The Changing Landscape of SD-WAN: Exploring the Decline of Juniper, HPE Aruba, and VMware

Why Juniper, HPE Aruba, and VMware are losing SD-WAN ground to security vendors

Shift in Reader Engagement

According to the latest data from SDxCentral, there has been a fundamental shift in how readers view SD-WAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Network). Traditional SD-WAN solutions are no longer deemed sufficient due to the increasing security threats faced by enterprises and service providers. This shift in perception has resulted in a growing interest in secure SD-WAN or SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) offerings, where security is integrated right from the design phase.

SDxCentral has witnessed a 25% growth in SD-WAN and SASE-related topics, including increased quarterly page views, event registrations, webinar attendance, and PDF downloads. The most popular articles revolve around understanding the definitions of SD-WAN and SASE, followed by analysis, features, and news stories about specific vendors and their solutions.

It’s worth noting that there has been a significant increase in page views and engagement from traditionally later technology adopters, indicating the maturity of the SD-WAN market. This trend has been observed during the adoption curves of similar technologies like SDN (Software-Defined Networking) and NFV (Network Function Virtualization).

Vendor Rankings

To determine which vendors are gaining the most attention from SDxCentral readers, the platform analyzed page views for news, analysis, features, opinions, and interviews related to SD-WAN and SASE. The data was then adjusted to account for the coverage of each vendor, resulting in the following rankings for Q1 2023:

1. Cisco
2. HPE Aruba Networking
3. Fortinet
4. VMware
5. Palo Alto Networks
6. Juniper Networks
7. Cato Networks
8. Versa Networks
9. Check Point
10. Juniper Networks

It is important to note that Cisco ranked first primarily because of an article about an SD-WAN product outage. If this article were excluded, Cisco would not have been the top-ranking vendor.

Interestingly, traditional SD-WAN vendors like HPE Aruba Networking, Juniper Networks, and VMware witnessed a decline in reader engagement. On the other hand, Palo Alto Networks, Fortinet, Cato Networks, Versa, and Check Point saw a surge in engagement, highlighting the increasing importance of credible single-vendor secure SD-WAN and SASE offerings.

Although not in the top 10, companies such as Zscaler, Cloudflare, and newcomer Graphiant have experienced significant engagement growth in 2023.

Takeaways

The shift in reader engagement signifies that businesses and organizations are prioritizing security in their SD-WAN deployments. This is evident from the increased engagement with security-centric vendors like Palo Alto, Fortinet, Cato, Versa, and Check Point.

As the SD-WAN and SASE markets mature, there is a growing interest in these technologies from regions and countries that traditionally adopt technology later in the adoption curve.

Readers are now spending more time researching single-vendor secure SD-WAN and SASE solutions, indicating a preference for integrated security features over traditional SD-WAN solutions.

Traditional SD-WAN market leaders, such as Cisco, VMware, and HPE Aruba, are experiencing a decline in page views and reader engagement.

Editorial and Advice

While there is a clear market shift towards secure SD-WAN and SASE, it is crucial for buyers in this space to not solely focus on the hype surrounding these solutions. Traditional vendors should not be discounted, as they still offer valuable expertise and product offerings. Instead, buyers should consider a vendor’s overall product portfolio, interoperability with other vendors’ products, and whether their service offerings align with their specific business needs.

As the SD-WAN and SASE markets continue to evolve, it is important for buyers to conduct thorough research and engage in thoughtful evaluation before making any decisions. The integration of security features in SD-WAN solutions is crucial in today’s threat landscape, and finding the right vendor with a strong focus on both networking and security is key to a successful deployment.