Vendors are increasingly merging their networking and security solutions into unified platforms aimed at simplifying policy enforcement, enhancing visibility, and increasing IT productivity. This shift towards platformization is becoming prevalent among major networking vendors, each approaching it with their own unique strategies.

1. Cisco: Networking Cloud and Security Cloud

In 2023, Cisco launched the Networking Cloud, designed to create a consolidated management platform for both on-premises and cloud environments. This initiative enhances visibility and automation across various sectors, including campus and branch networks, data centers, IoT, and SD-WAN solutions. Cisco has been gradually introducing features like single sign-on technology, improved integration with Meraki, and enhanced cloud management for its Catalyst switches. Furthermore, the Security Cloud operates on a Hypershield architecture, offering customers a range of security functionalities from multiple Cisco platforms.

2. Extreme: One platform for everything

Extreme Networks has introduced the Extreme Platform One, which integrates network, security, and inventory management functions alongside AI-driven services. This platform provides users with interactive analytics, autonomous agent capabilities, and AI-enhanced workflows, covering aspects from design and configuration to troubleshooting and regular operational management. Recently, Extreme added an AI service agent and simplified dashboard to streamline network and security operations.

3. Fortinet Security Platform: Integration is built-in

Fortinet’s Security Fabric consolidates networking and security through a singular operating system, FortiOS, and a unified management console, FortiManager. With deep automation and real-time protection across diverse applications and devices, Fortinet delivers an extremely coherent security ecosystem. This platform supports integration with over 500 third-party products, ensuring comprehensive security and networking oversight.

4. HPE Aruba: SaaS and NaaS options

HPE Aruba’s Networking Central is positioned as an AI-powered cloud-scale network management solution. It’s offered as part of a Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) subscription under HPE GreenLake. The platform incorporates advancements from the recent acquisition of OpsRamp, enabling extensive third-party network device monitoring. Improved configuration and enhanced observability capabilities also reflect HPE’s focus on AI-derived network optimizations.

5. Juniper: Leaning on Mist and Marvis

Juniper’s AI-Native Networking Platform leverages Mist AI alongside the Marvis virtual assistant, streamlining troubleshooting and event correlation for faster problem resolution. The platform also integrates security measures, promoting secure policy enforcement across all network domains. With built-in zero-trust security capabilities, it advances real-time anomaly detection and comprehensive traffic inspection.

6. Palo Alto Networks: Three separate platforms

Palo Alto Networks has adopted a platform strategy that encompasses three distinct but interrelated platforms. Strata focuses on network security, Prisma Cloud secures applications from development through operation, and Cortex provides AI-enhanced SecOps features for threat detection and remediation. By consolidating numerous standalone tools into one integrated architecture, Palo Alto strives to enhance cybersecurity efficiency and operations.

This industry trend reflects a continuous push towards integrated solutions that not only consolidate various functionalities but also utilize AI and machine learning to optimize network and security operations.

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