Putting Realism Into Your Network

Larry Chaffin

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Very cool: Riverbed and Vyatta partner for all-in-one router, WAN appliance

Would you consider the Vyatta/Riverbed option instead of a remote office router?

By Larry Chaffin on Mon, 04/12/10 - 2:21pm.

Since last summer, we have been combining Vyatta router software and Riverbed WAN acceleration for some of our customers, but as of today the two vendors announced a deal run Vyatta on the Riverbed Steelhead. (Disclosure: I am a Riverbed reseller, but not a Vyatta reseller). Specifically Vyatta announced a deal with Riverbed to add the Vyatta Subscription Edition to the RSP Platform. So what you can do is now run a router, firewall and VPN on your Riverbed Steelhead and remove your current router. Sound like a good idea?

We have one customer who did this already and found it a less expensive option than upgrading aging Cisco routers (disclosure, I am a Cisco reseller, too, but I don't resell its WAN acceleration devices.) The customer also saved the yearly Smartnet charge that all customers hate to pay.

Vyatta has been an up-and-comer for the last year. A few years ago, it hired the Tolly Group to run its products in head-to-head tests against Cisco. Naturally, you need to take such tests with a grain of salt, but I still found some of the results interesting. Now that they have moved into a new area with Riverbed, I think it can only get better for them.

As for Riverbed, this was a good move. This will separate them even more from Cisco, Blue Coat, Silver Peak and Juniper. I would guess that Cisco could respond by giving more discounts to customers for remote routers or coming up with a version of their own router from a virtual machine on the WAAS. I have been wondering why they have not done this yet? They really could have dealt Riverbed a blow many years ago by doing this, but then they would have hurt hardware sales.

Would be interesting, too, of Cisco tried to buy Vyatta.

I think Vyatta will be a bigger story in the coming year and that, for customers who are already using Riverbed Steelheads, Cisco will have some stiff competition for selling branch office routers. What do you think? Would you consider the Vyatta/Riverbed option now?

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About Putting Realism Into Your Network

Larry Chaffin Ph.D is the Chief Executive Officer/Chairman and founder of Pluto Networks, a Consulting and VAR partner specializing in WAN acceleration, VoIP, WLAN, telepresence and security.

Pluto Networks is a Riverbed reseller. Pluto was previously a Cisco reseller but in June, 2010, ended its reseller relationship with the company and is no longer a Cisco channel partner.

Pluto Networks specializes in the needs of small, large and enterprise companies by always giving them a great ROI on the products they sell. Pluto Networks has a presence in 23 countries around the world enabling all of its consultants to be virtual. Larry was a Judge at Interop for the Best of Interop Awards for 2009.

Larry has also co-authored all of the books listed below:

Managing Cisco Secure Networks, Skype Me, Practical VOIP Security, Configuring Check Point NGX VPN-1/Firewall-1,Configuring Juniper Networks NetScreen & SSG Firewalls,Essential Computer Security: Everyone's Guide to Email, Internet, and Wireless Security, How to Cheat at Microsoft Vista Administration, Microsoft Vista for IT Security Professionals, Asterisk Hacking, 2008 VoIP and Video Conferencing, Infosecurity 2008 Threat Analysis and author of Building a VOIP Network with Nortel's MS5100, along with co-authoring/ghost writing eleven other technology books for VIOP, WLAN, security and optical technologies. Larry is currently working on a follow up to Building a VoIP network with Nortel's MCS 5100 Book as well as new books on Cisco Telepresence Networks, Practical VoIP case studies and WAN Acceleration with Riverbed.

Larry also has more than 29 vendor certifications and has been working on many others. Larry has been a principal architect around the world in 22 countries for many Fortune 100 companies designing VoIP, security, wireless and optical networks. He has expanded over time also to include application acceleration. Larry is working with worldwide company now out of Asia as a Special Assistant to the CEO and CIO as they go through organizational and network changes, helping them with strategic advice from his years of experience.

Pluto Networks is a channel partner of, LifeSize, Riverbed, Call Copy, Fastsoft and Symantec.