Riverbed is expanding its software-defined wide-area network (SD-WAN) capabilities through an OEM partnership with Versa Networks. The arrangement will fill a gap in the Riverbed network optimization and performance management portfolio.
The Lowdown: Through the Versa partnership, Riverbed will expand its capabilities and product depth in the burgeoning SD-WAN market segment. The arrangement gives Riverbed access to and the ability to sell Versa’s Secure Cloud IP software platform. With the addition of Versa’s technology, Riverbed plans to address SD-WAN market opportunities in the large enterprise and Global 2000 segments.
The Details: Riverbed sees Versa’s SD-WAN technology as a complement to its existing Riverbed SteelConnect SD-WAN solution. Riverbed says the two technologies will have greater scalability, applicability to large enterprise and carrier-grade networking needs, and advanced security features. Riverbed will market the Versa products with its global support and professional services capabilities.
The Buzz: “The agreement with Versa Networks allows Riverbed to provide our customers with a broader set of choices and address the modern networking needs of organizations of all types and sizes – large, medium, small, cloud-first, hybrid, and traditional – across the globe,” said Paul Mountford, CEO of Riverbed. “Versa’s enterprise-class technology complements Riverbed’s leading SD-WAN, application acceleration, and digital experience management solutions nicely, and will be backed by Riverbed’s leading support and professional services that customers rely on. This expanded portfolio allows Riverbed to more fully go after our large enterprise installed base, which includes the vast majority of the Fortune 2000, and will empower our customers to choose the right SD-WAN solution to help them transform their networks, gain agility, and remain competitive in their respective industries.”
“Riverbed is a trusted leader in enterprise wide-area networking and digital performance. Our partnership will provide customers with a complete family of next-generation networking and security solutions for today’s digital world with multi-cloud, multi-transport networks,” said Kelly Ahuja, CEO of Versa Networks. “Versa is teaming up with Riverbed to leverage the organization’s global reach into the large enterprise, industry-leading support and services, and expertise and leadership in digital performance, which will drive greater opportunities for Versa and a strong offering for enterprise customers.”
