Masergy added Silver Peak’s software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) technology as a “function,” offered via its network functions virtualization (NFV) shop.

Masergy is offering the SD-WAN technology as a managed service to its enterprise customers via its Virtual f(n) shop, which the service provider debuted in June 2015. Virtual f(n) began by selling virtualized network functions (VNFs) such as virtual routers and firewalls and is now adding SD-WAN. Most service providers would just say they’re selling SD-WAN as a managed service.

Masergy’s relationship with Silver Peak is not exclusive, and Masergy might later resell SD-WAN offerings from other vendors as well.

Silver Peak’s SD-WAN overlay technology supports any combination of broadband, wireless, and private MPLS connections. It will be generally available to Masergy customers in the fourth quarter. In addition to Silver Peak’s Unity EdgeConnect SD-WAN, customers can add its WAN acceleration product, Unity Boost, to further accelerate application performance over distances.

Silver Peak also won a deal with the U.K. service provider Interoute, which will resell its SD-WAN product. Interoute is already a customer for Silver Peak’s WAN optimization software.

Selling SD-WAN Through Channels

Silver Peak sells only through channels. In these two cases with Masergy and Interoute, the service providers act as channel partners.

Another SD-WAN vendor — TELoIP — says selling through channels gives it an advantage because the vendor and the channel partner can work together to gain new business. Some other SD-WAN vendors are finding themselves in competition, not only with other vendors, but also with channel partners that have longstanding relationships with enterprises.

Silver Peak senior vice president John Vincenzo says, “By going 100 percent through channel partners, we avoid that channel conflict. We don’t exclude the channel partner.”

Silver Peak also recently boosted its executive team, hiring Shayne Stubbs as VP for cloud service provider sales. Stubbs previously worked in sales at Nicira and Datera. And Nav Chander joined Silver Peak as senior director of service provider marketing. Chander most recently covered U.S. enterprise communications services as an analyst with IDC.