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ANALYST RESEARCH REPORT – APRIL 2026

WAN Transformation 2026: Best Practices for Evolving from SD-WAN to SASE

EMA, the IT research and consulting firm, has published a 39-page research report based on an in-depth survey of IT professionals, network engineers, information security practitioners, and technology business leaders. The report probes their plans and timelines in facing the obsolescence of the traditional division between connectivity and security and gives insight into the motivating factors for the transition from SD-WAN to SASE.

Why this report matters

  • Benchmark against other organizations: The survey asked practitioners questions ranging from the topology of their current WAN to the challenges they are facing to the timeframe in which their organization plans to finalize its SASE transition.
  • Get practical recommendations: The report concludes with “best practice” recommendations on vendor evaluation and selection criteria, where to start any transition, team collaboration, and service models, among other points.
  • Understand what’s happening: EMA provides useful context in the report and explains how and why the enterprise networking landscape is currently undergoing its most significant architectural shift since the inception of the internet.

EMA is also hosting a webinar on April 28th exploring the report’s themes and conclusions.