Fortinet is now packaging together many of its “Forti”-based products into a single platform targeted at the SD-Branch. These include its security and SD-WAN focused products.

The SD-Branch platform uses Fortinet’s FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall, its FortiNAC Network Access Control, FortiSwitch, and its FortiAP Access Points. It works by using the switch and access point products to extend the firewall security product through the access layer. This basically consolidates the security and network access targeted at SD-Branch deployments.

The network access controller provides for automatic discovery, classification, and security of IoT devices as they enter the network. It also leverages the FortiGate product to scan traffic for anomalies without needing to deploy more equipment at a branch.

FortiGate is the firm’s next-generation firewall appliance, which is what it offers its SD-WAN features through. Fortinet began selling SD-WAN directly to its customers (through this appliance) last July.

Fortinet earlier this month scored a deal with Spain-based telecom giant Telefónica to power a new virtual firewall service based on Fortinet’s platform to protect SD-WAN deployments. The service allows customers to tap into security features embedded in Telefónica’s network to support end-to-end protection of SD-WAN services. That would include connections between an organization’s on-premises environment into their chosen cloud ecosystem.

Fortinet competes with a number of firms in the security space, including Palo Alto Networks, Cisco, and Checkpoint. Those firms are all targeting a growing push behind enterprise adoption of SD-WAN platforms and the need to secure those platforms at their branch locations.

Analysts have noted that for the security vendors – like Fortinet – transitioning into SD-WAN, is a relatively easy move technology-wise and even a necessary one market-wise.

“SD-WAN is a huge market opportunity that will snatch business away from established router and firewall vendors and so they have to react to not be replaced,” said Mike Fratto, senior analyst at 451 Research. SD-WAN gateways have evolved to a place where they can replace branch and firewalls.

“[Security] vendors need to respond to this threat with SD-WAN capabilities on their own. Partnering with a SD-WAN vendor is a short-term tactic to remain relevant, but long term, firewall and router vendors can’t give an inch lest they lose a mile,” Fratto added.

Shin Umeda, vice president at Dell’Oro, noted that adding an SD-WAN feature is just part of the security industry’s push toward a network- and software-based approach. “Most likely they have already moved in that direction, so adding SD-WAN functionality or moving toward SD-WAN is just another layer. So it’s kind of layering different software components to come up with a solution,” he said.