Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs SonicWall SMA comparison

The compared Cisco and SonicWall solutions aren't in the same category. Cisco is ranked #6 in NMA , with an average rating of 8.1. SonicWall is ranked #2 in UAG , with an average rating of 10.0, and holds a 50.0% mindshare. Additionally, 92% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of SonicWall users who would recommend it.

Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN

Read 95 Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN reviews

118 Views
84 Comparison Views

92% willing to recommend

SonicWall SMA

Read 14 SonicWall SMA reviews

60 Views
34 Comparison Views

90% willing to recommend

Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN

SonicWall SMA

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN and SonicWall SMA based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

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Network Management Applications

May 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Network Management Applications (6th), Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions (2nd), WAN Edge (2nd)

SonicWall SMA

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

8.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Universal Access Gateways (2nd), SSL VPN (8th), Enterprise Infrastructure VPN (19th)

Featured Reviews

Igor Van Den Ouden

Engineer at Routz

Enables secure and flexible branch connectivity with application-aware routing

The valuable features of Cisco SD-WAN include its security policies and zone-based firewall that are applied to every site, as well as application-aware routing. Security is standard compliant, eliminating config drift that was prevalent before manual configurations. Application-aware routing offers flexibility in using different lines for traffic, depending on the policy implemented.

Read full review

Maheshbabu T

Project Manager at CGG

It allows us to provide CML-based access to any user, but the reporting could be better

I rate SonicWall SMA seven out of 10. If you're planning to implement this solution, I suggest checking the version to ensure it's compatible with your other technology. I say go for it if it's suitable for your use case. Multifactor authentication technologies are built into the product, whereas some products lack multifactor authentication. We need only one or two. They provide authentication, gateway integration, OTP integration, etc.

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

"It is very simple to deploy. It's a point-and-click type of deployment, so it's fairly simple."

"We would recommend this solution to customers looking to implement it on a global scale. We recommend the solution, not only because of the functionality or the technical support, but also because of the delivery of the solution, and the docking and upgrading capabilities."

"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."

"I have found the performance and the Zero-Touch provisioning helpful which makes it easier for us to develop."

"Cisco SD-WAN has separate OMP routing."

"The initial setup is straightforward and easy to deploy."

"The solution provides good consolidation, centralization, and manageability for edge routers."

"The most valuable feature is the ease of central management."

More Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN pros

"SonicWall SMA has the most valuable feature of proprietary security technologies like Capture ATP."

"I like the load balancing capability."

"SonicWall SMA allows us to provide CML-based access to any user."

"I think they ask for a fair price."

"This solution has many options for remote desktop and access."

"The management and the dashboard are the solution's most valuable features."

"I am very satisfied with the technical support."

"The performance is good."

More SonicWall SMA pros

Cons

"The solution could be more secure. Security is always a priority for us."

"Cisco SD-WAN doesn't have automation capabilities, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and isn't IOT-based."

"The platform needs to be updated to be more stable and simple."

"It would be better if it provided more visibility. At present, we can't troubleshoot in real time."

"The cost is too high for certain countries, for example, those in Africa. The solution needs to be more cost-effective."

"The integration of Cisco SD-WAN with cloud solutions could improve. For example, if any of the applications are hosted in the Amazon AWS cloud we can use a virtual transit gateway for integrating Cisco SD-WAN."

"Integration with other OEMs and the API part needs improvement to be more user-friendly, especially in terms of GUI."

"One of the major areas that Cisco can improve on with their SD-WAN offering is their security features. When compared with Fortinet, who have what they call their 'security pillars' (e.g. firewall and security features built-in to their SD-WAN solutions), Cisco generally comes up short. With Cisco, if you need a security component, you have to pay more to get it done. So if they could add more security features that come part and parcel with their existing solutions, then I think Cisco could be very aggressive in the market."

More Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN cons

"The only thing that they could try to improve is the support for enterprise customers. Normally enterprises and SMBs can create a ticket, but for enterprises, SonicWall SMA needs to provide a global view, and this is what's currently missing. It's not even a question of timing. It's a question of the global vision because currently, it's lacking. They concentrate on the topic, but not on the means and not on the global picture. In most cases, there's something wrong with the integration of SonicWall SMA with other products, so that could also be improved."

"The product itself is very good, but Dell needs to work on product visibility in their advertising."

"SonicWall's reporting isn't good. Reports should be part of a data plan. The login mechanism should be improved. It would be helpful if the client could use an agent to log in. An agent-server model would improve the performance of the RDB, which consumes a lot of bandwidth."

"The problem is that when combined with what the client already has, there are two different logins and two different management systems, and these should be consolidated into a single interface."

"User interface could be improved."

"The solution could integrate better with other platforms."

"SonicWall SMA is difficult to use and it does not provide easy access to different parts of the network."

"I'd like to see the product maybe polish keyboards in Bookmark."

More SonicWall SMA cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing for Cisco SD-WAN is more expensive than other brands or solutions, such as Fortinet and Palo Alto Networks, so it's one out of ten."

"We can only buy three-year licenses, not monthly. The cost seems high for us, especially since we're in Vietnam, which isn't a rich country. But we still like the product because it is good."

"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."

"The Cisco SD-WAN licensing model needs to be simplified. There are currently three types of licenses: enterprise agreements, individual licenses, and DNA subscriptions. This can confuse customers, requiring a dedicated person to determine which type of license is right for their organization."

"The product's license is expensive."

"The price of the solution is the only negative factor, it is much more expensive compared with the Cisco Meraki SD-WAN solution."

"It is much cheaper than other solutions. Most of our clients are the top 500 companies, and they all have a corporate contract."

"It's expensive. If you compare Cisco with Fortinet and Juniper, you'll find that Cisco is more expensive than other vendors."

More Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN pricing and cost advice

"This solution is priced well and we currently have the maximum number of licenses allowed."

"All the costs are included in a bundled license."

"The cost of the licensing is based on the maximum number of concurrent users, and it costs a lot to add them."

"Our licenses are stackable and can be anywhere from five users to a million users."

"I don't know about the pricing of the SSL-VPN box. I know the SSL-VPN software is free. Global VPN client, by comparison, is licensed for around $150 or something like that. But the SSL-VPN software is free. It is already built-in with the box."

"The platform has medium pricing."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

43%

Computer Software Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

19%

Construction Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

Real Estate/Law Firm

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Cisco SD-WAN?

When considering the most valuable features of Cisco SD-WAN, the decoupling of self-monitoring stands out significantly.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco SD-WAN?

The pricing of Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN is rated between eight and nine out of ten, where ten is the most expensive.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Cisco SD-WAN?

The durability of the switches could be improved. In the past, Cisco devices had a longer lifespan. Now, they change frequently, making it difficult to obtain long-term support.

See all answers

What do you like most about SonicWall SMA?

Blocklisting and allowlisting are the most beneficial features for network security.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SonicWall SMA?

The platform has medium pricing.

See all answers

What needs improvement with SonicWall SMA?

Enhancing live tracking capabilities could improve the product, particularly in monitoring user activity and request statuses in real-time on the web interface.

See all answers

Comparisons

Fortinet FortiGate vs Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN

Compared 15% of the time

VMware VeloCloud SD-WAN vs Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN

Compared 12% of the time

Meraki SD-WAN vs Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN

Compared 10% of the time

Prisma SD-WAN vs Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN

Compared 10% of the time

Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Platform vs Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN

Compared 8% of the time

More Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Competitors

Peplink SpeedFusion vs SonicWall SMA

Compared 23% of the time

SonicWall Netextender vs SonicWall SMA

Compared 20% of the time

Ivanti Connect Secure vs SonicWall SMA

Compared 17% of the time

Fortinet FortiClient vs SonicWall SMA

Compared 15% of the time

More SonicWall SMA Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN

May 2025

Download Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN product report

Buyer's Guide

SonicWall SMA

April 2025

Download SonicWall SMA product report

Also Known As

Cisco SD-WAN

SonicWall Aventail, SonicWall SMA SSL-VPN, SonicWall Secure Mobile Access

Overview

Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN serves to connect remote offices, reduce MPLS costs, and facilitate cloud and internet access while providing secure connectivity and centralized management for hybrid networks.

Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN is leveraged for secure connectivity, load balancing, VPN, centralized network management, and migrating from traditional networks to SD-WAN. It supports hybrid networks, enabling centralized management across branches and data centers, improving security, and optimizing bandwidth usage. Industries such as banking and retail benefit from its capabilities for secure and efficient network management.

What are the main features of Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN?

Centralized Management: Simplifies network operations and administration.
Application-Level Routing: Enhances performance for critical applications.
Segmentation: Provides robust network segmentation for security.
Policy Configuration: Customizable policies for traffic management.
Real-Time Traffic Visibility: Enables monitoring for better insights.
Load Balancing: Distributes network traffic efficiently.
Hybrid Cloud Connectivity: Seamless integration with cloud services.
Deep Packet Inspection: Detailed traffic analysis for security.
High Security: Offers strong security protocols to protect the network.
Ease of Deployment: Features like zero-touch provisioning simplify setup.

What benefits should be considered in reviews?

Cost Savings: Reduces operational expenses through efficient network management.
Reliability: Proven performance and uptime for critical operations.
Scalability: Grows with the organization's needs.
Integrated Health Monitoring: Proactively identifies and resolves issues.
Industry Trust: Cisco's reputation for quality and support.

Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN's implementation in banking enhances secure transaction communication between branches and data centers. Retailers utilize it to ensure steady connectivity for point-of-sale systems and inventory management. Organizations benefit from centralized management, making it easier to handle networks across multiple locations.

Cisco

SonicWall SMA is a unified secure access gateway that enables organizations to provide anytime, anywhere and any device access to mission critical corporate resources. SMA's granular access control policy engine, context aware device authorization, application level VPN and advanced authentication with single sign-on empowers organizations to embrace BYOD and mobility in a hybrid IT environment.

SonicWall

Sample Customers

Doyle Research, Ashton Metzler & Associates

UnitedStack, Newport City Homes, Faith Lutheran College Redlands, PRIME aerostructures GmbH, Celtic Manor Resort

Buyer's Guide

Network Management Applications

May 2025

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