Addition of SD-WAN Group Test Leverages NSS Labs’ Unmatched Testing Expertise to Empower Informed Decision-Making
AUSTIN, Texas – September 21, 2017 – NSS Labs, the global leader in operationalizing cybersecurity, today announced that it is expanding on its strong core foundation of point-in-time test validation and continuous security validation with the introduction of the Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) Group Test. This forthcoming public group test of market-leading SD-WAN solutions will include emphasis on the WAN edge, traffic optimization, and security components of SD-WAN, which are driving accelerated adoption of SD-WAN among enterprise customers. As part of today’s announcement, the company is also issuing a call for input from both enterprises and SD-WAN vendors to help shape and evolve its forthcoming SD-WAN Group Test and accompanying methodology.
Adoption of SD-WAN is expected to accelerate over the next five years. The market is estimated to grow at a staggering 69% compound annual growth rate, reaching $8 billion by 2021, according to IDC.
The combination of WAN optimization, routing capabilities, and security capabilities are fundamental to enterprises as they rationalize the migration from an existing Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) private network to a pure or hybrid SD-WAN deployment strategy. While SD-WAN offers compelling value and cost benefits, SD-WAN architectures leverage the Internet and rely on WAN optimization and key encryption capabilities such as SSL/TLS and IPSec to deliver end-to-end value to customers. SD-WAN implementation options in the market vary and can include overlays to existing security solutions, or Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) with embedded security elements such as next generation firewall (NGFW) and next generation intrusion prevention system (NGIPS) functionality. As enterprises investigate SD-WAN options to support their individual use case requirements, they are seeking ways to narrow their proof-of-concept (PoC) candidates. NSS Labs’ SD-WAN Group Test v1.0 will provide empirical, fact-based data to empower enterprises with relevant information around SD-WAN architectures and their key capabilities to help drive informed purchasing decisions.
“The SD-WAN market is quickly emerging as enterprises migrate to the SD-WAN architecture, keeping WAN edge, traffic optimization, and security in mind to support their use case requirements,” said Jason Brvenik, Chief Technology Officer at NSS Labs. “We believe that our SD-WAN Group Test will provide valuable insights regarding the current state of WAN edge, performance, and overall security effectiveness and capabilities that SD-WAN products in the market offer today. We encourage and invite enterprises and vendors to collaborate with us regarding use cases and the test methodology to help highlight the strengths and differentiation available in the SD-WAN market.”
NSS Labs has a longstanding history in testing enterprise-class security products. Its rigorous, independent Group Tests of the top security technologies used today by Global 2000 companies offer vendor-neutral analysis and provide the industry’s most comprehensive review of security effectiveness, performance, and total cost of ownership to inform decision-making. These Group Tests are based on real-world use cases and are a resource enterprises have come to rely on for fact-based, empirical data to evolve their security architectures. Throughout 2017, NSS Labs has released Group Test results for several categories of mature and evolving cybersecurity products including Advanced Endpoint Protection, Next-Generation Firewalls, Data Center Firewalls, and Web Application Firewalls.
NSS Labs conducts both public tests, which are published in NSS Labs’ research library, and private engineering engagements (under NDA) for enterprises, government organizations, and vendors. All test engagements leverage the combined strengths of NSS Labs’ unmatched testing expertise, CAWS continuous security validation platform, and unique threat capture capabilities to independently verify the security effectiveness of products.