Cisco SD-WAN vs Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide
Executive Summary
Updated on Aug 1, 2023

We compared Cisco Umbrella and Vera Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform across several parameters based on our users' reviews. After reading the collected data, you can find our conclusion below:

  • Features: Cisco Umbrella is highly regarded for its seamless integration with existing infrastructure, extensive range of security features, and ability to centrally manage security. Versa Unified SASE Platform is highly regarded for its flexibility and compatibility with various hardware.

  • Room for Improvement: Cisco Umbrella could enhance security by adding a transferring proxy feature and improving its Linux agent for Linux-based companies. Versa Unified SASE Platform could benefit from enhancements in hardware-software integration, documentation, and SSL VPN.

  • Ease of Deployment: Cisco Umbrella has a simple and user-friendly initial setup that can be completed quickly in around 30 minutes. Setting up Versa Unified SASE Platform is generally considered straightforward, although a few have described the process as complex.

  • Service and Support: Customers have praised Cisco Umbrella's support, describing it as excellent and superior to the customer service of other vendors. Users appreciate the Versa team's knowledge and expertise, but some have expressed dissatisfaction with the time it takes to receive a response. 

  • Pricing: The cost of Cisco Umbrella differs based on the specific needs and approach of the customer, with flexible pricing and transparent charges. It is seen as reasonable and competitive by some, but a few perceive it as costly. The setup cost for Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform is considered moderate, without any hidden expenses.

  • ROI: Cisco Umbrella has proven to be a valuable investment by addressing maintenance concerns, reducing expenses associated with hardware updates, and effectively thwarting threats. It offers enhanced visibility and aids in remediation efforts. Versa enhances the user experience and improves application performances and file transfers. 

Comparison Results:  Users appreciate Cisco Umbrella for its easy setup, extensive security features, and ability to centrally manage security, but some noted that the solution could improve its Linux agent. Versa is praised for its adaptable licensing, but users say it could improve hardware and software integration.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco SD-WAN vs. Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform Report (Updated: September 2023).
734,678 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"The solution sufficiently provides ISPs.""The most valuable features are manageability, scalability, and simplicity.""It's a scalable solution.""It is a very scalable solution.""It is very stable.""The most valuable features of Cisco SD-WAN are reliability and scalability.""Cisco SD-WAN is a very good product.""Load balancing is a feature that allows us to take the best of our links and distribute the load intelligently, always with an eye on the end-customer experience."

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"It's very powerful, especially for engineering teams.""Versa FlexVNF is a scalable product because it does not have any hardware dependencies. This makes it a versatile solution that can be easily integrated with any firewall.""The product has a dynamic VPN feature for SD-WAN.""The initial setup is simple.""I like all the features. We utilize different LAN, bandwidth transferring, bandwidth balancing, and mappings. We use it as a centralized solution, and use the same product at all our locations.""The most valuable features are the main steering and the firewall. The security features and SD-WAN features are also quite good.""Versa is a good centralized solution, where you're setting up your infrastructure in a data center type thing.""The granularity when it comes to configuration and security features are valuable."

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Cons
"The technical support is a bit slow.""I would like to see features related to security compliance, including a view of compliance with standards. With this, I should be able to do an audit of my network with SDWAN.""Cisco SD-WAN could improve the integration with the cloud.""Cyber security should also be implemented in the solution, along with maybe implementation of AI/ML.""We don't have any issues with this solution other than the price.""What I find should be improved is the possibility of really separating the software layer from the hardware layer since today the current offer is not well adopted by the service providers""This solution could be improved with a simpler implementation process and licensing model.""We need them to start focusing on the SD-WAN compatibility with other environments and not being so vendor locked with Cisco environments."

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"The VPN feature is relatively new. It came out two releases ago, and they're still fixing that up.""There are limitations when you connect from multiple locations. It does not work as expected. If you have more than 400 users, then it will choke. It will not perform as expected.""The web interface can be improved.""The solution's current customer support is not that good. So, they need to improve that. Also, the solution's UI is quite complex, so they need to simplify it.""The interface could be simpler.""The solution lacks a mobile version where small, manageable platforms can be developed.""The stability of FlexVNF's controller and devices could be improved.""We've had the odd occasional stability issue with software upgrades."

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Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "The price is high."
  • "The pricing is fair, and it's on par with the market vendors. But based on the competition, Cisco could work on the pricing, go deep on discounts and provide more commercially viable solutions to customers."
  • "When purchasing, there are so many features available that it's quite confusing deciding which to choose. And some of the devices force you to buy licenses you don't want."
  • "This is not a cheap option but if you move from Capex to Opex, I expect you should have lower costs."
  • "Cisco SD-WAN is more expensive than its competitors."
  • "It's costly. The cost is high compared to competitors."
  • "There is a monthly subscription to use this solution."
  • "For 600 links, the license for Cisco SD-WAN costs us US$250k a year."
  • More Cisco SD-WAN Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "Price wise, it's more expensive than is the competition. I would give pricing a rating of three out of five."
  • "It is neither cheap nor expensive. I rate the pricing a five out of ten on a scale where one is cheap and ten is expensive."
  • "I find Versa a little more expensive than VMware in terms of remote access and secure web gateway elements."
  • More Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:The cloud environment, including cloud security integration, is very valuable because of the many API integrations with the SD-WAN.
    Top Answer:The pricing is neutral. However, there is room for improvement in the licensing model.
    Top Answer:In the transition from Viptela to Cisco SD-WAN, there have been very huge revision cycles in the last three to four years. This does not happen for a stable product. Still, it is because Cisco has… more »
    Top Answer:Versa is a good centralized solution, where you're setting up your infrastructure in a data center type thing.
    Top Answer:Both Versa and VMware are cheap in terms of the router. I find Versa a little more expensive than VMware in terms of remote access and secure web gateway elements.
    Top Answer:We've had the odd occasional stability issue with software upgrades, etcetera. They don't support certain other third-party applications, which can be a bit limiting at times, whereas VMware seems to… more »
    Ranking
    Views
    21,209
    Comparisons
    14,723
    Reviews
    34
    Average Words per Review
    505
    Rating
    7.9
    Views
    5,060
    Comparisons
    3,765
    Reviews
    8
    Average Words per Review
    566
    Rating
    7.8
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    Viptela, Cisco vEdge Cloud Router
    Versa FlexVNF, FlexVNF, Versa Titan
    Learn More
    Overview

    Cisco SD-WAN is a software-defined WAN (wide area network) solution that provides for secure stable connections to applications for enterprises and organizations. Cisco SD-WAN works to speed up the seamless movement to the cloud. A very robust and reliable solution, Cisco SD-WAN is cutting-edge in threat security and stability of the complete network and has very low latency. Cisco SD-WAN uses Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS), data centers, and even the internet to smoothly advance the move to a SASE (Service Access Service Edge)-based architecture. The Cisco SD-WAN dashboard gives you a complete visual of your entire infrastructure; you can see everything in real time. You will also have simplified IT operations and gain advanced network capabilities, dependability, and security. One valued feature is the overlay management protocol (OMP), which applies to your entire network to speedily connect all your company data centers. Cisco SD-WAN has a very flexible architecture and can be deployed on premises, in the cloud, hybrid, and even has multi-cloud options. Cisco SD-WAN instantly discovers, authenticates, and provisions all devices, both existing and new.

    Cisco SD-WAN simplifies the management of multiple connections across the WAN, improves the end-user experience, improves overall application functionality and performance, and is a very cost-effective solution. Cisco SD-WAN integrates well with Microsoft 365, Salesforce, and many other cloud-based business solutions. Additionally, Cisco SD-WAN optimizes connectivity and streamlines workflows for Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Azure.

    Benefits of Cisco SD-WAN

    • Increased profitability - Cisco SD-WAN will improve performance and decrease overall connectivity costs.
    • Improved productivity - Cisco SD-WAN requires less staff to manage and secure the WANs so valuable resources can be allocated elsewhere in your organization, increasing total productivity.
    • Flexible scalability- Cisco SD-WAN’s flexible and easily scalable architecture will allow your organization to address significantly greater business opportunities, helping to consistently increase revenue.
    • Enhanced security - Cisco SD-WAN offers real-time policy enforcement, ensuring that downtime and unplanned outages are kept to a minimum.

    What real users have to say:

    Cisco SD-WAN is fast with lower costs: “Using SD-WAN to combine services can result in better up time, higher speeds, and much lower costs.”

    Cisco is a brand you can trust: “Cisco is an industry leader, so customers have a high level of trust with the brand - more so than with some newcomers that might have some more revolutionary solutions, but no name recognition.”

    Cisco SD-WAN offers load-balancing and real-time traffic monitoring: “Load balancing is a feature that allows us to take the best of our links and distribute the load intelligently, always with an eye on the end-customer experience.”

    The Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform is a comprehensive solution that provides secure access to cloud applications and services. It combines networking and security functions into a single platform, making it easier for organizations to manage their network infrastructure. The platform includes features such as SD-WAN, VPN, firewall, web filtering, and more. It also offers advanced security capabilities such as intrusion prevention, malware protection, and threat intelligence. With the Versa SASE Platform, organizations can ensure secure access to their cloud applications and services from any location, while also reducing costs and simplifying network management.

    Offer
    Learn more about Cisco SD-WAN
    Learn more about Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform
    Sample Customers
    Doyle Research, Ashton Metzler & Associates
    CenturyLink, RCN Business, Colt Technology Services
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Comms Service Provider48%
    Computer Software Company17%
    Financial Services Firm10%
    Manufacturing Company6%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Educational Organization33%
    Computer Software Company15%
    Financial Services Firm6%
    Comms Service Provider5%
    REVIEWERS
    Comms Service Provider69%
    Construction Company15%
    Media Company8%
    Recreational Facilities/Services Company8%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company21%
    Financial Services Firm10%
    Manufacturing Company7%
    Retailer6%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business41%
    Midsize Enterprise16%
    Large Enterprise43%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business16%
    Midsize Enterprise40%
    Large Enterprise44%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business39%
    Midsize Enterprise17%
    Large Enterprise44%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business29%
    Midsize Enterprise11%
    Large Enterprise61%
    Buyer's Guide
    Cisco SD-WAN vs. Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform
    September 2023
    Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco SD-WAN vs. Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform and other solutions. Updated: September 2023.
    734,678 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Cisco SD-WAN is ranked 2nd in Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions with 42 reviews while Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform is ranked 7th in Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions with 8 reviews. Cisco SD-WAN is rated 8.0, while Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform is rated 7.8. The top reviewer of Cisco SD-WAN writes "The initial setup is complex, and the price is high, but it is scalable and stable". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform writes "Transparent with fair pricing and good reliability". Cisco SD-WAN is most compared with Fortinet FortiGate, Meraki SD-WAN, VMware SD-WAN, Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Platform and Cato Networks, whereas Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform is most compared with Fortinet FortiGate, VMware SD-WAN, Meraki SD-WAN, Cato Networks and Zscaler SASE. See our Cisco SD-WAN vs. Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform report.

    See our list of best Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions vendors and best WAN Edge vendors.

    We monitor all Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions 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.