last year. With an entry point of under $150 per site, midmarket organizations aren't "forced to choose between affordability, performance and ease of use when adopting SD-WAN and SASE solutions," the company said in a statement to MES Computing.
Midmarket companies face several challenges when implementing an SD-WAN offering, Aryaka said. Limited budgets, lack of skilled IT and a need for "operational simplicity" are among them, the company said.
Among the features Aryaka offers:
- Application optimization
- Network security
- Multi-cloud connectivity
- Cloud-based observability
- SASE
Versa Networks
Versa's midmarket SD-WAN product is Versa Titan, "a cloud-managed SASE service from Versa Networks that enables certified partners to manage, deploy and sell Versa SASE for lean IT organizations more efficiently," a company representative said in an emailed statement.
"Versa Titan delivers the enterprise-grade capabilities of Versa SASE in a single package intended to be simpler and faster to deploy and operate. Versa Titan provides a full SASE solution," the company said.
Among the features Versa offers:
- Advanced routing
- Integrated security with Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)
- Secure Web Gateway (SWG)
- Analytics
- One-, three- and five-year subscriptions starting at $250 per year (includes hardware support, SD-WAN and Next-Generation Firewall
Fortinet
Fortinet's midmarket offering is FortiGate. Why is it suitable for the midmarket? According to the company: "FortiGate Cloud Management service is a cloud-hosted service model that is simple to use and consume. It provides management, reporting and analytics for FortiGate appliances and secure SD-WAN. It simplifies the initial deployment and provides complete visibility of your entire network. These features make it ideal for mid-sized businesses that may not have an expansive IT budget or staff," the company said in an emailed statement.
FortiGate Cloud Management was designed to "empower mid-sized businesses to seamlessly manage their FortiGate appliances," the company said.
Among the features Fortinet offers:
- Centralized management, reporting and analytics for FortiGate appliances
- Secured SD-WAN
- Firewall
- On-premises or cloud deployment
- One,- three- and five-year licensing
Lumen
Lumen offers an SD-WAN "tailored to the modern, simplified needs of mid-sized businesses for their growth, efficiency and security. Mid-market customers are looking for a simple to install, comprehensive, and affordable set of networking, security, voice, and collaboration solutions which deliver business outcomes while mitigating risks," the company said in an emailed statement.
The company provides hybrid networking capabilities including dedicated internet, MPLS, broadband, and wireless access around its managed SD-WAN and SASE solutions combined with professional services.
Lumen's SD-WAN solutions can be managed or co-managed. It offers midmarket organizations "a simple to install, comprehensive, and affordable set of networking, security, voice and collaboration solutions which deliver business outcomes while mitigating risks," the company said.
Among the features Lumen offers:
- Dedicated internet access
- Fiber plus internet
- SASE
- DDoS mitigation
- Rapid threat defense
- Managed SIEM
- Managed zero-trust network access
