Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Platform vs Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] comparison

Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Citrix are both solutions in the WAN Optimization category. Additionally, 100% of Hewlett Packard Enterprise users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of Citrix users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jul 6, 2025

Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Platform and Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] are contenders in the SD-WAN market, with Aruba often seen as having an edge due to its user-friendly interface and seamless security integration.

Features: Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Platform is known for flexible deployment modes, compatibility with existing routing protocols, next-gen firewall features, and robust security integration via Aruba ClearPass. It also offers a user-friendly single-controller architecture for streamlined management through the Orchestrator. Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] focuses on connectivity between branches, provides load balancing, and enhances application reliability. It's recognized for being cost-effective compared to MPLS, offering seamless load balancing and reliability across applications.

Room for Improvement: Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN needs better documentation, improved security integration, and enhanced firewall features. Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] should refine its licensing models, improve stability, and better its technical documentation. Both platforms face challenges in marketing and integration with other vendors, with Citrix also having issues around transparency in its licensing models.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Aruba EdgeConnect is praised for its simple single-controller deployment and responsive support, though support quality has reportedly declined post-acquisition of Silver Peak, particularly regarding licensing. Citrix SD-WAN is known for dependable technical support and customization services but has faced local support availability issues in some regions.

Pricing and ROI: Aruba EdgeConnect offers competitive pricing with various licensing options, deemed cost-effective through ROI from bandwidth savings and performance improvements over MPLS. Citrix SD-WAN, perceived as costly with its annual subscription model, still brings significant MPLS cost savings. Pricing can differ significantly based on regional and end-user circumstances, appealing particularly to SMBs seeking affordable solutions.

To learn more, read our detailed WAN Optimization Report (Updated: September 2025).

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WAN Optimization

September 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Fortinet FortiGate

Featured Reviews

Vasu Gala

Manager, Information Technology Operation/Presales at TechMonarch

A stable solution with an intuitive interface and quick customer service

I have been working with Fortinet FortiGate, WatchGuard, Sophos, and SonicWall. I'm not as comfortable with SonicWall because of their UI and limitations. I prefer Fortinet above all other options. When it comes to configuration, I am confident in my ability to handle various tasks, including creating policies such as firewall rules, web policies, and application policies. Additionally, I can configure VPNs and implement load balancing, among other tasks. Overall, I feel much more comfortable working with Fortinet. Fortinet has made significant improvements by integrating AI with firewalls for threat analysis and prevention. In the past 2-3 years, they have launched FortiSASE and SIEM, and they also provide SOC services. Both Palo Alto and Fortinet FortiGate are excellent. While Fortinet FortiGate comes at higher prices, the functionality and support justify the cost. They promptly resolve firmware issues and inform all support providers about configuration changes.

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JOHN UNAMBA

Lead Regional Engineer at Weco Systems Group

Integrated security features and robust support improve network management

The solution was installed across two branches for a financial institution. One location had a data center, and the other was a branch office. For SaaS applications, traffic broke out from EdgeConnect directly to the cloud. Applications using the data center were channeled through the MPLS link…

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Sammy Mukuna

Network Admin at Naivas Ltd

Seamlessly combines Internet and MPLS

Citrix has made my work easier and more cost-effective. It lowered our Internet costs and gave me the flexibility to choose providers based on each location's connectivity. Unlike before, I'm not tied to a specific provider. The central deployment feature allows easy configuration updates for all boxes from the head office, streamlining network management. This simplification has been a big plus for our operations.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The web filtering facility and application control are the most valuable features from the point of view of our clients. The VPN feature is also quite popular amongst our clients. Two-factor authentication is one of the good features in Fortinet. These features are important for the current scenario of security. Security has become a necessity nowadays. With cyber-attacks becoming more common, protecting an organization's data is one of the major tasks. It is also very stable and scalable, and it is very straightforward to configure. Their technical support is also good."

"The product's most valuable features are SD-WAN and the integration of WiFi and switches."

"Fortinet FortiGate provides excellent security against ransomware attacks."

"The solution is stable."

"The solution is very easy to understand. It's not overly complex."

"I like Fortinet's cloud management. It allows me to manage all my devices in different branches for three cloud accounts. Even though I use on-prem devices, I can manage everything on the cloud."

"The IPsec tunnels are very easily created, and quite interoperable with devices from other vendors."

"It's a user-friendly firewall. Most of the tasks are very simple. It's simple to configure and troubleshoot this firewall."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"The Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Platform is a fantastic solution based on my experience."

"The file and data reduction capabilities are very good. Without it, we have a great deal of network congestion."

"The solution includes features for SD-WAN and WAN such as batch conditioning and optimization."

"First and foremost, it enables the customer to deploy high availability connections. This kind of solution enables them to deploy these HA connections for policies mostly automatically. It's a more automated approach than with other vendors."

"Many features are valuable for automation, connectivity, and throughput."

"The tool is easy to configure due to the existing pre-configured templates. It is easy to manage compared to legacy systems, which takes time. We can complete a site within 30 minutes. The tool's best feature is outdoor onboarding. You need to bring the box to the site with the internet. It is a simple plug-and-play. The solution offers a zero-touch procedure."

"The platform is valuable for bandwidth reduction."

"The most valuable feature of Silver Peak VX is the overall performance."

More Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Platform pros

"It allows us to use additional VPNs, offering more options compared to other VPN solutions."

"The reliability of connectivity is most valuable."

"It lowered our Internet costs and gave me the flexibility to choose providers based on each location's connectivity."

"The main advantage of Citrix SD-WAN is that it enables fast communication between our branches and data centers. And, with its cloud management features, it also makes the process of adding new branches into our company network much easier."

"The SD-WAN solution as it is already is quite feature-rich and the upgrade process is very simple."

"The VPN and the load balancing are the most valuable features."

"Downtime for branch offices is now almost zero. We have 100% real-time visibility into all of our lines. MPLS links have been replaced with lower-cost links, saving a larger percentage of line costs. Overall, I see SD-WAN as a must. And the Citrix SD-WAN product has delivered on expectations and exceeded them. (With later firmware updates we now have good firewall capabilities in the product too)."

"We are using it widely for the local record for SaaS-based applications. Another valuable feature is a local breakout."

More Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] pros

Cons

"There were quite a few problems with the stability of the system."

"The SD-WAN functionality is a bit overly complicated and not fully documented."

"The software is a bit expensive to renew."

"I would prefer to have more detailed logs within the FortiGate products themselves rather than relying on a separate tool."

"Scalability is one of the disadvantages. When it comes to scalability, you have to actually change the box. If you want to upgrade it, you need to actually change the existing box and probably you take the system off to other sites."

"WAN load-balancing could be a lot better at detecting when a link is poor or inconsistent, and not just flat out dead."

"Fortinet FortiGate could improve by having more storage in the hardware for log data."

"The ease of use could be improved."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"When comparing it with Fortinet and Palo Alto, which are top players in the Indian market, we are currently lacking in that aspect."

"The support, which is the direct support from Aruba, has shortcomings and needs to be improved."

"We would like to have better features for path selection. For example, if we know the network is going to go down then we would like to set up an alternate route for data packets in real-time."

"Reporting is something that they can improve on."

"There are some functional limitations that could improve."

"More technical sessions should be offered for deploying the solution."

"One area for improvement is the Intel support integration. The security could also improve."

"This solution is suitable for small to medium-sized companies. If we have large-sized companies it is better to use Cisco or Palo Alto."

More Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Platform cons

"Given that Citrix SD-WAN solved all our problems by providing us with everything we needed to unify communications with our branches and data centers, I cannot suggest anything further in terms of improvements."

"The initial setup could be a bit easier."

"I would like to either see the price reduced or have it packaged with other products to give better value for the money."

"Overall, network security and next-generation firewall features are areas that they can improve on."

"Even though the monitoring is pretty good, there is some room for improvement there."

"The only improvement for Citrix SD-WAN would be to lower its cost."

"I would like to see more customization to adjust for the WAN lock-out due to our unexpected power outages."

"Enhancements are needed to improve the stability."

More Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"In terms of the market, it's not a cheap product, but it's cost-effective."

"The solution could be better priced."

"The pricing is reasonable."

"FortiGate's pricing falls within the mid-range when compared to other leading firewall solutions."

"The pricing is better compared to other solutions like Check Point, Arista, or Cisco."

"The licensing costs are very low."

"We are on an annual license to use Fortinet FortiGate."

"The pricing of Fortinet FortiGate is average, not cheap or overly expensive compared to other firewall solutions in the market. It's effective and affordable for customers."

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

"On a scale of one to ten, where one is low, and ten is high, I rate the pricing around five to six."

"The price of Silver Peak VX is expensive compared to competitors. There are licenses, renewals, and support that need to be paid."

"Compared to other solutions, I think it is a cheap product in the market."

"The price of Silver Peak VX is reasonable but could improve."

"There is an annual license required to use Silver Peak Unity EdgeConnect."

"The licensing fees depend on the bandwidth. As an example of what we charge our customers, for 100MB without Boost, the price is approximately $2,000. That includes the licensing and the unit."

"You can get both yearly and monthly options in licensing. It is not expensive."

"The license for Silver Peak Unity EdgeConnect is paid annually."

More Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Platform pricing and cost advice

"It is a bit expensive. A cheaper product would be good, but everybody likes things to be cheaper. We bought the devices up front, and then we pay for the annual support."

"The price is relatively expensive."

"It's a little bit on the high side compared to the other products."

"The license was a one-time purchase. It's expensive."

"I believe that Citrix SD-WAN is a good investment, but I do not have the information to be more specific."

"The price of the subscription should be cheaper."

"It would be helpful to have a demo license available for customers who want to prove the concept and conduct a proof of concept (POC) before committing to the solution. This is particularly important for customers in Egypt who often require a demonstration of the solution's features and compatibility with their needs before making any investment or incurring costs. Providing a demo license would allow customers to assess whether the solution would meet their needs or not."

"It depends on the scale. In our case, it would have been better if we had known about the life cycling steps, but otherwise, it is worth the money."

More Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

23%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Legal Firm

Computer Software Company

29%

Government

Educational Organization

Energy/Utilities Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	350
Midsize Enterprise	129
Large Enterprise	187

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	8
Midsize Enterprise	7
Large Enterprise	10

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	7
Midsize Enterprise	5
Large Enterprise	10

Questions from the Community

Which is the better NGFW: Fortinet Fortigate or Cisco Firepower?

When you compare these firewalls you can identify them with different features, advantages, practices and usage a...

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What is the biggest difference between Sophos XG and FortiGate?

From my experience regarding both the Sophos and FortiGate firewalls, I personally would rather use FortiGate. I know...

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What are the biggest technical differences between Sophos UTM and Fortinet FortiGate?

As a solution, Sophos UTM offers a lot of functionality, it scales well, and the stability and performance are quite ...

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What do you like most about Silver Peak NX?

The tool's most valuable feature is bandwidth optimization.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Silver Peak NX?

The pricing is on the higher side compared to the competition when discussing experience with pricing, setup cost, an...

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What needs improvement with Silver Peak NX?

The room for improvement for the Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Platform is pricing, as people are purchasing this product ...

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What do you like most about Citrix SD-WAN?

It lowered our Internet costs and gave me the flexibility to choose providers based on each location's connectivity.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Citrix SD-WAN?

It is on the expensive side. I would give it an eight out of ten in terms of costliness. In my region, the approximat...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Citrix SD-WAN?

The solution's licensing model could be improved. Citrix SD-WAN is a good product from a technical point of view. How...

See all answers

Comparisons

Sophos XG vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 17% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 11% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 9% of the time

Cisco Meraki MX vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 4% of the time

WatchGuard Firebox vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 4% of the time

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Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Platform

Compared 19% of the time

Cato SASE Cloud Platform vs Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Platform

Compared 9% of the time

VMware VeloCloud SD-WAN vs Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Platform

Compared 8% of the time

Prisma SD-WAN vs Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Platform

Compared 7% of the time

Juniper Session Smart Router vs Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Platform

Compared 6% of the time

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FatPipe WAN Optimization vs Citrix SD-WAN [EOL]

Compared 100% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

September 2025

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Buyer's Guide

Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Platform

September 2025

Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Platform report

Download Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Platform product report

Buyer's Guide

Citrix SD-WAN [EOL]

September 2025

Download Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] product report

Also Known As

No data available

Silver Peak NX, Silver Peak VX, Silver Peak Unity EdgeConnect

Citrix CloudBridge, WOC, NetScaler SD-WAN

Overview

Fortinet FortiGate excels in providing integrated VPN, firewalling, and Unified Threat Management (UTM) with centralized management and high availability. It supports remote access and comprehensive threat protection, making it a preferred choice for securing networks.

Fortinet FortiGate offers a robust security platform with features such as strong intrusion prevention, application control, and web filtering. Its integration with Active Directory and SD-WAN functionality provides scalable solutions for large networks. Users appreciate its ease of use through centralized management interfaces, ensuring robust security with flexible configurations. However, FortiGate could enhance its graphical interface and technical support responsiveness, address firmware bugs and costly licensing, improve logging, integrate better with third-party tools, and strengthen scalability and memory for log storage. Complexity in configuration and the need for intuitive features are noted challenges, and there's a demand for advanced security, zero-trust capabilities, and AI integration.

What are the key features of Fortinet FortiGate?

VPN: Secure remote access and connectivity.
Firewalling: Protects networks from unauthorized access and attacks.
UTM: Offers a comprehensive approach to threat management.
SD-WAN: Optimizes traffic routing for efficient network performance.
Web Filtering: Controls and monitors web access and ensures Internet security.

What benefits or ROI should be considered?

Centralized Management: Simplifies administration and monitoring.
High Availability: Ensures consistent security and network availability.
Scalability: Adapts to the needs of growing networks.
Comprehensive Threat Protection: Provides robust security measures.
Ease of Use: Minimizes the complexity of security management.

Fortinet FortiGate is widely implemented across industries like education, finance, and government. Companies use it for firewall protection, VPN, and SD-WAN capabilities, ensuring secure perimeter and data center security. It facilitates remote access management and traffic routing optimization, offering reliable security and connectivity solutions.

Fortinet

The EdgeConnect SD-WAN platform secures and powers a self-driving wide area network for cloud-first enterprises.

In today’s edge-to-cloud enterprise, user experience and security are not optional

Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN provides a secure network foundation for Zero Trust and SASE. It includes a first-class SD-WAN paired with a next-generation firewall delivering unmatched quality of experience and advanced security.

Best-of-breed SASE with no compromise

EdgeConnect SD-WAN enables a best-of-breed SASE architecture that meets the security requirements of today’s digital organizations. It provides comprehensive SD-WAN and security services including next-generation firewall, fine-grained segmentation, IDS/IPS, and tightly integrates with many SSE (Security Service Edge) solutions.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] enhances network stability, redundancy, and reliability, supporting connectivity between branches, optimizing internet access, and enabling secure, redundant networks, both on-premises and cloud-based.

Corporations utilize Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] to improve network performance, minimize downtime, and ensure high availability. Combining communication methods and supporting interbranch internet routing, it assists businesses in transitioning from MPLS, centralizing monitoring, and optimizing bandwidth use. Its functionality includes secure connections, cost reductions, and effective management of internet access. The support for multiple communication methods, application reliability, and ease of implementation make it a valuable tool for modern network management.

What key features does Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] offer?

Security: Enhanced protection to safeguard network data
IPv6 layering over IPv4: Ensures compatibility and future-proofing
Active-Active bandwidth use: Maximizes bandwidth utilization
Zero downtime failover: Maintains continuous operation during failures
Zero-touch deployment: Simplifies the installation process
Application reliability: Ensures high performance for critical applications
Cost-effectiveness: Reduces overall networking expenses
Central deployment: Facilitates easy configuration updates and management

What benefits should users look for in Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] reviews?

Enhanced performance: Improved application and connectivity speed
Increased reliability: Minimized network downtime and interruptions
Centralized monitoring: Streamlined network oversight and control
Scalable security: Adaptable protection for evolving network needs
Cost savings: Lower operational costs compared to traditional MPLS
Flexibility: Ability to handle multiple network functions effectively

Industries implement Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] to replace costly MPLS setups with more flexible VPN and NetScaler options, benefiting sectors like finance, healthcare, and retail that require robust, secure, and scalable network solutions. Organizations achieve better device management and efficient connectivity across multiple branches, enhancing their operational effectiveness.

Citrix

Sample Customers

Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, IBM, Cisco, Dell, HP, Oracle, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Vodafone, Orange, BT Group, Telstra, Deutsche Telekom, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, CenturyLink, NTT Communications, Tata Communications, SoftBank, China Mobile, Singtel, Telus, Rogers Communications, Bell Canada, Telkom Indonesia, Telkom South Africa, Telmex, Telia Company, Telkom Kenya

Group Dekko, Kingston Technology, American Student Assistance, Ares Management, Charlotte Metro Credit Union, Colonial Savings, Community Bank, Denali Credit Union, Bed Bath & Beyond, Breweries of Cameroon, Carnival Australia, Coastal Beverages, Toshiba Electronics, Tru Blu Beverages, WAXIE Sanitary Supply, Charleston Area Medical Center, Community Health Plan, Healthcare Company, Mercy Health, Linklaters, Miles & Stockbridge, Thomson Snell & Passmore

AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Cornerstone Home Lending Inc., Dallara, ecVision, Essar, Eurofred, Groupe Promutuel, HMSHost Corporation, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Ltd, Royal Caribbean International

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