We are excited to announce that HPE Aruba Networking EdgeConnect SD-WAN has been named the winner in the CRN 2024 Annual Report Card (ARC) Awards for SD-WAN.
The CRN ARC Awards, based on extensive research by The Channel Company, are a prestigious recognition of companies that deliver exceptional products and partner programs to solution providers in the channel. This year, participants evaluated 58 vendor partners across 27 technology product categories, evaluating satisfaction levels in four main subcategories and 22 criteria, including GenAI, ease of integration, marketing support, and partner communication.
EdgeConnect SD-WAN solution emerged as the overall winner for the SD-WAN category, and won for:
- Product innovation
- Support
- Partnership
Jeanne Malone, VP of Security at GDT, a global IT solutions provider with deep expertise across networking, cybersecurity, and data center modernization, said: "Partnering with HPE Aruba Networking allows us to deliver unmatched value to our customers. By leveraging EdgeConnect SD-WAN as a foundational component for SASE, we help customers lower security risks while accelerating their digital transformation. Together, we're empowering businesses to stay ahead in an ever-evolving landscape."
Why EdgeConnect SD-WAN stands out
As businesses increasingly rely on cloud applications and support hybrid workforces, traditional router-based networks are no longer sufficient. These outdated architectures often require backhauling cloud-bound traffic from branch offices to a data center for security inspection, leading to degraded application performance and user productivity. Furthermore, the proliferation of IoT devices has expanded the attack surface, complicating branch network security.
HPE Aruba Networking EdgeConnect SD-WAN addresses these challenges with five key advantages:
- Enhanced performance and cost efficiency. EdgeConnect SD-WAN delivers reliable and business-driven connectivity for branch offices using Business Intent Overlays (BIOs) and combining multiple links, such as MPLS, internet, and 5G. With advanced features like Path Conditioning, it provides a performance comparable to private-line connections over internet links, reducing reliance on costly MPLS. The solution minimizes latency through WAN optimization techniques such as TCP acceleration, data compression, and data deduplication. Additionally, AppExpress optimizes user experience for business-critical applications by automatically selecting the best path for each application, leveraging synthetic polling and real-time user traffic observations.
- Seamless multi-cloud connectivity. Designed for a multi-cloud world, EdgeConnect SD-WAN intelligently routes application traffic to the cloud according to predefined business and security policies. It eliminates the need to backhaul cloud-destined traffic to a data center by directly routing trusted traffic, such as real-time voice and video, to the cloud. This approach also supports end-to-end connectivity with leading cloud providers like AWS, Azure, Oracle Cloud, and Google Cloud, ensuring optimized performance and security across multi-cloud environments.
- Simplified branch security with a secure SD-WAN and SWG. EdgeConnect SD-WAN enables organizations to seamlessly replace branch firewalls as the solution includes a next-generation firewall with IDS/IPS, DDoS protection and role-based segmentation capabilities. All security policies are centrally managed, providing consistent security across all branches and requiring no technical expertise locally. Augmented with SWG (Secure Web Gateway) from HPE Aruba Networking, the solution protects from web-based threats, all devices in the network—including unmanaged devices like guest devices and IoT—without requiring an SSE agent on each device. This feature offers comprehensive malware protection, web content filtering, and threat prevention, all managed from a central location. The cohesive approach of combining SD-WAN and SWG within a single solution provides superior security compared to other SD-WAN offerings.
- Robust IoT security. With the rapid growth of IoT, securing these devices has become increasingly important. IoT devices, often lacking built-in security, pose a significant risk to networks. EdgeConnect SD-WAN, in conjunction with HPE Aruba Networking ClearPass, enforces a zero trust architecture that dynamically segments the network based on role and identity. This ensures that IoT devices and users can only access resources relevant to their roles, isolating vulnerable IoT traffic from critical business applications.
- Accelerated SASE adoption. EdgeConnect SD-WAN is the cornerstone of our unified SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) platform, integrating seamlessly with HPE Aruba Networking SSE (Security Service Edge). This tight integration accelerates the adoption of SASE, providing advanced security features like ZTNA (Zero Trust Network Access), SWG, and CASB (Cloud Access Security Broker). By enabling secure, least-privilege access for remote workers and protecting sensitive data in cloud applications, our solution simplifies the journey to a comprehensive SASE architecture. EdgeConnect SD-WAN also supports a best-of-breed approach to SASE by tightly integrating with multiple third-party SSE vendors facilitating SD-WAN deployment within sites already equipped with security solutions.
A comprehensive SD-WAN portfolio
HPE Aruba Networking offers three key onramps to the SD-WAN fabric:
- EdgeConnect SD-WAN: Delivers a secure and high-performing SD-WAN edge that enhances application performance and security at the branch.
- EdgeConnect SD-Branch: Integrates branch networking components for seamless operations across WLAN, LAN, and SD-WAN.
- EdgeConnect Microbranch: Ideal for microbranch or work-from-home environments, providing secure connectivity through remote access points.
Learn more
To learn more on EdgeConnect SD-WAN, please visit our website or explore these other resources:
Gabriel_Gomane
Gabriel Gomane has more than 15 years of experience in product marketing and product management, focusing primarily on networking, security and digital transformation. He has broad international experience, having held marketing positions based in Europe and in the US. Before joining HPE Aruba Networking, Gabriel worked for various high tech companies including Meru Networks and MEGA International. Gabriel holds a BS in engineering from Grenoble INP and an MBA from HEC Paris.
