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Steelhead Reviews

Vendor: Riverbed
4.1 out of 5
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What is Steelhead?

Steelhead is the leading network optimization and application performance solution chosen by over 30,000 organizations worldwide. The performance of networks and applications directly impacts business productivity. Riverbed draws from nearly two decades of experience in driving network and application performance over Wide Area Networks with its flagship offering, SteelHead. SteelHead delivers the underlying technology that helps enterprises of all sizes maximize the efficiency and performance of the networks and applications used to run modern business. 

Get the Steelhead Buyer's Guide and find out what your peers are saying about Steelhead, Fortinet FortiGate, Cato SASE Cloud Platform and more!
Steelhead is the #2 ranked solution in top WAN Optimization solutions and #10 ranked solution in top WAN Edge solutions. PeerSpot users give Steelhead an average rating of 8.2 out of 10. Steelhead is most commonly compared to Fortinet FortiGate: Steelhead vs Fortinet FortiGate. Steelhead is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 55% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a manufacturing company, accounting for 18% of all views.
Buyer's Guide
Steelhead
December 2025
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Steelhead mindshare

Product category:
WAN Optimization
As of January 2026, the mindshare of Steelhead in the WAN Optimization category stands at 13.5%, down from 13.6% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
WAN Optimization Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Steelhead13.5%
Cato SASE Cloud Platform18.8%
Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Platform16.0%
Other51.7%
WAN Optimization

PeerResearch reports based on Steelhead reviews

TypeTitleDate
CategoryWAN OptimizationJan 6, 2026Download
ProductReviews, tips, and advice from real usersJan 6, 2026Download
ComparisonSteelhead vs Cato SASE Cloud PlatformJan 6, 2026Download
ComparisonSteelhead vs Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN PlatformJan 6, 2026Download
ComparisonSteelhead vs CloudflareJan 6, 2026Download
Suggested products
TitleRatingMindshareRecommending
Fortinet FortiGate4.2N/A92%580 interviewsAdd to research
Cato SASE Cloud Platform4.418.8%100%31 interviewsAdd to research
 
 
Key learnings from peers
Last updated Nov 16, 2025

Valuable Features

Steelhead's most valuable features include WAN optimization, data compression, TCP window optimization, and scalable data referencing. Its ability to compress and streamline data boosts efficiency and communication speed while reducing bandwidth usage and costs. Real-time monitoring, reporting, and traffic shaping with QoS are also highlighted. Users appreciate the user-friendly interface, ease of management, and powerful technical capabilities for enhancing network performance, especially in low-bandwidth scenarios.
  • "Steelhead mainly saves the money that needs to be paid to ISPs; my actual traffic is around 2 GB, but I purchased a link from the ISP for only around 700 to 800 MB, and all the prices that need to be paid monthly to the ISP are saved, which is a significant saving for my company after using Riverbed."
  • "Steelhead mainly saves the money that needs to be paid to ISPs; my actual traffic is around 2 GB, but I purchased a link from the ISP for only around 700 to 800 MB, and all the prices that need to be paid monthly to the ISP are saved, which is a significant saving for my company after using Riverbed."
  • "Steelhead mainly saves the money that needs to be paid to ISPs; my actual traffic is around 2 GB, but I purchased a link from the ISP for only around 700 to 800 MB, and all the prices that need to be paid monthly to the ISP are saved, which is a significant saving for my company after using Riverbed."

Room for Improvement

Steelhead struggles to handle simultaneous traffic efficiently, with calls for improved application response times and enhanced encrypted traffic handling. Users find Quality of Service configuration unintuitive. The upgrade process, as well as monitoring and detailed traffic insights, is seen as needing refinement. Scaling and integration issues are noted, along with a high cost. There is demand for better alert notifications, professional support, and simplified GUI navigation.
  • "The traffic is passing, but Oracle DB traffic experiences lag and slowness due to Steelhead, while other applications perform fine."
  • "Oracle DB traffic experiences lag and slowness due to Steelhead, while other applications perform fine."
  • "The traffic is passing, but Oracle DB traffic experiences lag and slowness due to Steelhead, while other applications perform fine."

ROI

Steelhead provided substantial ROI by reducing bandwidth usage and eliminating the need for costly network upgrades. With devices implemented, organizations observed bandwidth increases up to tenfold at peak times, leading to yearly savings exceeding £50,000. WAN optimization occurred without additional tools or increased internet capacity requirements. The significant reduction in bandwidth expenses and marked improvement in user experience underscored the value gained through Steelhead's implementation, highlighting efficient use of IT resources.

Pricing

Steelhead's pricing is generally seen as high, yet the performance justifies the cost for many users. Licensing can be confusing and often applies to a single machine, which users suggest could be improved. While initial hardware costs are significant, some find maintenance and licensing fees reasonable, spending around $150k annually across multiple data centers. Support quality contributes positively to the overall value despite costs being higher than alternatives like SolarWinds.
  • "Across our 12 data centers, we spend around $150k annually."
  • "The solution is expensive and the service contacts are costly too. The cost of the device makes the value proposition borderline acceptable for us. The service contract fees we pay is approximately $30,000 annually."

Popular Use Cases

Steelhead is primarily used for optimizing WAN traffic, improving data throughput and application performance. Organizations utilize it for data replication between data centers, branch connectivity, reducing bandwidth use, and optimizing international connections. Users report significant reductions in traffic, which leads to cost savings in bandwidth. It is applied in various sectors, including banking, retail, and finance, making it essential for scenarios with limited bandwidth and high latency issues.

Service and Support

Steelhead receives high marks for customer service and technical support, with quick and efficient responses noted. While general technical support is efficient and resolves issues swiftly, complex problems may take longer. Knowledge transfer and local support could improve, but interaction with knowledgeable engineers via remote sessions enhances problem-solving. Some users mention challenges reaching support, yet they rate Steelhead's support positively, praising the expertise and professionalism of the team.

Deployment

Steelhead's initial setup is described as straightforward by most users; it requires assigning IP addresses and may involve managing several branches if optimizing a wide area network. Some users indicate minor complexities due to configuration specifics or different interfaces. Deployment usually involves multiple team members, particularly when setting up in data centers, and additional configuration may be needed for traffic optimization. Setup times vary, typically ranging from a few hours to a full day.

Scalability

Steelhead’s scalability experiences vary. Some describe it as straightforward with no significant issues when deploying in small to large environments. Others face challenges due to limited licensing options and hardware upgrade constraints. Users appreciate the potential for easy system expansion in multi-site deployments, though certain models limit bandwidth capacity. For projects involving thousands of users, some find it manageable while others note compatibility limitations with newer network technologies.

Stability

Steelhead is highly stable, with most praising its reliability and resilience during power outages. Some noted issues related to specific data flows that require bypass rules. A few mentioned technical challenges, such as RAM leaks, but support provides rapid assistance. With features like High Availability mode for uninterrupted traffic, Steelhead maintains stable operation without visible lag, crashes, or downtime, even during hardware failures. The tool excels in large data transfers, ensuring reliable communications.
These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.
Download our Steelhead Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business5
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise12
By reviewers
By visitors reading reviews
Company SizeCount
Small Business35
Midsize Enterprise16
Large Enterprise62
By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
18%
Computer Software Company
17%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Legal Firm
5%
Government
5%
Educational Organization
4%
University
3%
Performing Arts
3%
Healthcare Company
3%
Construction Company
3%
Retailer
3%
Outsourcing Company
3%
Wholesaler/Distributor
2%
Energy/Utilities Company
2%
Insurance Company
2%
Logistics Company
2%
Media Company
2%
Real Estate/Law Firm
2%
Recreational Facilities/Services Company
2%
Transportation Company
2%
Hospitality Company
1%
Non Profit
1%
Wellness & Fitness Company
1%
Renewables & Environment Company
1%

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Learn more about Steelhead

SteelHead is proven to dramatically speed up the performance of applications anywhere in the organization while delivering the best end-user experience even under sub optimal network conditions. Reduce bandwidth utilization by up to 95%, deferring costly network bandwidth upgrades. Increase performance by up to 100x for on-premises applications.

Steelhead was previously known as RIverbed Steelhead.

Steelhead customers

ElAraby, SFK Leblanc, Bobst Group, Northwest Pipe Company, Halkbank, Tradebridge, EFG Hermes

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Product Categories

Product Categories
WAN Optimization
WAN Edge

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Steelhead Reviews Summary
Author infoRatingReview Summary
Senior manager at a tech services company with 201-500 employees3.0I've used Riverbed Steelhead primarily for WAN optimization and replication, which significantly reduced bandwidth costs, though it's expensive and struggles with Oracle traffic; setup was complex, but overall stability and real-time monitoring features are strong.
Director, Head of Networks at MUFG, EMEA4.5We use Riverbed Steelhead for WAN optimization, saving on international bandwidth costs. Features like keeping data on devices and acting as an NTP server enhance efficiency. However, updates can challenge service quality, and AI support would be beneficial.
Commercial Manager at IT-Experience4.5I’ve noticed that Steelhead excels in WAN optimization by effectively hashing and caching data, boosting network efficiency and communication speed. Despite Chile’s reliable networking, it remains beneficial for satellite communications and industries needing bandwidth conservation.
Senior manager at a tech services company with 201-500 employees3.0I use Steelhead to optimize data replication between our bank's primary and backup data centers, benefiting from its strong optimization capabilities. However, improvements are needed in monitoring traffic on separate channels for clearer insights.
Network Support Engineer at Nigeria LNG Limited4.5Steelhead is beneficial for optimizing WAN traffic, especially in bandwidth-limited scenarios, enhancing cloud migration, and improving workflow performance. It reduces bandwidth needs and costs, though integration with SDN could be improved. Overall, it optimizes our return on investment.
Datacenter & Infrastructure Senior Engineer at BMB3.5Steelhead's WAN optimization is its most valuable feature. However, handling encrypted traffic needs improvement due to complex configurations, particularly with Microsoft protocols for mail servers and VPN services. No other solutions were considered or previously used.
Consultant at Edge Tech Providers4.0I use SteelHead to optimize Amazon traffic for customers needing up to 33K. It helps with application performance, though I find the configuration and protocol detection could improve. Its effectiveness depends on specific enterprise applications and port accounts.
Network Support Engineer at Nigeria LNG Limited4.0No summary available