IT management, Enterprise, Content

Verizon Business, Cisco Expand SD-WAN Managed Services Relationship

Verizon Business is expanding its managed SD-WAN portfolio with three new Cisco-based offerings to help partners and customers build more agile networking infrastructure, according to a statement from Verizon. The partnership will enable partners and customers to deliver remote workforce and cloud solutions to a larger user base and accelerate the transition to SD-WAN.

Verizon, Cisco Partnership: SD-WAN Services Explained

The expanded Verizon and Cisco solution expansion includes co-management capability for Cisco SD-WAN, powered by Viptela, that provides customers the option to control and self-manage SD-WAN security and application policies, while Verizon handles fault, performance and configuration management.

This co-managed capability relieves IT teams from the deployment and day-to-day network maintenance tasks while keeping the ability to make changes to SD-WAN  policies and configurations when necessary, according to the statement.

For smaller, branch-office deployments, a managed SD-WAN, powered by Viptela, for the  Cisco ISR1100 Series platform that provides customers SD-WAN services on a high performance, low-cost branch appliance, according to the statement. In addition, Cisco is introducing a new SD-WAN, powered by Meraki managed service tiers, to complement Verizon’s existing Cisco Meraki cloud-first platform managed services.

The solution will offer seamless and secure connectivity, according to the statement, as well as global deployment support, including in mainland China. Additionally, Verizon now manages Meraki MV smart cameras to deliver turnkey video-as-a-service  (VaaS), enabling faster deployment, management and troubleshooting from a single  pane of glass, according to the statement.

Verizon, Cisco Partnership: Executive Commentary

Scott Harrell, SVP/GM, Intent Based Networking Group, Cisco
Scott Harrell, SVP/GM, intent based networking group, Cisco

Aamir Hussain, chief product officer, Verizon Business

"Our strategic relationship with Verizon continues to create value for businesses supporting a growing distributed mobile workforce and the accelerated adoption of cloud services," said Scott  Harrell, senior vice president and general manager of Cisco’s intent based networking  group. "As businesses modernize their networks to enable the best user application experiences, Verizon’s new Cisco SD-WAN managed services can help them quickly and easily transition to SD-WAN with flexible options to help deliver business agility and secure connectivity to applications across multiple clouds.”

“Global enterprises are taking a hard look at their digital transformation agendas to find ways to win coming off one of the more challenging years in recent history,” said Aamir Hussain, senior vice president of business products at Verizon Business. “Working with Cisco, we continue to provide innovative solutions that can give customers the choice and tools they need to enhance efficiencies and grow. These new services reflect the significant ongoing joint Cisco and Verizon research and development investments which aim to help customers accelerate change.”

Sharon Florentine

Sharon manages day-to-day content on ChannelE2E and serves as senior managing editor for CyberRisk Alliance’s Channel Brands. She also covers enterprise-class technology companies, strategic alliances and channel partner strategies. Sharon is a veteran tech journalist and editor with more than 25 years experience in the industry, and has previously held key editorial, content and leadership positions at Techstrong Group, CIO.com, Ziff Davis Enterprise and CRN.

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