Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] vs Steelhead comparison

Citrix and Riverbed are both solutions in the WAN Optimization category. Additionally, 90% of Citrix users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 94% of Riverbed users who would recommend it.
Citrix SD-WAN [EOL]
Read 22 Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] reviews
    90% willing to recommend
    Steelhead
    Read 23 Steelhead reviews
    • 857 Views
    • 451 Comparison Views
    94% willing to recommend
     

    Comparison Buyer's Guide

    Download the report
    Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 22, 2024

    Steelhead and Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] are two prominent solutions in the SD-WAN market. Steelhead seems to have the upper hand in pricing and customer support, whereas Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] is superior in terms of features.

    Features: Steelhead users highly value its WAN optimization capabilities, application acceleration, and network visibility. Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] users benefit from its comprehensive networking features, robust security, and flexible hybrid integration.

    Room for Improvement: Steelhead could improve its cloud integration, support for modern applications, and keeping up with new technology trends. Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] needs more user-friendly management tools, better scalability options, and ease of management.

    Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Steelhead receives positive feedback for its straightforward deployment process and effective customer service. Citrix SD-WAN [EOL]'s deployment is noted to be more complex, but users acknowledge good customer service.

    Pricing and ROI: Steelhead is often praised for its reasonable setup costs and favorable ROI. Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] tends to have higher setup costs and demands a larger upfront investment but provides value through its advanced features.

    DOWNLOAD THE COMPLETE REPORT
    To learn more, read our detailed WAN Optimization Report (Updated: September 2024).
    Buyer's Guide
    WAN Optimization
    September 2024
    Download the complete report
    Helped 813,418 peers since 2012
     

    Categories and Ranking

    Citrix SD-WAN [EOL]
    Average Rating
    8.2
    Number of Reviews
    22
    Ranking in other categories
    No ranking in other categories
    Steelhead
    Average Rating
    8.2
    Number of Reviews
    23
    Ranking in other categories
    WAN Optimization (3rd), WAN Edge (13th)
     

    Featured Reviews

    Rohit Ghorpade - PeerSpot reviewer
    Jul 4, 2023
    A scalable solution for MCN controller but lacks technical supports, upgrades
    There are a few things that can be improved, are domain-based routing and the slowness of virtual parts, and it may be due to the wrong configuration, which we have been unable to find out. Previously, we faced some issues with the slowness part. Apart from that, feature like end gateway level antivirus. We are currently using a NetFlow proxy to establish a virtual position for the NetFlow. Our current environment has many use cases, but we are not using them on the Citrix SD-WAN. When I navigate the NCL part, it involves configuration. I want to highlight this disadvantage. Sometimes, when we push the configuration, it tries to push it to all branch locations. This process takes a lot of time, nearly 30 minutes, to push a single change from the NCL. Overall, I don't think Citrix meets our use cases what we have. This is based on my feedback after using it for the past year and working on this Citrix SD-WAN. However, from my experience, it is the worst solution I have seen. There's no domain-based routing, which is horrible. That's why we are moving to other products. We have checked our use case requirements with Fortinet, Palo Alto, and they meet them. I will consider the PoC or another OEM. There are many things in the area you need to be prompt, like the automation part. If any link or device goes down, alerting notification, etc. We need to perform and highlight so many things to your management. This should be improved.
    Read full review
    Chaudhary Muhammad Moez Manzar - PeerSpot reviewer
    Nov 17, 2023
    Exceptionally stable and reliable but costly
    I have had hands-on experience with the initial setup of Steelhead, particularly in deploying it for a banking system in Pakistan. The deployment involved two cities, Karachi and Larkana, with around sixteen to eighteen branches. To start, we needed licenses for both Steelhead devices, crucial for optimizing traffic. Understanding the volume of traffic between the nodes is essential. For instance, if there is a 1 GB traffic requirement, we need to select a license capable of optimizing that volume. While the claim is that Steelhead can optimize up to 90%, we typically set realistic expectations, aiming for 60-70% optimization. Choosing the right device, analyzing its processing capabilities, ensuring hardware compatibility with the selected license, and understanding the specific requirements are key aspects of the setup process. The initial installation of Steelhead is more about careful planning than complex configuration. The trickiest part is deciding on the right device, box, and license. Figuring out which box suits the purpose and which license can handle the expected traffic volume is crucial. Once that is sorted, the configuration itself is relatively straightforward, mostly done through a user-friendly GUI. The key for engineers is understanding how to analyze the graphs and reports. During deployment, the focus shifts to selecting the appropriate box, software version, and license. The reports become essential for ongoing optimization. The full installation of Steelhead typically takes around one day. However, I usually monitor the system for about a week after deployment to gather mature data and generate comprehensive reports. The deployment of Steelhead is a team effort, not a solo task. Typically, it involves a presales person and a technician, especially if we are setting up in a data center. The infrastructure management and operations team, including system, network, and software teams, are also part of the process. In total, around nine to ten people might be involved, depending on the specific needs.
    Read full review

    Quotes from Members

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

    Pros

    "The scalability and stability are quite good in general."
    "They have a zero downtime failover mechanism, where, when there's a link failure or a link weakness, or bad link conditions, they provide the ability to fail back seamlessly."
    "The zero-touch deployment is most valuable for us."
    "The most valuable feature is security, as it gives me the port bindings that cannot be accomplished using other solutions."
    "It allows you to combine two asymmetrical connections."
    "We are using it widely for the local record for SaaS-based applications. Another valuable feature is a local breakout."
    "The most valuable feature is its reliability."
    "The solution is brilliant, the way it calculates its paths and trails is great."
    More Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] pros
    "I find the most valuable to be the compression and exchange replication."
    "TCP optimization... caches a particular TCP connection and the next time a user uses that connection he will reach the destination easily."
    "Steelhead is stable, and it can even help you avoid service interruption in the event of a power outage. If your hardware fails, technical support will replace your device quickly."
    "It is very easy to install the solution."
    "Scalable data referencing is a great feature."
    "SteelHead works from the application. I use it to optimize traffic from Amazon. It is mainly used for customers who need to increase the traffic to 33K. For other users, it has been more of an operation."
    "The compression of Riverbed is very powerful. It can also handle large quantities of traffic."
    "One of our most valuable features is Steelhead's cloud migration optimization. Moving to the cloud helped optimize our workflow, improving performance for end-users."
    More Steelhead pros
     

    Cons

    "There are a few things that can be improved, are domain-based routing and the slowness of virtual parts, and it may be due to the wrong configuration, which we have been unable to find out."
    "The only improvement for Citrix SD-WAN would be to lower its cost."
    "Enhancements are needed to improve the stability."
    "Citrix SD-WAN's knowledge base has a few missing things, so you may need to seek help from support."
    "I would like to see more customization to adjust for the WAN lock-out due to our unexpected power outages."
    "I would like to see support for additional reporting."
    "The price is the only thing that could be improved. Citrix is not a cheap solution."
    "The initial setup could be a bit easier."
    More Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] cons
    "Steelhead's handling of encrypted traffic could be improved because it requires some complex configuration to optimize encrypted traffic, especially when working with Microsoft protocols for mail servers and VPN services"
    "The product should offer more integration capabilities."
    "One area for improvement is related to monitoring and visibility."
    "The application response time of the solution can be improved."
    "The solution needs to have alert notifications."
    "They should include a network switch in a future release."
    "I would like to see improvement in the solution’s configuration and protocol aspects. We have got some configurations that are not set. I would also like to simplify the call detection of some protocols."
    "Application response time and network performance could be improved."
    More Steelhead cons
     

    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 of the subscription should be cheaper."
    "Citrix SD-WAN is quite an affordable product."
    "The license was a one-time purchase. It's expensive."
    "I'm not quite sure of the price ranges. Roughly, the hidden devices can scale up to $20K for one appliance. However, the branch CPs are USD $1,000 to $2,500."
    "The price is relatively expensive."
    "I believe that Citrix SD-WAN is a good investment, but I do not have the information to be more specific."
    "It's a little bit on the high side compared to the other products."
    More Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] pricing and cost advice
    "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."
    report
    See which vendors are best for you
    Use our free recommendation engine to learn which WAN Optimization solutions are best for your needs.
    See recommendations
    813,418 professionals have used our research since 2012.
     

    Top Industries

    By visitors reading reviews
    Computer Software Company
    21%
    Financial Services Firm
    8%
    Real Estate/Law Firm
    7%
    Retailer
    7%
    Computer Software Company
    22%
    Manufacturing Company
    13%
    Government
    11%
    Financial Services Firm
    10%
     

    Company Size

    By reviewers
    Large Enterprise
    Midsize Enterprise
    Small Business
     

    Questions from the Community

    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 approximate cost for the Citrix SD-WAN license is around $150 per user per year. However, ...
    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. However, when you compare its licensing with the prices of competitors, you will se...
    See all answers
    What is the best network monitoring software for large enterprises?
    We just did an assessment for our 47 datacenters around North America. The top two enterprise-level network monitoring solutions were ExtraHop first, Riverbed SteelCenter second. Their negotiated c...
    See all answers
    What do you like most about Riverbed Steelhead?
    One of our most valuable features is Steelhead's cloud migration optimization. Moving to the cloud helped optimize our workflow, improving performance for end-users.
    See all answers
    What is your primary use case for Riverbed Steelhead?
    The tool is useful as an optimization tool, especially in scenarios with limited bandwidth, like intra-connecting sites. It optimizes WAN traffic so that critical traffic gets priority and is optim...
    See all answers
     

    Comparisons

    Fortinet FortiGate vs Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] Logo
    Fortinet FortiGate vs Citrix SD-WAN [EOL]
    Compared 31% of the time
    Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] Logo
    Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs Citrix SD-WAN [EOL]
    Compared 20% of the time
    Meraki SD-WAN vs Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] Logo
    Meraki SD-WAN vs Citrix SD-WAN [EOL]
    Compared 9% of the time
    Cato SASE Cloud Platform vs Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] Logo
    Cato SASE Cloud Platform vs Citrix SD-WAN [EOL]
    Compared 9% of the time
    VMware VeloCloud SD-WAN vs Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] Logo
    VMware VeloCloud SD-WAN vs Citrix SD-WAN [EOL]
    Compared 9% of the time
    More Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] Competitors
    Fortinet FortiGate vs Steelhead Logo
    Fortinet FortiGate vs Steelhead
    Compared 21% of the time
    Noction IRP vs Steelhead Logo
    Noction IRP vs Steelhead
    Compared 21% of the time
    Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs Steelhead Logo
    Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs Steelhead
    Compared 20% of the time
    Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Platform vs Steelhead Logo
    Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Platform vs Steelhead
    Compared 16% of the time
    WAAS vs Steelhead Logo
    WAAS vs Steelhead
    Compared 13% of the time
    More Steelhead Competitors
     

    Product Reports

    Buyer's Guide
    Citrix SD-WAN [EOL]
    October 2024
    Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] reportDownload Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] product report
    Buyer's Guide
    Steelhead
    September 2024
    Steelhead reportDownload Steelhead product report
     

    Also Known As

    Citrix CloudBridge, WOC, NetScaler SD-WAN
    RIverbed Steelhead
     

    Learn More

    Citrix
    Video not available
    Riverbed
     

    Overview

    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.

    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. 

    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.

     

    Sample Customers

    AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Cornerstone Home Lending Inc., Dallara, ecVision, Essar, Eurofred, Groupe Promutuel, HMSHost Corporation, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Ltd, Royal Caribbean International
    ElAraby, SFK Leblanc, Bobst Group, Northwest Pipe Company, Halkbank, Tradebridge, EFG Hermes
    Buyer's Guide
    WAN Optimization
    September 2024
    Download Free Report
    Find out what your peers are saying about Cato Networks, HPE Aruba Networking, Riverbed and others in WAN Optimization. Updated: September 2024.
    DOWNLOAD NOW
    813,418 professionals have used our research since 2012.
    See our list of best WAN Optimization vendors and best WAN Edge vendors.

    We monitor all WAN Optimization reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.