When the pandemic hit last spring, employees abruptly began working from home, businesses quickly moved applications to the cloud, and secure remote access became critical. As we move (hopefully) beyond the pandemic, it is clear that enterprise networking has changed forever.
Businesses are looking at new technologies like Aruba to combine networking and edge security into a mono-manageable platform. Businesses are looking for a more effective way to combat cyberattacks in a world where the traditional perimeter no longer exists. Zero-trust network access has risen to the top of the priority list. The distinction between security and networking is becoming hazier as traditional security companies enter the networking industry, and networking companies raise the bar in terms of security.
Companies that made our list of the top ten most influential in enterprise networking have demonstrated a clear vision for networking’s future and a solid strategy for achieving their goals.
Top 10 Most Powerful Enterprise Networking Companies
1. Cisco
Cisco has maintained its position as the leading networking vendor for a reason. This will never be able to outwit you. Cisco has it covered with an integrated package of technologies due to strategic acquisitions such as Meraki for SD-WAN, AnyConnect for remote access, and Duo for zero trust. Think of networking as a service. Check. IoT? Cisco Plus, a subscription-based NaaS service, was recently unveiled.
Cisco has you covered with end-to-end IoT solutions like its new 5G industrial router portfolio. Oh, and Cisco maintains its market dominance in critical segments such as revenue from Ethernet switches. Despite a nearly 10% drop in 2020 switch revenue due to the pandemic, Cisco still commands a 39% market share, according to IDC. (In comparison, Juniper’s switch market share was 3%.)
2. HPE/Aruba
For businesses that must integrate wired and wireless LANs, edge infrastructure, and cloud access for branch offices and remote workers in a way that is automated and secure, HPE’s Aruba has put together a potent set of capabilities. According to Gartner, the functionality of Aruba ClearPass (secure network access control) and AirWave (network management) “continues to set the bar for the market,” and “Aruba continues to be an influencer of competitive trends in the market.”
According to Gartner, Aruba is the market leader in wired/wireless LAN access. HPE is developing its GreenLake on-premise cloud, consumption-based offering in the meantime, and by the end of the year, it hopes to offer all of its services and products through GreenLake leasing.
3. VMware
This has successfully expanded its product portfolio, which includes server virtualization, containers, security, cloud migration, cloud management, endpoint management, SD-WAN, hyper-convergence, and advanced networking. VMware, on the other hand, has had a busy few months.
Pat Gelsinger left the company in January after ten years as CEO and returned to Intel, where he had previously spent 30 years (though he does not appear to be old enough to have worked in the field for that long). To make matters worse, Dell announced in April that it was spinning off VMware, which was a surprise.
4. Arista
Arista understands that stealing market share from Cisco in the high-speed switching market and relying too heavily on income from Facebook and Microsoft are not long-term, sustainable growth strategies. The company is diversifying its product line by focusing on the campus switching market, providing network management, and expanding into industries such as security, IoT, and AI.
Arista recently announced a Zero Trust offering based on network segmentation. Furthermore, the days of emphasizing speeds and feeds are long gone; Arista now describes itself as a “cognitive cloud networking provider.”
5. Extreme Networks
Extreme Networks acquired several companies between 2016 and 2019, including Zebra Technologies for WLAN, Avaya for networking, Brocade for switching, routing, and analytics, Aerohive for Wi-Fi 6 equipment, SD-WAN software, and cloud management services. It has worked hard to integrate those products and technologies and developed a well-coordinated strategy.
Gartner rates Extreme as a leader in wired- and wireless-LAN access infrastructure because it “successfully” integrated the results of its acquisitions. According to Gartner, Extreme “delivers a broad portfolio of cloud-managed and on-premises managed network application and services” in addition to end-to-end wired switching and WLAN products.
6. Fortinet
Fortinet has significantly benefited from the convergence of networking and security. So the company’s next-generation firewalls, antivirus software, SD-WAN, Ethernet switching, and wireless equipment dominate the SASE, Zero Trust, and cloud management industries.
According to Gartner’s most recent Magic Quadrant for wired and wireless LAN infrastructure, Fortinet has “catapulted from niche player to visionary” with its “security-focused, full-branch/campus network stack of wired, wireless, security, and edge networking.” Gartner also mentions Fortinet’s advancements in network security automation and IoT management.
7. Palo Alto Networks
Palo Alto Networks, the creator of the application-aware, next-generation firewall, has acquired several companies in the last three years, including cloud security provider RedLock, security orchestration company Demisto, container security provider Twistlock, serverless security provider PureSec, IoT security provider Zingbox, micro-security provider Aporeto.
Furthermore, this has integrated these acquisitions into the extensive Prisma Cloud cloud security platform, which addresses security throughout the lifecycle of applications. According to Gartner, it has leveraged the CloudGenix acquisition to position itself as a leader in SASE.
8. Juniper Networks
Juniper, one of the last original networking vendors, is aggressively transitioning to growth markets such as SASE, AI, SD-WAN, wireless, and intent-based networking. So this is successfully leveraging its acquisition of wireless innovator Mist Systems in 2019 and releasing products that leverage Mist’s AI capabilities in the data center, cloud, and hybrid environments.
Juniper is a pioneer in WAN-edge infrastructure, according to Gartner, with its “solid SD-WAN, operations, deployment flexibility, and strong security”Juniper is a leader in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for wired and wireless LAN access infrastructure, thanks to its AI-driven technology.
9. Nvidia
Nvidia, a gaming industry pioneer, and established powerhouse aspires to pioneer implementing AI in business data centers. Last year, Nvidia paid $6.9 billion for open-source networking OS provider Cumulus and innovative switch manufacturer Mellanox. So Nvidia now has a full-stack offering, from high-performance graphics processors to an AI-powered software platform. Therefore, Nvidia partners with VMware and RedHat to integrate its GPUs across platforms.
10. Dell Technologies
With the erratic Michael Dell in charge, the company is unpredictable. It began by spending $67 billion to acquire EMC, which owned VMware. It’s spinning off VMware to raise $9.5 billion to help pay off debt from buying the business.
Michael Dell believes the decision will benefit both companies because it will give them more independence. Dell will expand its PC business and build an open ecosystem for edge computing, 5G, telecom, and data management. Through its APEX initiative, Dell also aspires to be a market leader in the IT-as-a-service space.
Takeaways
Understanding the Top 10 Enterprise Networking Companies is critical for modern business success, which should come as no surprise given the importance of having the right partner and infrastructure to support your organization’s expansion in today’s increasingly digital world. By becoming acquainted with the most reputable figures in enterprise networking, you can be confident that you’re making the best decision for your company. Know your network options now, so you can stay aware of your network options!
ICT Distribution Cambodia sells a wide range of HPE/Aruba products, including servers, storage, switches, networking, and software solutions. Our team will provide the most excellent service and help to our customers. So, what’s keeping you waiting? Reach out to our country manager, Bonal Sam bonal.sam@ictdistribution.net
