Branch networks have evolved, and local area networks (LAN) have become a crucial part of this evolution. With an increasing number of devices, including IoT and OT, the demand for higher-bandwidth applications like video conferencing and streaming, as well as the rapid adoption of unsanctioned AI Applications, has created a greater need for LAN transformation than ever before.
There is a growing demand for platforms that provide comprehensive visibility, integrate security measures such as Zero Trust, offer AI-driven insights, and simplify management to address the complexities and limitations of current local area network (LAN) infrastructures.
Existing solutions just don’t cut it
Unfortunately, traditional LANs struggle with slow, error-prone manual setups, poor IoT/OT visibility and security, inconsistent enforcement, complex management due to the use of separate tools, expensive and challenging scaling, and slow problem resolution.
Organizations require a LAN solution built on a unified, software-defined platform that automates setup, provides complete device visibility (including IoT/OT), and has built-in Zero Trust security. It integrates switching, routing, and security for easier management, scales easily, and utilizes AI analytics to resolve issues proactively.
Versa Secure SD-LAN
Versa Secure SD-LAN offers built-in Zero Trust security, automated device identification, micro-segmentation, complete visibility with analytics, simplified deployments, a unified management platform, and AI-driven issue resolution.
Versa Secure SD-LAN uniquely delivers differentiating capabilities
Simplified deployment
Versa offers seamless Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP) to automate the installation, connection and configuration of our switches from a centralized management. Customers can seamlessly deploy their LAN switches at scale with the following capabilities.
Template-based provisioning
With the ability to configure switch ports, global profiles like VXLAN and routing, and local profiles like 802.1x authentication and access policies, Versa Secure SD-LAN makes provisioning and activation of switches quick and seamless.
Dynamic placement of devices
Versa Secure SD-LAN identifies devices and users accurately and automates the placement of them into the right switch ports based on their established credentials like permissions, device posture, user activity and security risk scores.
Seamlessly extend enterprise access points
Versa Secure SD-LAN also natively integrates wireless networks while extending management, policy and user access/authentication for simplified management and Zero Trust enforcement for your Wi-Fi networks.
AI-powered actionable analytics
Versa Analytics leverages AI and Machine Learning to analyze network data, enabling predictive decision-making, deep application visibility, flow-level reporting, user-centric insights, and lateral movement of devices. This ultimately results in optimized network performance, enhanced security, and operational efficiency.
AI-powered network intelligence
Versa Secure SD-LAN leverages AI/ML to analyze vast amounts of network data, identifying and pinpointing the root cause of issues to expedite troubleshooting and the resolution of trouble tickets. Customers can now proactively analyze problems and make predictive decisions using historical and real-time trends, rather than waiting for a widespread outage or attack to occur.
Monitor lateral movement of devices
Detects devices inline and in real-time to identify, categorize and secure devices, including unmanaged and IoT devices. Versa Secure SD-LAN tracks the movement of the device and provides visibility to help the IT team take proactive measures to secure the network or detect application performance issues.
Real-time insights into traffic behavior
Provide real-time insights into traffic behavior, enabling the quick identification of bottlenecks or anomalies.
Flow-level reporting
Delivers complete visibility into traffic patterns and application sessions using IPFIX and NetFlow to help businesses understand the traffic decision-making process within the LAN topologies. This, combined with real-time insights into traffic behavior, ensures the quick identification of bandwidth bottlenecks and performance issues.
User-centric insights
Versa Secure SD-LAN provides complete visibility into user and user-group activity, enabling a deep understanding of resource utilization and user behavior trends across all LAN segments.
Digital experience management
Versa offers DEM to provide visibility from the end user to the application and everything in between, helping IT teams pinpoint exactly where the issue originated. With DEM natively integrated into SD-LAN, SD-WAN and SSE, users can now monitor every edge for issues and performance degradation to quickly root cause and resolve the issues.
For example, if an outage originates from a misconfiguration of a VLAN on a switch, Versa Secure SD-LAN, along with DEM, can provide visibility to enable proactive resolution and avoid future outages.
Secure with confidence
Versa Secure SD-LAN delivers Zero Trust security at the LAN edge with integrated NGFW, TP, and IPS/IDS capabilities on the switches. By deploying security at the edge, threats are stopped at the point of entry, ensuring high performance and consistent protection.
This provides end-to-end Zero Trust enforcement, improved network visibility, and dynamic access control, all starting at the LAN edge where it’s most effective.
Versa Analytics empowers organizations with intelligent, real-time, and user-aware insights; enabling optimized network performance, enhanced security posture, and data-driven operational efficiency. Get ready for your LAN transformation today and start here.
Rajesh Kari leads product marketing for Versa's SD-WAN, SD-LAN, and intelligent edge solutions, focusing on how networks evolve to support AI workloads and distributed branches. His writing also covers programmable, application-aware edge, and multi-vendor integrations.