VMware VeloCloud SD-WAN Reviews

I work for a supply chain and we have a site where we want to offload the internet traffic and get to the application, etc. Some of the cloud applications go out directly and automatically through the SD-WAN device to the internet, so it is local and does not go to the MPLS. We can load balance those applications.

Their QOE, or Quality Of Experience, is the most valuable feature. Basically, VeloCloud measures the latency and the chatter and everything on a voice application, and it just routes the traffic or duplicates the packets according to that chatter. 

They have a lot of built-ins. There are so many applications defined inside the solution. It makes it so that we don't have to create some policies. Each and every application is already defined in it.

The solution doesn't offer failover between their own devices. If I want to, I should be able to put the two devices together, so there can be a failover. 

They need to come out with a new device, such as a 510 LTE which would have LTE capabilities.

On the 610 devices, they're saying they're going to have LTE in it. They don't have it. They don't even have a POE feature inside the VeloCloud devices. Therefore, if I want to set up a POE, just the one device with everything in it, I actually don't have a POE support on it.

I've been using the solution for about six months now.

Stability-wise the solution is quite good. It's reliable. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's not buggy at all.

The scalability is giving us problems at the moment. We want to put this as, for example, a primary MPLS, with internet secondary, and cellular tertiary. The LTE device doesn't even failover between them, however. Therefore, there is no scalability there.

We don't deal with technical support, due to the fact that we have AT&T. Since we deal with AT&T, we don't deal with them directly. Therefore, I can't speak to their level of knowledge or responsiveness.

Our company is actually many companies. At another subsidiary, they are doing a POC with Cisco. Cisco is providing them with better pricing. On top of that, they have good availability and failover capabilities on LTE. The Cisco router can do the secondary subnet on the same VLAN, which VeloCloud cannot do.

They have a lot of features we technically need to have but don't on VeloCloud.

The initial setup isn't too complex. It's pretty straightforward.

In terms of the deployment, we designed everything properly, and due to the fact that we took the time to design it correctly, it didn't take a long time. Strategy-wise, we have AT&T as our provider. That said, we have set up a reference architecture in such a way that it just copies every site, according to our site size and the requirements.

If you compare VeloCloud to, for example, Cisco, the pricing is almost the same. However, Cisco offers more features that are integral to the way we need the solution to operate. In that sense, it's better value for money. For example, now we need to have an extra LTE modem outside of VeloCloud, and it's going to add to the cost, which ultimately makes it more expensive.

We're just customers. We don't have a business relationship with the company.

We are not using the newest version of the solution. They already have a newer version, however, we have everything outsourced to AT&T, and they have not upgraded the new version on it yet. The version we have on the VeloCloud is 3.4.3, and the newest version, which, from my understanding, is four, and is already out there.

The greatest advice I have for potential new users is this: when you do deploy the VeloCloud, it's pretty straightforward. However, the only thing you have to remember is to make sure that you have the site requirements in terms of the primary and secondary circuits. For us, the last mile circuit is always a requirement, so we have a tertiary as a cellular. That way, even if the primary and secondary go down, you are okay. Also, you need to make sure to size your VeloCloud equipment or VeloCloud model according to the size of your needs.

Overall, on a scale from one to ten, I'd rate the solution at a nine.

My company uses this solution to migrate workloads between clouds.  When  doing quality assurance testing or developing a new release, we'll move environments back and forth.

Extending VLAN across clouds seamlessly is a great value.

I like the on-demand capability. When extra capacity is needed, we can get it very quickly. 

It has a lot of major restrictions and it's a little costly. For example, the requirement to have the separate nodes from VMware to monitor and control nodes is a big expense. We looked at it from a Dell perspective and the minimum they want just to monitor and have that capability is $10,000 a month. It's kind of expensive. There's always improvements to be had, but the problem is the price. That's always the driving decision point.

We don't want to have a SD-WAN for our business users and then have to go to someone like Zscaler for our private VPN. We would like to see one product do it all, so we're only dealing with one source when we talk about remote access, whether it be large installations or remote users. Having multiple products is a drain.

I have had experience with this product for over seven years. 

It's extremely stable. VMware is one of the best products out there.

It is a scalable solution. We have about 2,500 VMware users. We have a team of three people who handle maintenance for the solution, but they're not full-time. 

The technical support used to be better. It used to be excellent. Now, you can't really reach them. Everything is done via emails and online. Since they got divested from Dell, they've changed their whole approach and it's a little bit difficult. I would rate them as a three out of five. They used to be a five out of five. 

There was the product that Oracle puts out. It never had all the features, and they were late to marketing. They could never catch up on the functionality that VMware introduced. They had the basic functions, even going back to the mainframe days, but VMware got a jump on all of its competitors and nobody could ever match them on a product set.

VMware in itself is not difficult to set up. Being able to run guest machines takes a couple of hours. It has a network component that can be a little bit complex, but other than that, if you've done all the prep work, it's pretty innocuous to set up VMware.

We did most of the deployment in-house. 

It's hard to quantify, but we have seen an ROI because we're able to move back and forth between production and tests. We've gotten productivity gains that are hard to gauge, but we don't have to have all the on-prem infrastructure all the time. When we need incremental, we move the workload to the cloud and let it work in the cloud and then we bring it back. It's more of a time-to-market issue than actual quantifiable savings or results.

The minimum cost is $10,000 a month to have a monitoring station set up, plus the fact that you have to pay for the compute you want to have on-prem and the compute you have in the cloud.

My advice is that networking is the major issue. The prep time and understanding what you want to do and how much bandwidth you'll need and how you're going to configure it on the network, that's more of an issue than anything else.

I would rate this solution as an eight out of ten. 

It is a valuable solution for organizations facing the challenge of managing networks across multiple locations. Its centralized console allows for easy network administration, addressing the complexity of handling numerous devices across various sites.

The centralized management proves economically efficient, making it a cost-effective choice for businesses.

One of the standout features is its ability to dynamically manage enterprise networks based on applications. Through application-based routing, organizations can efficiently direct traffic over multiple links. The solution incorporates features like link steering and forward error correction to ensure robust network performance. The seamless integration offered by VMware SD-WAN positions it as a versatile solution for evolving IT landscapes. It facilitates VPN connectivity without vendor restrictions, allowing organizations to establish VPN connections through any vendor. This flexibility eliminates the limitations associated with specific VPN protocols, offering a more adaptable solution. In the context of multi-tenancy, VMware SD-WAN stands out as a cloud-based, multi-tenant solution, catering to the needs of service providers looking to offer services to smaller customers.

There might be potential enhancements in better integration with other platforms, increased stability, and heightened security.

I have been working with it for a year.

The solution exhibits high stability; I would rate it up to nine out of ten.

The key strength of this solution lies in its scalability, especially as a cloud-based solution. In contrast to on-premise solutions where scalability often involves device replacement, cloud-based solutions provide a highly scalable infrastructure.

Setting up the system is extremely straightforward and efficient. The process is designed to be user-friendly, requiring minimal time and expertise.

The deployment process involves several steps. First, we'll configure and create profiles, segments, firewall rules, and network services within VMware VeloCloud's orchestrated unit. This configuration is profile-based, allowing us to set up and define parameters in advance. Upon registering the device with the cloud, we can pre-configure profiles. Once the device is active, it connects to the cloud, automatically downloading all the necessary configurations. Getting a site up and running typically takes just a day. The entire process is designed to be profile-centric, simplifying the management and customization of configurations. For enterprises and service providers, considering the scale and complexity, it is advisable to hire subject matter experts (SMEs) or consultants to ensure a smoother and more proficient implementation process.

If you're a service provider or managing a large enterprise, I highly recommend considering VMware, a leader in virtualization. Their cloud-based solutions, particularly in virtualization and software-defined networking, are top-notch. Overall, I would rate it nine out of ten.

Our customers are using VMware SD-WAN based on their specific requirements. One of the main use cases is for WAN connectivity and disaster recovery connections. They need secure connections and database synchronization between primary sites and disaster recovery sites. That's why we introduced VMware SD-WAN.

We primarily deal with VMware SD-WAN, and we handle services, configurations, and technicalities related to it. Our customers are quite satisfied with VMware SD-WAN, and they haven't encountered any problems. The operations are running smoothly.

One of the main reasons customers appreciate VMware SD-WAN is its comprehensive set of features. It covers network software services, starting from the underlying hardware and creating a virtualized network overlay. As a result, many customers find VMware SD-WAN to be highly beneficial for their networking needs.

VMware SD-WAN Orchestrator provides centralized enterprise-level installation, configuration, and real-time monitoring. Additionally, data flows through the cloud network, enhancing performance. The solution offers simplified operations with RapidZERO Touch provisioning and cloud management, optimizing application performance.

Security is one area where the solution is comfortable and reliable for us, especially in managing on-prem and cloud adoptions and accelerating performance through bandwidth optimization. So, it's very beneficial for us. 

There is room for improvement in the pricing. 

Another area of improvement is in terms of security. It could be better. 

Approximately, I have been working with VMware SD-WAN for the last few months. I don't have the exact timeframe since I'm new, but I know that my company has sold a significant number of SD-WAN solutions.

The stability is a hundred percent. It is a stable solution. 

Most customers are satisfied with the scalability. So it seems to be quite manageable and without problems as of now.

Most of our customers are SMBs. 

Customer service and support are good. If a customer needs support, they can open a support case through the Customer Connect portal. Our team will then work with the customer, discuss the issues, and collaborate with VMware engineers to address and resolve the problems.

Positive

The initial setup is not troublesome at all. The initial configuration and deployment are quite easy. There haven't been any issues with deployment and configuration.

We have a dedicated implementation team that takes care of deploying the solution for various events, including cloud-related setups.

For the deployment of virtualized networks, storage of servers, and clouds, we usually have a team of 10 to 15 engineers involved, so it's a collaborative effort.

The pricing can vary depending on the features and the cloud resources utilized. It may seem a bit costly when considering cloud resources, but in terms of quality and configurations, it offers significant value compared to other products.

There are additional costs to the standard license because the licensing model can vary based on the customer's deployment and preferences.

For example, there may be additional costs depending on the customer's requirements. If a customer needs 24/7 support or other specific features, we will tailor the solution accordingly to fulfill their design and requirements.

VMware SD-WAN offers competitive features and benefits for various requirements. It is especially effective for customer branch offices, remote offices, and scenarios where seamless connectivity is crucial for voice and video-sensitive applications like Salesforce, Google Mail, AWS, and Office 365. The product is highly customizable and can provide a solid foundation for networking needs.

Overall, I would rate the solution a ten out of ten. 

Our main use cases have been for customers who have been traditionally using MPLS lines and are now moving into a lot more SaaS-based applications to transform the WAN infrastructure. A lot of our customers have end-of-life, end-of-support devices on the WAN and they are always looking for doing RFPs on cutting edge technology. Some of them happen to use a lot of VMware and Cisco portfolios in their data centers and they are constantly trying to see what solution fits best for them.

VMware has been chosen by many of our customers who do not want to do a lot of complex routing in their environment and want a very easy-to-use solution. The most valuable features are simple troubleshooting, Dynamic Multipath Optimization (DMPO), and cybersecurity. 

DMPO is a technology that is similar to a proprietary technology that VMware has. Customers probably do not understand too much about it in detail but they know about the benefits of it in general. What it does is constantly monitors all different areas, such as latency, jitter bandwidth, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. It makes sure that if there is a case where there is a networking jitter contained in the link, it figures out how to maneuver your traffic elsewhere. This is all done automatically without customers getting slowed down on those poor links. The customers do not want to spend too much time researching these complex technologies which VMware automatically takes care of them. It benefits many IT teams by taking a lot of the burden away who are constantly juggling a hundred different other things as well.

The cybersecurity component is very important. VMware also has a lot of security components embedded into the SD-WAN, especially with the traditionally SD-WAN, and now a lot more integration through secure access with partnerships companies, such as Zscaler and other SaaS-based solutions. VMware has a lot of portfolios within themselves that can support many security use cases and if they cannot they have partnerships with industry leaders who can. For example, the Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) solutions through the Zscaler partnerships can help customers who want to move from traditional VPN solutions towards ZTNA based ones.

Overall as an experience, I have found that customers like the UI/UX experience that they receive from VMware.

There are customers that have very large routing and segmentation operations who do a lot of segmentation within their network and have complex routing requirements. VMware does not provide the facilities in terms of doing a lot of operations with routing tables, such as complex routing policies. It is more about that out-of-pocket experience that customers get out of VMware. There are other technologies for this type of use case from solutions, such as Versa or other WANs. These are for customers who are wanting to maneuver or configure things themselves, similar to DIY solutions, for them going to technologies, for instance from Versa, makes much more sense because they can do a lot more with routing, complex segmentation, and complex configurations. For customers who have complex service provider requirements, VMware and other solutions cannot support a lot of those use cases.

In an upcoming release, they should allow customers the flexibility to use mobile applications where they can go and check on the information about their networks. A lot of vendors, such as Meraki, have a lot more integration with the use of portals to a mobile application. Having this feature as an alternative to logging into a laptop would be beneficial. If you are a SaaS-based company why not make a mobile application as well. You might not be able to do configurations but at least monitor while away or on vacation.

I have been using this solution for approximately four years.

The software itself is very stable which our customers really like. They do not want to have buggy software or problems. I see the customers choose VMware over others and over time because of positive experiences with use cases, it becomes a trusted vendor and they tend to trust in the name as a brand in the future.

IT vendors are getting much more stable with the code, but nowadays everybody has more attention towards SaaS technology. Networking will just become another bundle to a lot of those providing this type of solution. Many vendors are getting into SaaS solutions and in terms of documentation, code releases, and features, there are probably more advancements. In SD-WAN specifically, a lot more features are moving into SaaS-based solutions. These new solutions are going to get reviewed and push the industries even further towards SaaS solutions it is the future.

The technical support is good.

The solution is straightforward to install compared to other solutions, VMware makes setup simple. SD-WAN vendors have a kind of simplicity embedded into them, just because of the nature of the software-defined components into it. 

I have evaluated Zscaler and Versa.

The advice to others wanting to implement this solution is not to try and do everything yourself. A lot of customers choose this route and are negatively affected two years later. It is important to do a lot of proof of concepts and testing. Get the solution from a trusted service provider who can manage it for you because these technologies are really complex under the code. Having a trusted service provider who can work with you and can have a lot of benefits. If your company business is not running the WAN links, I would suggest just offload that burden to a trusted service provider because then you can focus on your business. Technologies are complex, and doing all of these operations through your own IP node is complex. A trusted service provider who knows what they are doing can offload a lot of that burden allowing for you to relax and actually focus on your main applications and business.

A lot of customers I have seen in the industry try to do all the operations themselves just because they think that it is good to insource everything. This is one of the areas that you should not be insourceed a hundred percent of your team because these technologies can be extremely difficult to do on a day-to-day basis. Service providers handle hundreds of customers and they know a lot more about what you are doing and can be very useful than if you did it by yourself.

I rate VMware SD-WAN an eight out of ten.

The platform's use cases extend to various industries, including retail, where it helps security policies around POPs and implements SASE. It also enhances network visibility and the endpoints.

VMware SD-WAN is easy-to-use and provides many different analytics, showing latency and anomalies. It has an excellent security aspect.

There is still room for improvement in support and security, especially in enhancing the SASE aspect of the platform. They could include more functionalities similar to Fortinet.

I have been using VMware SD-WAN for three and a half years.

VMware SD-WAN has good stability. 

It is a scalable platform. I have scaled from 20 sites to a couple of 1000 sites.

Although the platform's service and support are improving, there are still some difficulties in obtaining specific units due to product manufacturing constraints, particularly with hardware. Getting some units can take time and effort. It's essential to set clear customer expectations regarding this aspect.

Neutral

VMware SD-WAN is easy to set up. The deployment takes two minutes and requires one network engineer. I rate the process a seven out of ten.

VMware SD-WAN provides competitive pricing. I rate the pricing a seven out of ten.

I advise others to do a POC on trial. I rate VMware SD-WAN a seven out of ten.

VMware SD-WAN can be deployed on the cloud and on-premise. We use Microsoft and AWS as our cloud services.

The most valuable feature of VMware SD-WAN is the virtualization platform. You can use the software on any hardware. Additionally, the solution is easy to use.

VMware SD-WAN can improve on the security features.

In a future release, VMware SD-WAN could improve by adding a VPN without IPsec.

I have been using VMware SD-WAN for approximately three years.

VMware SD-WAN is a stable solution.

The scalability of VMware SD-WAN is good.

We have under 100 people using the solution in my organization.

We have vendor support from VMware SD-WAN and the service they provide is of a medium level.

Neutral

The initial setup of VMware SD-WAN is straightforward. The time it took to implement took weeks. We tried to implement the solution slowly and securely over time.

We did the implementation of VMware SD-WAN in-house.

We have approximately 10 to 15 people that maintain and support the solution.

The return on investment has not been achieved. It is taking longer than anticipated.

The solution's price combines the license and the bandwidth you used.

I rate the cost of VMware SD-WAN a four out of five.

My advice to others is that not every SD-WAN solution fits every customer or requirement. If the requirements work with the solution, I would recommend using VMware SD-WAN. It's a good solution.

I rate VMware SD-WAN an eight out of ten.

Initially, we had a scattered environment, but VMware SD-WAN helped us achieve centralization, which was beneficial.

I liked the stability and performance, as it facilitated different types of work under one centralized unit.

It made the event deployment easier and allowed us to see the centralization process of all virtualization places. It had a positive and real-time impact on our business and provided a centralized view.

Better price model would be appreciated.

I have been using it for two years. It's version 6.0.

The stability was 100%. It is a stable solution.

There are around six users in my organization using the solution. 

The initial setup was easy. Not complex.

It is expensive. It is a yearly payment. I would recommend opting for a quarterly license model. 

I would definitely recommend using the solution. I would rate the solution a seven out of ten.