VeloCloud, Now part of VMware - we've moved to VMware SASE

VeloCloud delivers software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) solutions, functioning as an intelligent overlay for the software-defined edge. Its core offering leverages Dynamic Multipath Optimization to provide resilient and optimized connectivity, enhancing application performance across geographically dispersed locations. The technology integrates seamlessly into VMware SASE, delivering a unified and secure network fabric.

The company was founded in 2012 by CEO Sanjay Uppal, addressing the growing demand for more agile and efficient wide area network management. VeloCloud was established with the insight that traditional WAN architectures were inadequate for the demands of cloud-centric and distributed enterprise environments, quickly establishing itself as a leader in the emerging SD-WAN market.

VeloCloud’s platform serves enterprises requiring robust and consistent network performance across numerous distributed sites, from retail branches to remote offices. Now part of Broadcom’s Software-Defined Edge division, the company’s vision is to assure and optimize connectivity for all edge devices, extending secure and reliable network services from data centers to the furthest reaches of an organization’s operations.

High-Level Overview

VMware SASE is a cloud-native Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) platform developed by VMware, integrating networking and security services to enable secure, high-performance access for distributed workforces.[1][3][4] Built on the foundation of VMware SD-WAN (formerly VeloCloud), it combines components like VMware SD-WAN Gateway, Secure Access (with Zero Trust Network Access or ZTNA), Cloud Web Security (including secure web gateway or SWG, cloud access security broker or CASB, data loss prevention or DLP, and URL filtering), and Firewall-as-a-Service (FWaaS) powered by NSX next-generation firewall.[1][3][6] It serves enterprises with branch offices, campuses, mobile users, and hybrid cloud environments, solving challenges of legacy WAN architectures by delivering optimized connectivity to SaaS, internet, and private applications from global points of presence (PoPs), reducing latency, enhancing security, and simplifying management through a single platform.[1][2][4]

The platform addresses the shift to remote and hybrid work by converging SD-WAN networking with cloud-delivered security, providing AI/ML-driven visibility via Edge Network Intelligence, automatic application routing, and contextual access based on user identity, device posture, and location—ultimating accelerating edge transformation with consumer-grade simplicity and enterprise-grade security.[1][2][5]

Origin Story

VeloCloud, the foundational technology for VMware SASE, was acquired by VMware in 2017 to bolster its SD-WAN capabilities, evolving from a standalone SD-WAN provider into a comprehensive SASE offering.[4] This integration leveraged VeloCloud's edge devices and cloud gateways to address growing demands for distributed networking amid cloud adoption and remote work trends accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.[4][7] Key milestones include the 2021 launch of VMware SASE as a unified platform, incorporating Secure Access for ZTNA, Cloud Web Security for SaaS protection, and FWaaS (targeted for broader availability post-2022), all running in VMware's global PoPs.[1][3][6]

Pivotal moments involved expanding from on-premises SD-WAN to a full SASE stack, with VMware's Anywhere Workspace integration combining it with endpoint security and VDI for end-to-end distributed workspace solutions—proven through over 3,000 cloud gateways worldwide and partnerships like Lumen and Broadcom.[3][6][9]

Core Differentiators

• Global, Cloud-Native Architecture: Over 3,000 gateways in hundreds of PoPs enable low-latency access close to users and apps, with automatic routing, load balancing, error correction, and multi-cloud interconnects (e.g., AWS TGW, Azure VPN).[2][3][5]
• Integrated Security Stack: Combines ZTNA via Secure Access, SWG/CASB/DLP/URL filtering/RBI in Cloud Web Security, NGFW/IPS/IDS in FWaaS, and AI/ML analytics via Edge Network Intelligence for real-time WAN visibility from branch to cloud.[1][3][5]
• Unified Management and Operations: Single multi-tenant platform simplifies policy administration, onboarding, and analytics; supports branch routers (VCE), remote clients, and hybrid environments without complex backhauling.[1][6]
• Open Ecosystem and Flexibility: Broad partner integrations (e.g., Lookout for security, Lumen for delivery) allow best-of-breed mixing, with promiscuous traffic inspection, app-aware SLO mapping, and dynamic cloud peering.[2][6][9]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

VMware SASE rides the SASE market trend coined by Gartner, converging networking (SD-WAN) and security at the edge to replace fragmented VPNs and on-premises appliances amid hybrid work, multi-cloud proliferation, and rising cyber threats.[4][7] Timing aligns with post-pandemic distributed enterprises needing scalable, zero-trust access; market forces like SaaS explosion (80%+ of apps) and 5G/Wi-Fi 6 favor its PoP-based delivery over centralized data centers.[1][2] It influences the ecosystem by enabling VMware's Anywhere Workspace vision, partnering with telcos and security vendors, and setting benchmarks for multi-tenant SASE with proven scale—competing with Prisma Access while leveraging VMware's virtualization heritage.[3][6][9]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

VMware SASE, now under Broadcom post-2023 VMware acquisition, positions for expanded FWaaS maturity, deeper AI-driven optimizations, and ecosystem plays like enhanced Lookout integrations amid maturing SASE adoption.[9] Trends like edge computing, sovereign clouds, and GenAI workloads will drive demand for its multi-cloud agility and security convergence, potentially evolving influence through broader hyperscaler peering and zero-trust mandates. As the original VeloCloud promise scales globally, it remains a linchpin for WAN-edge transformation, delivering the secure, anywhere access that defines modern enterprise networking.[1][4]