Software-Defined WAN Solutions
Software-Defined WAN Solutions Overview
Top Rated Software-Defined WAN Products

These products won a Top Rated award for having excellent customer satisfaction ratings. The list is based purely on reviews; there is no paid placement, and analyst opinions do not influence the rankings. Read more about the Top Rated criteria.
Software-Defined WAN Products
(1-25 of 58) Sorted by Most Reviews
The list of products below is based purely on reviews (sorted from most to least). There is no paid placement and analyst opinions do not influence their rankings. Here is our Promise to Buyers to ensure information on our site is reliable, useful, and worthy of your trust.
Cisco Meraki MX Firewalls is a combined UTM and Software-Defined WAN solution. Meraki is managed via the cloud, and provides core firewall services, including site-to-site VPN, plus network monitoring.
Key Features
- Identification Technologies (47)84%8.4
- Firewall Management Console (48)82%8.2
- Reporting and Logging (49)78%7.8
FortiGate
FortiNet FortiGate is a firewall option with high integrability. It offers a variety of deployment options and next-gen firewall capabilities, including integration with IaaS cloud platforms and public cloud environments.
Key Features
- Firewall Management Console (36)94%9.4
- Policy-based Controls (36)90%9.0
- Reporting and Logging (36)87%8.7
Cisco SD-WAN
Cisco SD-WAN gives users the ability to manage connectivity across their WAN from a single dashboard that simplifies day to day monitoring and operations. Cisco SD-WAN can be cloud-managed or deployed on premise offering comprehensive routing, security and policy control, along with…
Barracuda CloudGen Firewalls provides a wide range of security and connectivity features, including web filtering, NAC and SSL VPN and other features for remote access, as well as protection as edge devices and IoT security.
Key Features
- Firewall Management Console (8)82%8.2
- Active Directory and LDAP (8)80%8.0
- Reporting and Logging (8)78%7.8
Untangle NG Firewall is an open-source firewall and gateway security platform. It offers a free core firewall platform with paid add-ons, and a cloud-based management platform with a variety of deployment options for smaller teams.
Key Features
- Content Inspection (5)98%9.8
- Visualization Tools (5)94%9.4
- Identification Technologies (5)80%8.0
Learn More About Software-Defined WAN Solutions
What is Software-Defined WAN?
Software-Defined WAN Features & Capabilities:
- WAN Optimization
- Multi-Cloud Management
- Centralized Orchestration
- Zero-Touch Provisioning
- Virtual Private Network (VPN)
- WAN Optimization
- Application Delivery Control
This worked for a time because all information was stored in the data center, but now most applications are hosted in the cloud, and sometimes multiple clouds. Backhauling this information through traditional WAN can cause performance issues and delays often referred to as latency. Latency issues are a main reason many companies are exploring SD-WAN.
WAN Optimization
Businesses should perform WAN optimization as part of an SD-WAN upgrade, especially if they are dealing with latency issues. Even with traditional WAN, optimization can increase app speeds using several methods:
Deduplication - deleting redundant or repeat information
Caching - storing information for faster access
Compression - shrinking files by removing non-essential information
By optimizing the WAN beforehand, companies can make the most of their SD-WAN upgrade.
Multicloud and Hybrid Cloud Management
SD-WAN products improve connectivity and boost security in the multicloud by centralizing cloud management, making it easier. The right products can encrypt data across security points while providing firewalls and app-based security. SD-WAN can also use virtual private networks (VPNs to improve security).
Application Delivery Control (ADC)
Pricing Information
Number of locations (domestic and/or international)
Type of circuit (MPLS, broadband internet services, 4G/LTE)
Bandwidth available at each location
Firewalls in use (business’s equipment vs. vendor’s)