We compared VMware SD-WAN and Cisco SD-WAN across several parameters based on our users' reviews. After reading the collected data, you can find our conclusion below:
Features: VMware SD-WAN prioritizes network performance with features such as DMPO and seamless integration with virtual LAN and cloud providers. Cisco SD-WAN is praised for its service quality, real-time traffic visibility, and automation capabilities.
Room for Improvement: VMware SD-WAN could include a command line interface and offer a stronger routing Broadcom support, improved automation and integration, and smoother integration with other vendors. Cato Networks could enhance its security measures by incorporating a web application firewall feature and improving intrusion detection. Cisco SD-WAN should enhance its connectivity to prominent cloud providers and incorporate additional security features.
Ease of Deployment: Opinions on the setup process for VMware SD-WAN were mixed. Some said it was simple, but others noted it was time-consuming. Cisco SD-WAN can be more complicated and may require expert help. While some users found it to be easy, others encountered difficulties and uncertainty during the setup.
Service and Support: Some users praised VMware's prompt and efficient technical support, while others reported challenges contacting the support team. While some Cisco SD customers found the support to be outstanding, others encounter delays and challenges in connecting with the appropriate personnel.
Pricing: Users have varying opinions on the setup cost of VMware SD-WAN, with some finding it pricier compared to other brands. Cisco SD-WAN is perceived as pricier compared to its rivals.
ROI: Reviewers have reported a varied ROI for VMware SD-WAN, highlighting benefits such as improved productivity and faster time-to-market. Cisco SD-WAN offers flexibility and scalability, leading to long-term benefits and cost reduction.
Comparison Results: VMware SD-WAN is praised for its ability to optimize network performance and provide automation, stability, and good customer service. However, users suggest improvements in multitenant solutions, CLI, and security features. Cisco SD-WAN is a highly scalable solution with a comprehensive feature set and scalability, but it requires improvements in stability and native connectivity to cloud providers.
"It is very stable with very good firmware."
"Cisco SD-WAN's best features are the development of network links, application control, and bandwidth monitoring."
"Cisco SD-WAN is a good product."
"So far, the feature that I like best is the policy configuration manager."
"The centralized management is the most important feature. We can monitor what is going on at every location in our network with just one center."
"The most valuable feature of Cisco SD-WAN is its compatibility and integration with the rest of the infrastructure."
"The deployment is quite simple and straightforward."
"If I have to give a neutral view of all the SD-WAN platforms that I have known so far, Cisco is good in routing."
"VeloCloud developed DMPO to increase performance and connectivity."
"VMware SD-WAN is scalable."
"Has an optimization feature that acts to ensure the quality of the services running on the overlay to be most valuable."
"It's scalable."
"When we upgrade to one of the edges, it goes very smoothly."
"I like VMware SD-WAN's automation and zero-touch provisioning. Its main advantage is simplicity. Anyone can use this gateway."
"The most valuable feature for one of our customers is the ability to stage cloud workloads from the local network."
"The service they provide is very stable and is the main influencer of why customers purchase this solution."
"It's an expensive solution."
"Cisco SD-WAN could improve the integration with the cloud."
"The solution is a bit complicated."
"The price could be better. From a technical side, and everything's working smoothly. Cisco SD-WAN could be cheaper."
"The product's application delivery feature needs improvement."
"It is the best solution that I ever had, but there might be something better than this in the future."
"When you buy the equipment, they should already put it into your cloud account. It should already be set up so that we can manage with vBond. We came across an issue where it wasn't resolved in the DNS. We are using Umbrella, so we need to create a VPN IPSec tunnel to Umbrella to enable the users to browse. I would really like to see an internal built-in firewall so that we don't have to go to Umbrella. This functionality might already be there. We are quite new to this solution, and we are still learning about it."
"Some competitors are much faster in providing out-of-the-box solutions, more innovative solutions. In terms of innovation, in many cases, they're lagging behind."
"They need to start focusing on the security functionality. They should find a way to embed the next-generation firewall functionality within the architecture. They should move more into applying SASE tenants to what they're doing."
"The product should have on-demand tunnels instead of fixed tunnels."
"There is no security included, which is something that should be improved."
"VMware SD-WAN could improve by having more partnerships with other vendors."
"VMware SD-WAN doesn't have the best built-in firewall."
"The prep time and understanding what you want to do and how much bandwidth you'll need and how you're going to configure it on the network, that's more of an issue than anything else."
"The solution needs improvement on security features and should include two firewalls. Cloud VPN can’t support any link. The solution needs to also improve the availability of centralized internal management. It needs to have debug detection and Deep Packet Detection features as well. The documentation for VMware is also hard to find."
"Implementing VMware is much more difficult, time-consuming, and expensive than implementing Fortinet or Check Point."
Cisco SD-WAN is ranked 1st in Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions with 86 reviews while VMware SD-WAN is ranked 4th in Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions with 50 reviews. Cisco SD-WAN is rated 8.0, while VMware SD-WAN is rated 8.2. The top reviewer of Cisco SD-WAN writes "A solution for integrating services to enhance up-time, performance and lower costs". On the other hand, the top reviewer of VMware SD-WAN writes "To fully utilize cloud vendors' hardware networking, Microsoft and VMware support everything". Cisco SD-WAN is most compared with Fortinet FortiGate, Meraki SD-WAN, Juniper Session Smart Router, Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform and Cato SASE Cloud Platform, whereas VMware SD-WAN is most compared with Fortinet FortiGate, Meraki SD-WAN, Cato SASE Cloud Platform, Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform and Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Platform. See our Cisco SD-WAN vs. VMware SD-WAN report.
See our list of best Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions vendors and best WAN Edge vendors.
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@Diyaspino, all three are overpriced.
Depending on what are you looking for, you may look at Fortinet or even check the latest Sophos offering.
There is a number of different postings on SD-WAN in the last few years. Once people learned that SD-WAN is an old VPN with a new user interface, they moved to a new buzzword.