Cisco and Google Cloud have strengthened their collaboration by integrating Cisco’s SD-WAN with Google Cloud’s fully managed Cloud WAN service. This integration aims to simplify network management for enterprises, offering optimal performance and increased agility.
The new feature allows Cisco SD-WAN customers to securely connect their geographically distributed data centers to their Google Cloud workloads via Google’s global network backbone. Cisco highlights that this backbone delivers superior performance, reliability, and security compared to public internet connections.
Raj Chopra, senior vice president and chief product officer of Cisco’s security business group, emphasized the benefits of rapid connectivity, stating that users can extend connections to new regions in minutes. The integration also enhances security, leveraging Cisco’s security capabilities alongside Google Cloud’s Network Security Integration service, ensuring secure transactions across hybrid environments.
This setup enables the use of Cisco’s existing security policies and controls within Google Cloud, with Cisco vManage orchestrating connectivity across both on-premises and cloud environments.
Google Cloud’s Cloud WAN service is noted for its efficiency, claiming up to 40% faster performance compared to traditional public internet and significant cost savings compared to self-managed WAN solutions. The service addresses the complexities introduced by the rapid rise of SaaS and cloud applications, which have necessitated an evolution in enterprise WAN architectures.
As the landscape of SD-WAN and cloud networking continues to converge, future developments are expected to include greater automation, AI-driven optimizations, and enhanced integration of on-premises and cloud networks.
This integration represents the latest in a series of joint efforts between Cisco and Google Cloud, following previous enhancements to SD-WAN connectivity and management tools aimed at improving hybrid cloud experiences.
