Dell EMC's Tom Burns On SD-WAN Strategy With VMware VeloCloud

"We are working very closely with the VeloCloud team and the VMware team to provide the underlying infrastructure by combining their software with our capacity in infrastructure, but also with logistics and so on, so that the company grows exponentially, not only with VMware, but also through Dell EMC as a channel, "says Tom Burns, network leader at Dell EMC.

There is a "great market opportunity" for Dell EMC partners to take advantage of the company's close partnership with VeloCloud's VMware NSX SD-WAN to drive sales and software-defined network services, said Tom Burns, senior vice president and general manager. Networking and Solutions Overview for the Dell EMC Infrastructure Solution Group.

"We are working very closely with the VeloCloud team and the VMware team to provide the underlying infrastructure by combining their software with our capacity in infrastructure, but also with logistics and so on, so that the company grows exponentially, not only with VMware, but through Dell EMC also as a channel, "Burns said in an interview with CRN.

According to the market research firm IHS Markit, VMware was the world leader in terms of SD-WAN device, control and administration software revenue for the third quarter of 2018, generating $ 54 million in sales. Cisco ranked second in the quarter with $ 37.7 million in SD-WAN revenue, followed by Aryaka with $ 36.5 million and Silver Peak with $ 27.6 million.

Burns said the SD-WAN market was virtually non-existent several years ago, but deployments are "exploding very, very fast" and channel partners should take advantage of that momentum in 2019.

"There is a great business opportunity around hardware and software [for partners] There is an opportunity around the managed services, the implementation and the capabilities that SD-WAN provides, and because of the equipment in the facilities that is will physically perform at the branch, [there are] other things beyond SD-WAN that the channel partners can implement around security, WAN optimization and other virtual network functions that gives them the opportunity to increase their adherence to their clients and expand their services, which is critical for them, "said Burns.

VMware recently reported that the fiscal third-quarter license reserves for its NSX portfolio, which includes VeloCloud, grew 40 percent year-over-year.

SD-WAN sales for solution providers exploded in 2018. The vendor landscape has gone through a lot of mergers and acquisitions in the last 18 months, including Cisco's acquisition of Viptela and the acquisition of VwareCloud by VMware More recently, Oracle bought the outstanding SD-WAN Talari Networks.

"SD-WAN is a great market opportunity for Dell EMC and for all Dell technologies," said Burns.