Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms vs. VMware SD-WAN

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms
Score 9.5 out of 10
N/A
Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms deliver secure, high-performance SD-WAN built for hybrid work, multicloud access, and 5G-ready networks. Powered by Cisco IOS XE, these devices combine flexible routing, SASE integration, and cloud-native agility to support AI-driven networking and edge computing needs.N/A
VMware SD-WAN
Score 7.3 out of 10
N/A
VMware SD-WAN (formerly VeloCloud) aims to deliver high-performance, reliable branch access to cloud services, private data centers, and SaaS-based enterprise applications. VeloCloud was acquired by VMware in 2018.N/A
Pricing
Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge PlatformsVMware SD-WAN
Editions & Modules
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Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge PlatformsVMware SD-WAN
Free Trial
NoNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge PlatformsVMware SD-WAN
Considered Both Products
Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms
Chose Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms
For its function and resource requirements, it’s at the top of the list
Chose Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms
We went with the 8000 series for its reliability, price point and predictable behavior.
Chose Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms
Cisco 9000 Series Aggregation Services Routers (ASR 9000)
Chose Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms
Lightyears faster
Chose Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms
Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms is much more configurable and powerful, with more options available and can be deployed in more instances.
Chose Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms
Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Switches and Cisco Catalyst Center
Chose Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms
Cisco Catalyst IR8300 Rugged Series Router
Chose Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms
More versatile
Chose Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms
In my case I haven't evaluated any similar products as this is our sole Routing solution
Chose Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms
Compared to the Cisco 2000 Series Connected Grid Routers, CGR2010, the Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms is more powerful in processing, and it has the capability to do the segment routing. It is easier to install physically and occupies less space in the rack, consumes less …
Chose Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms
It's a great cheaper alternative with high throughput and connectivity options.
Chose Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms
I have no looked at other platforms, this was to replace several cisco devices and it was decided to go with the same company.
Chose Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms
N/A. I chose Cisco only
Chose Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms
Cisco has a lower price for value against the other two vendors, because they delivers more interfaces for less money and don't need subscriptions for licensing the routing features
Chose Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms
8K is the prospective successor of ASR1k (fixed) and ISR 4K
Chose Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms
still under evaluation
Chose Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms
There isn't any other product which supports SDWAN other than legacy ISR4K.
Chose Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms
More Features provided and better hardware.
Chose Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms
The Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms are lacking the versatility of the previous ISR4k series in terms of connectivity and expansion slots, mainly on the lower tier versions (8200 vs 4321 and 4331). We had no problems with the traditional ISR 400 series and we applied them to …
Chose Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms
I have to design, some things I have to use ISR4000 depending on throughput, also ISR1100, Routers RV small business, and ASR1000. If you need to use a device to SDWAN or cloud, you have to use 8000 because ASR1000 has many throughputs of data, but for security, and …
Chose Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms
This evolves out of ASR1k platforms which lacked features like cloud integration and port density, Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms seem to be packed with features particularly geared towards SDWAN and intent-based networking which is the need of the day on edge platforms. This …
VMware SD-WAN
Chose VMware SD-WAN
VMware SD-WAN compared to Fortinet FortiGate is easier to configure. It is also a more flexible option that is much easier to deploy. I find the visibility of the network to be easier to understand on the VMware SD-WAN user interface. I also find the VMware SD-WAN dashboard to …
Chose VMware SD-WAN
We preferred the features and UI of the Velocloud compared to Fortigate SDWAN. They seemed to offer the same sets of information in different layouts. Our company decided on Velocloud for personal/aesthetic reasons. They offered a more concise set of graphs and tables out of …
Chose VMware SD-WAN
At the time we made our decision to move forward with VeloCloud, Cisco Viptela and Cisco Meraki were the two players we compared against. Cisco's offerings were very customizable when using Viptela, but there was a big learning curve to implement. Meraki at the time was a lot …
Chose VMware SD-WAN
To tell the truth, I'm not sure I'm familiar enough with the differences between Citrix SD-WAN and VeloCloud to offer a comparison. I have colleagues that use both, and they are very similar in their technology offerings. Citrix has been around for a long time, and I do trust …
Chose VMware SD-WAN
Because the Fortigate is a true firewall with all the UTM features, that is the only thing that I would say beats the VC in that aspect. Silverpeak has a very nice solution, but it is a bit cumbersome when using the GUI to configure and manage. WatchGuard is a UTM firewall, …
Chose VMware SD-WAN
VMware SD-WAN does one thing and one thing well. Provide network and security by tunneling traffic from remote locations back into our headquarters. They also provide security at the cloud and can prioritize different applications and perform split tunneling for internet …
Best Alternatives
Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge PlatformsVMware SD-WAN
Small Businesses

No answers on this topic

No answers on this topic

Medium-sized Companies
Extreme Networks Wired Access - Switches
Extreme Networks Wired Access - Switches
Score 9.0 out of 10
Cisco Meraki MX
Cisco Meraki MX
Score 9.1 out of 10
Enterprises
Cisco Nexus Series Switches
Cisco Nexus Series Switches
Score 9.2 out of 10
Cisco Meraki MX
Cisco Meraki MX
Score 9.1 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge PlatformsVMware SD-WAN
Likelihood to Recommend
8.8
(0 ratings)
7.0
(0 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
7.8
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Usability
8.2
(0 ratings)
8.0
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
7.7
(0 ratings)
7.2
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
8.2
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge PlatformsVMware SD-WAN
Likelihood to Recommend
With the flexibility of sizing options, the Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms has worked to deliver solutions for our various needs. Smaller systems offer strong connectivity for office developments. Mid-range options have served our larger campuses well. Our data center deployments of the larger systems have provided up to 100G connectivity and advanced routing solutions. The Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms continues to meet our needs and exceed our expectations.
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VeloCloud was the #1 choice out of various POCs performed when migrating off of MPLS into an ADI/public internet circuit environment. Their ability to also be top of rack with certain software vendors played a major role in improving user experience. Their dynamic DMPO and circuit load balancing can cause some challenges when working with other entities that use a static whitelisting service for access to resources.
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Pros
  • Allows throughput reliable at over 200mb MPLS sites
  • Supplies reliable performance at mid-sized sites
  • Is much more quiet than an ISR4K
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  • Ease of setup: after unpacking the device, you can have your VC appliance up and running within minutes.
  • Now that VMWare owns the Velocloud solution, I believe that they will be able to invest in the product to say fresh and ahead of the competition.
  • The technical support is one of the best I have ever interacted with and continue to follow up until the issue is resolved.
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Cons
  • Adding more NIM slots on motherboard
  • Adding PVDM slot for use cases where the router is used only for trans coding
  • Adding more granular tiers for DNA licensing. For example it is a big gap between 2000Mbps (400 Mbps agg) and 1Gbps (2 Gbps Agg)
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  • VMware SD-WAN could provide cli access for troubleshooting
  • VMware SD-WAN boxes could have more ports
  • VMware SD-WAN box could have more applications to provide more health and visibility of the traffic passing through
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Likelihood to Renew
Because I have had no issues with this product line and have grown go really trust in it. One of the besr thing is that this has had less vulnerabilities that the past cisco router that I have dealt with. In my line of work needing to upgrade code is always something that needs to be done after hours and most likely on weekends.
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Usability
Either you deploy those routers as a standalone, or as part of the SD-WAN fabric, the amount of features and settings you can configure on them, is well beyond any other vendor or product on the market. While this may bring some configuration complexity, availability of support for variaty of different protocols and features allows you to solve almost any network challenge you may face
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VMware SD-WAN has great usability. We have had a positive experience with the solution. It has helped solved a number of issues with our network such as visibility in user usage, application usage, and prioritizing critical application network traffic. VMware SD-WAN user interface is also very easy to understand and configure.
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Support Rating
I have always had great response time and have never been let down by cisco support. I have had issues where the person who was assisting me was not able to provide a resolution but by utilizing his team members they where able to come together to provide a answer and resplve the situation.
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There are still some glitches that need to be worked out. As an example, I rebooted a device at one of our branch locations and it just died. That should never have happened, and I've only seen this happen when a company needs to improve hardware on some of their lower-end models.
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Implementation Rating
the licensing is messy
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No answers on this topic
Alternatives Considered
Compared to the Cisco 2000 Series Connected GRID Routers, CGR2010, the Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platforms is more powerful in processing, and it has the capability to do the segment routing. It is easier to install physically and occupies less space in the rack, consumes less power, and saves more for the company.
Read full review
We preferred the features and UI of the Velocloud compared to FortiGate SDWAN. They seemed to offer the same sets of information in different layouts. Our company decided on Velocloud for personal/aesthetic reasons. They offered a more concise set of graphs and tables out of the box for us. SD WAN provided us a with a broader look into our connections with a more robust view, which Velocloud backed by Vmware, gave us.
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Return on Investment
  • Positive: It has a lot of options for the licensing level based on the scenario (SDWAN, IPSEC, Routing). There is no need for the DNA license for all the throughout for routing mode, like ISR4K models
  • Negative: There is a gap between the 200Mbps tier licence and 1Gbps tier. If a custumer needs a 500Mbps licence (1G AGG), we need to offer a doubled value
  • Positive: The platform can be used for routing mode and can be migrated to SDWAN using the same hardware.
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  • We are able to save thousands per month by eliminating MPLS from our monthly service.
  • We were able to convert the cost of VeloCloud to an operational expense by renting through our ISP.
  • We have been able to eliminate downtime in situations which would have normally taken our branches offline, preventing us from servicing customers.
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