1. Home
  2. Software-Defined WAN Solutions
  3. Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Reviews
  4. User Review of Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN
Cisco SD-WAN Review
August 26, 2023

Cisco SD-WAN Review

Anonymous | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Modules Used

  • V managed 20.6.3

Overall Satisfaction with Cisco SD-WAN

At our organization, we use it to basically move away from the MPLSs. So we are basically transport and independent. We want to start using it more for applications, and the way of routing. So just much more granular control over our data flows.
  • I love the centralized control. It's really hard to get into configuration drift when everything is centrally managed. I think it's a lot easier to teach our administrators how to use it.
  • There's a steep learning curve, but once they start catching on, it's actually much easier to use than trying to remember everything on ACLI and all the individual commands that you can that you have to memorize and then all the sub-commands under them.
  • I think the policy builder can be a little bit difficult to understand at first. I'm not really sure how you make it easier. Because I know it's a difficult difficult area of configuration to approach as is, but you know, once you figure it out, you get it. But to get there, it takes quite a while. I had to read the books, watch the videos, talk to the experts, and then finally I got it and then it all makes sense.
  • N/A
  • It's definitely decreased the amount that we spend on really expensive circuits every year. We're moving to cheaper broadband circuits with much higher throughput, being able to leverage those and still get the performance that we want, the quality of service that we want.
I have some experience with DNA Center. My involvement with DNAC wasn't as involved as it is with SD WAN. But it is similar, you know, controller management also ACI. ACI is the beast, so this one I have to learn. And then ICE.

Do you think Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN's feature set?

Yes

Did Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN go as expected?

No

Would you buy Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN again?

Yes

I think it's well suited in an organization that has a stable network. There aren't a lot of problems with it already. The group that's rolling it out has a really good understanding of it. I wouldn't use it in an environment where the network team doesn't know their environment because it can cause more problems and more confusion just trying to learn a whole new product and roll out a whole new fabric on top of something that's already barely working.