Meraki SD-WAN vs VMware NSX comparison

Meraki SD-WAN
Read 61 Meraki SD-WAN reviews
  • 2,053 Views
  • 1,278 Comparison Views
96% willing to recommend
VMware NSX
Read 94 VMware NSX reviews
  • 1,707 Views
  • 1,119 Comparison Views
88% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary
We performed a comparison between Meraki SD-WAN and VMware NSX based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Software Defined Networking (SDN) solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.

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To learn more, read our detailed Meraki SD-WAN vs. VMware NSX Report (Updated: May 2020).
Buyer's Guide
Meraki SD-WAN vs. VMware NSX
May 2020
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Helped 787,033 peers since 2012
 

Categories and Ranking

Meraki SD-WAN
Average Rating
8.2
Number of Reviews
61
Ranking in other categories
Software Defined Networking (SDN) (1st)
VMware NSX
Average Rating
8.0
Number of Reviews
94
Ranking in other categories
Network Virtualization (2nd), Cloud and Data Center Security (1st), Network Automation (4th), Microsegmentation Software (1st)
 

Market share comparison

As of June 2024, in the Software Defined Networking (SDN) category, the market share of Meraki SD-WAN is 36.1% and it increased by 31.0% compared to the previous year. The market share of VMware NSX is 18.1% and it increased by 75.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Software Defined Networking (SDN)
Unique Categories:
No other categories found
Network Virtualization
50.0%
Cloud and Data Center Security
17.4%
 

Q&A Highlights

PW
Jul 06, 2020
What is the biggest difference between VMware NSX and Meraki SD-WAN?
We are currently reviewing various SD-WAN vendors for our infrastructure and what I found lacking with Cisco Meraki is that you cannot use Active/Active HA with two MX devices. Only HA is available with one device which introduces a single point of failure for any network. There is also up to 5 minute failover time for Active/Active circuits which in my opinion is quite long compared to other solutions which are nearer instant.
See all answers
 

Featured Reviews

CS
Feb 20, 2024
Offers an effective, user-friendly solution that's particularly well-suited for small business deployments
It is effective and easy to set up, although a bit expensive, but it gets the job done with a simple configuration. However, Meraki isn't as flexible for more unique needs but works excellently within its defined scope. I'd like to see improvements in the client VPN area. Currently, we use L2TP over IPSec, which, while widely supported, can be buggy on Windows due to Microsoft's implementation, not Meraki's. Cisco's AnyConnect is an alternative, but it's proprietary. An open-source option like WireGuard or TailScale, especially WireGuard for compliance reasons, would be a valuable addition to Meraki's offerings. WireGuard would be a perfect fit due to its simplicity and set-and-forget configuration
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AANKITGUPTAA - PeerSpot reviewer
Oct 14, 2022
Great micro-segmentation, distributed IPS, and IDS functionality
I primarily use the product as network virtualization software. VMware NSX is a great product for network virtualization. No other vendor can offer this kind of solution up until now, and it's great for enhancing security at the virtual machine level. There is micro-segmentation, and a distributed…
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

"I appreciate the cloud-based management feature the most. It's a crucial aspect for me because it allows me to manage the configuration remotely without having to visit the on-premise location. The ability to do this from my home is a major benefit. Additionally, security is good."
"Using Meraki just solves a lot of problems."
"The solution is stable."
"The most valuable feature is application awareness."
"Meraki makes you believe that anything is possible."
"The Meraki SD-WAN solution is simple to deploy."
"t is very stable based on our experience and the application performance has been superb."
"The most valuable feature for me is the security functionality."
More Meraki SD-WAN pros
"One of the big improvements between the NSX-V and NSX-T is that in NSX-T you are no longer dependent on V-Center anymore."
"It does have capabilities of micro-segmenting a network, being able to create smaller segments of various types of applications separated by various tiers."
"From a distributed firewall perspective, it's a solid solution."
"Overall, for me, it's a good solution and has been working well."
"To be able to do the DR and SRM migrations from datacenter to datacenter, we're able to do them with SRM with VXLAN, with the NSX product."
"The most valuable features are stability and low cost."
"The dashboard is comprehensive and easy to use."
"Has a great firewall."
More VMware NSX pros
 

Cons

"The tool has challenges with features like multiple-link support, which currently only supports up to three links. Additionally, it doesn't offer router integration, and forward error correction is another missing feature. The scalability of Meraki SD-WAN is good, but there are limitations to the performance of the concentrator devices, especially in larger deployments. While the cloud scale is not an issue, the performance of the devices in branches and data centres is limited."
"We have a lot of problems with distribution. The late deliveries likely have to do with the time it takes for the fabrication of components. It is a principal problem at this moment."
"When there is an issue, I find it difficult to figure out what is going wrong because the logs do not provide as much information as solutions from HP."
"I'd like to see improvements in the client VPN area. Currently, we use L2TP over IPSec, which, while widely supported, can be buggy on Windows due to Microsoft's implementation, not Meraki's."
"Technical support could be more knowledgeable and responsive."
"The adoption of endpoint services or endpoint security should be developed in future releases."
"Some systems use some applications with the wrong data application. It bypasses the network, and you need to block that application on Meraki. We first try to put in passwords to do it and the network is not really safe. It's not 100%, the network can be bypassed."
"With Meraki, it's more of a basic connectivity. It doesn't have all the feature sets that a Cisco SD-WAN solution has. It's limited."
More Meraki SD-WAN cons
"Traffic flow introspection topology visibility is definitely needed because at the moment, NSX-T lacks in this area."
"The initial establishment can be complex."
"The vendor should integrate a basic load balancer in future versions"
"The engineering team has room for improvement. They should have have more of a Knowledge Base about different case studies and should develop more advanced features. These kinds of improvements will change the way things get done."
"A room for improvement in VMware NSX is that it has some security vulnerabilities, which means my company has to apply the patches every once in a while."
"The integration with other brands is not the best."
"Going through and getting more features sets from the routing protocols is definitely necessary for the future."
"It needs to be cheaper."
More VMware NSX cons
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"If you purchase a Meeraki box, you have to purchase a license, and it's already the basic license, you will have you SD-WAN included."
"They have a baseline software license, and then they've got an SD-WAN software license, and then they've got an advanced security software license. They're low cost, and they'll provide any amount of flexibility that you want from a modeling perspective for payment. Typically, it's either annually or multi-year, but they are a lower-cost company. They're not the most expensive by far."
"The licensing fees are approximately $1,000 USD annually."
"Regarding pricing, Meraki SD-WAN is quite competitive, especially compared to solutions like Fortinet. However, it's essential to consider that Meraki requires cloud orchestration, which adds to the overall cost. Overall, it's one of the most competitive solutions from Cisco for SD-WAN."
"The license model may need improvement."
"Meraki's pricing is on the higher side, which may limit who can afford to use them."
"One of the most valuable aspects of Meraki SD-WAN is the price. It is highly cost-effective."
"The licensing model is a fair one, although having the hardware means nothing without the license. You need to continue to pay licensing fees."
More Meraki SD-WAN pricing and cost advice
"We can't go without NSX, so it's invaluable from this perspective."
"All the institutions have to pay monthly for the services in the cloud. They have to pay $30,000 every month for this service every three years."
"We have saved man-hours and decreased our security exposure."
"The price of VMware NSX is very good compared to other solutions."
"VMware has always been geared towards enterprise and their pricing options are a bit high. Their price is higher than other options in the market."
"The solution is reasonable at the local level."
"We are using the free version of the solution."
"There is a license required for this solution and there is also a support license available. The price of the solution could be better."
More VMware NSX pricing and cost advice
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Answers from the Community

PW
Jul 6, 2020
Jul 6, 2020
What is the biggest difference between VMware NSX and Meraki SD-WAN?
We are currently reviewing various SD-WAN vendors for our infrastructure and what I found lacking with Cisco Meraki is that you cannot use Active/Active HA with two MX devices. Only HA is available with one device which introduces a single point of failure for any network. There is also up to 5 minute failover time for Active/Active circuits which in my opinion is quite long compared to other s...
2 out of 6 answers
GaurangPatel - PeerSpot reviewer
Mar 12, 2020
Well, both products are very good but if you are looking for only SD-WAN Feafure than Cisco Meraki is the perfect solution: it's easy to manage, easy to deploy and deep insight at the packet level. VMware NSX is the complete package of comprehensive features like Application Load Balancing, routing, switching, micro-segmentation and many more but at a cost! It's very easy to manage from a single pane of glass. in a nutshell, if you want Application-Aware Load balancing and wan optimization which should be easy to manage and deploy than Cisco Meraki is the right product and if you are looking for a fully integrated solution and have a deep pocket then you should choose VMware NSX.
Read full answer
DF
Mar 12, 2020
VMware NSX is all about Software Defined Networking ie virtualizing the 7 layers of switches/routers that we know in the physical HW world. VMware is very successful with this technology acquired from NICERA. SD-WAN stands for Software-Defined WAN which is about networking but NOT at the local level, it is a wide area network. For this VMware made another acquisition which is VeloCloud. Cisco Meraki SD-WAN and VeloCloud are both in the magic quadrant and therefore competing.
Read full answer
See all 6 answers
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
22%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Retailer
6%
Construction Company
6%
Computer Software Company
15%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Government
11%
Manufacturing Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Meraki SD-WAN?
The auto VPN feature is important because it automates many tasks, making things simpler and faster. It helps with setting up devices and changing configurations without manual effort.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Meraki SD-WAN?
Regarding pricing, Meraki SD-WAN is quite competitive, especially compared to solutions like Fortinet. However, it's essential to consider that Meraki requires cloud orchestration, which adds to th...
See all answers
What needs improvement with Meraki SD-WAN?
The tool has challenges with features like multiple-link support, which currently only supports up to three links. Additionally, it doesn't offer router integration, and forward error correction is...
See all answers
What are the biggest differences between Cisco ACI and VMware NSX?
There are some very major differences between both the Products and to name a few. -Cisco ACI have physical network gear (9K Switches) where the Code runs in ACI Policy Mode & the UCS server wh...
See all answers
What are the biggest differences between Cisco ACI and VMware NSX?
Once you know your way around the Cisco ecosystem, using Cisco ACI is not so difficult. It is a global product, so when you change one interface, changes are automatically reflected on every switch...
See all answers
What do you like most about VMware NSX?
The product has valuable features for security and network extension.
See all answers
 

Comparisons

Cisco SD-WAN vs Meraki SD-WAN Logo
Cisco SD-WAN vs Meraki SD-WAN
Compared 31% of the time
VMware SD-WAN vs Meraki SD-WAN Logo
VMware SD-WAN vs Meraki SD-WAN
Compared 18% of the time
Omada Cloud SDN vs Meraki SD-WAN Logo
Omada Cloud SDN vs Meraki SD-WAN
Compared 14% of the time
Cradlepoint NetCloud vs Meraki SD-WAN Logo
Cradlepoint NetCloud vs Meraki SD-WAN
Compared 11% of the time
More Meraki SD-WAN Competitors
Nutanix Flow Network Security vs VMware NSX Logo
Nutanix Flow Network Security vs VMware NSX
Compared 18% of the time
Illumio vs VMware NSX Logo
Illumio vs VMware NSX
Compared 15% of the time
Akamai Guardicore Segmentation vs VMware NSX Logo
Akamai Guardicore Segmentation vs VMware NSX
Compared 11% of the time
Cisco ACI vs VMware NSX Logo
Cisco ACI vs VMware NSX
Compared 11% of the time
Cisco Secure Workload vs VMware NSX Logo
Cisco Secure Workload vs VMware NSX
Compared 8% of the time
More VMware NSX Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Meraki SD-WAN
May 2024
Meraki SD-WAN reportDownload Meraki SD-WAN product report
Buyer's Guide
VMware NSX
May 2024
VMware NSX reportDownload VMware NSX product report
 

Also Known As

No data available
VMware Nicira
 

Learn More

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Cisco
VMware
 

Overview

Software-defined WAN is a new approach to network connectivity that lowers operational costs and improves resource usage for multi-site deployments, allowing network administrators to use bandwidth more efficiently and ensure the highest possible level of performance for critical applications without sacrificing security or data privacy. For more information on deploying and configuring SD-WAN on the Meraki MX Security Appliance, see the Meraki SD-WAN Deployment Guide.

VMware NSX enhances network security through micro-segmentation and automation within virtualized environments. It simplifies network management and improves efficiency with centralized policies and robust virtualization capabilities. Users report increased productivity, better collaboration, and valuable insights from detailed analytics and reporting.

 

Sample Customers

École Jeannine Manuel
City of Avondale, Lumeta, Kroll Ontrack, Heartland Payment Systems, Baystate Heallth, Exostar, Tribune Media, iGATE, NTT Communications, Synergent, California Natural Resources Agency, Bloomington Public Schools, Columbia Sportswear, Join Experience S.A, Schuberg Philis
Buyer's Guide
Meraki SD-WAN vs. VMware NSX
May 2020
Free Report: Meraki SD-WAN vs. VMware NSX
Find out what your peers are saying about Meraki SD-WAN vs. VMware NSX and other solutions. Updated: May 2020.
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