The past 12 months again highlighted the dynamic nature of the networking, cloud, and cybersecurity ecosystem, which was flush with new technology, product launches, and industry shaking merger and acquisition activity in 2024.

Big names like Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), Juniper Networks, Cisco, Broadcom, VMware, Dell Technologies, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft, and Google drove a lot of that dynamic, while technologies around cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), SD-WAN, secure access service edge (SASE), and cloud powered the process.

SDxCentral was again on the forefront of covering the player and technologies in 2024, providing insight into the market’s competitive nature, how those technologies will impact the space, and helping enterprise decision-makers navigate this growing complexity.

Below are the 10 stories that generated the most attention from SDxCentral readers in 2024.

HPE-Juniper, Cisco networking chaos has enterprises nervous Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s (HPE) pending acquisition of Juniper Networks and Cisco’s recent corporate restructuring that de-emphasizes some of its legacy operations is causing a run of chaos across the networking ecosystem that has some enterprises pausing investments as they wait out the storm. It’s also opening potential conquest opportunities for rivals. Read more

Dell reveals data protection risks amid the rise of genAI and multicloud Dell Technologies’ Global Data Protection Index 2024 found a vast majority (81%) of surveyed IT leaders agree that emerging technologies —such as artificial intelligence (AI), IoT and edge — pose a risk to data protection, but very few of them (8%) have fully implemented a zero-trust security architecture. Read more

SIEM shakeup: IBM retreats, Splunk sold and the fate of the rest The security information and event management (SIEM) market is now a major battleground with more than 20 vendors included in Gartner’s latest Magic Quadrant report. However, amid the cloud transformation, vendor consolidation, and competition and integration with extended detection and response (XDR), the future is increasingly uncertain. Read more

Microsoft offers license relief, discounts for VMware migrators Microsoft launched new licensing benefits and discounts to help VMware users migrate and run their workloads on the hyperscaler’s Azure VMware Solutions service, a path that many VMware customers are in the process of evaluating following recent licensing changes implemented by the vendor’s new parent company Broadcom. Read more

Cisco’s enterprise firewall receives ‘caution’ rating from CyberRatings In a recent independent test by CyberRatings, Cisco‘s Firepower 2130 Threat Defense v7.3.1 firewall received a “caution” rating, a stark contrast to the “recommended” status earned by seven other market-leading enterprise firewall products. Read more

Broadcom pushes VMware deeper into Google Cloud Broadcom tightened its post-VMware acquisition relationship with Google Cloud that will see more VMware products running in Google Cloud environments and more promotion of those efforts. It’s also closing in on launching a long-promised VMware license portability program with the hyperscaler. Read more

Zscaler finally launches SD-WAN, targets surging single-vendor SASE market Zscaler finally launched its SD-WAN solution today, stepping firmly into the growing and competitive single-vendor secure access service edge (SASE) market. The security services edge (SSE) leader has been working with almost all of the leading SD-WAN vendors for its multivendor SASE approach. Read more

Cisco CFO claims HPE-Juniper deal causing WLAN ‘uncertainty’ Cisco CFO Scott Herren claims that Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s pending $14 billion purchase of Juniper Networks is causing “uncertainty” in the enterprise WLAN market that could be benefiting Cisco, though Cisco’s own efforts in that space could themselves cause some customer concern. Read more

Microsoft stands by VMware post-Broadcom Microsoft will continue to support its long-standing Azure VMware Solutions service, becoming the latest hyperscaler to throw its support behind VMware’s new operating model following recent moves by new parent company Broadcom. Read more

VMware customers, resellers are seeking alternatives VMware ( … by Broadcom) went live this week with its controversial Advantage Partner Program that the vendor is hyping as a financial opportunity for resale partners, but some claim the program has introduced angst and uncertainty to a large number of past partners and enterprise customers. Read more