BT Business Secure SD-WAN Explained: Fortinet, Meraki and Service Model Options

Buyer guidance

BT describes its SD-WAN portfolio as “Secure SD-WAN” — but what does that actually mean for a UK business evaluating the service? This page explains what BT Business Secure SD-WAN includes in practical terms, how Fortinet and Meraki relate to that conversation, what managed and co-managed service models involve, and what you should clarify before requesting a quote.

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At a glance: BT Business Secure SD-WAN

Summary

What it isBT’s managed SD-WAN service with integrated security across five vendor platforms

Primary vendor pathwaysFortinet SD-WAN and Cisco Meraki SD-WAN

Other listed platformsCisco SD-WAN (vManage), VMware VeloCloud, Palo Alto Prisma

Service modelsFully managed or co-managed

Security scopeNGFW, SASE, ZTNA, CASB, SWG — varies by vendor and licence tier

Underlay optionsBTnet leased lines, FTTP broadband, SoGEA, 4G/5G cellular

Who it suitsUK multi-site businesses evaluating managed SD-WAN with integrated security

Next stepUse the pricing calculator or request a workshop

On this page

What Secure SD-WAN means in practice

How BT combines networking and security into one managed service

What this page helps you decide

The specific buyer decisions this page is designed to support

Fortinet and Meraki in the conversation

How each vendor relates to the Secure SD-WAN service

Service model options

What managed and co-managed mean in operational terms

Managed vs co-managed comparison

Responsibility matrix and practical differences

What to clarify before quote stage

Questions and inputs that should be resolved before requesting pricing

Decision logic

Structured if-then guidance for your next step

Example business scenarios

Four illustrative profiles with pathway guidance

Price your requirement →

Open the BT SD-WAN pricing calculator

What BT Business Secure SD-WAN means in practice

Practical interpretation

BT uses the term “Secure SD-WAN” to describe its managed SD-WAN service where security capabilities — such as next-generation firewall, intrusion prevention, application control and, at advanced tiers, full SASE — are integrated directly into the SD-WAN platform rather than delivered as separate, bolt-on products.

In practical buyer terms, this means:

What “Secure” adds

Security is built into the SD-WAN appliance at each branch — not separate hardware
Advanced licence tiers include cloud-delivered security (SASE) with ZTNA, CASB and SWG
Branch traffic can be inspected locally rather than backhauled to a central firewall
The security capabilities available depend on the vendor and licence tier selected

What it does not mean

It does not mean every deployment automatically includes SASE or ZTNA — these require advanced licence tiers
It does not mean security is identical across all five vendor platforms — each vendor has a different security architecture
It does not replace the need for a security policy conversation — you still need to define what security capabilities your estate requires
It does not guarantee a specific compliance outcome — confirm compliance requirements during the design phase

The BT Business website describes its SD-WAN service with five vendor platforms, fully managed or co-managed options, and integration with BT’s own underlay infrastructure (BTnet leased lines, FTTP broadband and cellular). The “Secure” element refers to the integrated security capabilities within the SD-WAN overlay, not a separate security product.

What this page helps you decide

Scope

This page is specifically about understanding what BT Business Secure SD-WAN involves and preparing to engage with the right level of clarity. It is designed to help you answer these questions:

Buyer decisions supported by this page

UnderstandingWhat does “BT Business Secure SD-WAN” actually include?

Vendor contextHow do Fortinet and Meraki fit within this service?

Service modelWhat is the practical difference between managed and co-managed?

Security scopeWhat security capabilities are included and at which licence tier?

ReadinessWhat should I clarify before requesting a quote?

Next stepShould I request a workshop or go straight to the pricing calculator?

This page does not cover cost factors (see BT SD-WAN cost factors), the broader Managed WAN vs SD-WAN decision (see Managed WAN vs SD-WAN comparison), or a detailed vendor-by-vendor comparison (see BT SD-WAN vendors: Fortinet vs Meraki).

Where Fortinet and Meraki fit in the BT Secure SD-WAN conversation

Vendor context

BT lists five SD-WAN vendor platforms. For UK multi-site businesses engaging through the BT Partner Channel, the two most commonly discussed are Fortinet and Cisco Meraki. Each vendor brings a different security and operational architecture to the Secure SD-WAN conversation.

Dimension	Fortinet within BT Secure SD-WAN	Meraki within BT Secure SD-WAN
Role in the service	Provides the SD-WAN overlay with integrated NGFW security	Provides the SD-WAN overlay with cloud-managed branch infrastructure
Security approach	Single-vendor security fabric — NGFW, IPS, application control built into the appliance	Integrated MX appliance security with Cisco Umbrella cloud security integration
SASE capability	FortiSASE — ZTNA, CASB, SWG, sandboxing (advanced licence tier)	Cisco Umbrella SIG — SWG, CASB, DNS-layer security (Secure SD-WAN Plus tier)
Branch scope	SD-WAN + firewall on one appliance; separate switches and APs available	One-box branch: SD-WAN + LAN + Wi-Fi + IoT from a single cloud-managed platform
Management dashboard	FortiManager for policy; FortiAnalyzer for analytics	Meraki cloud dashboard — browser-based, single pane for all Meraki infrastructure
Buyer profile fit	Security-first organisations needing advanced threat protection and granular control	Operationally lean teams wanting unified branch management with simpler oversight

Important: The table above shows how each vendor relates to the BT Secure SD-WAN conversation. It is not a feature-by-feature product comparison. For a detailed vendor comparison, see BT SD-WAN vendors: Fortinet vs Meraki.

What service model options matter

Service model explanation

BT describes its SD-WAN services as available in fully managed or co-managed options. The service model determines how operational responsibility is divided between BT and your internal team. This is a commercial and operational decision — not just a technical one.

Fully managed

BT owns network design, deployment, monitoring, firmware updates, security patching and policy changes
Your team has dashboard visibility but does not make day-to-day configuration changes
24/7 NOC monitoring with BT-led incident response
All changes go through BT via change request
Suited to organisations without a dedicated network operations team

Co-managed

BT handles platform maintenance, firmware updates, security patching and infrastructure-level incident response
Your team has direct dashboard access for policy changes, application prioritisation and day-to-day adjustments
Faster operational agility — no need to raise a change request for routine modifications
Requires internal team capability for ongoing management
Suited to organisations with a capable internal IT or network team

The choice between managed and co-managed is not just about control — it affects how quickly you can respond to operational needs, how much internal resource you need, and what the ongoing service scope looks like commercially. Confirm service model availability for your chosen vendor platform during the quote process.

Managed vs co-managed: practical differences

Comparison

Responsibility area	Fully managed	Co-managed
Network design and deployment	BT	BT
Platform maintenance and firmware	BT	BT
Security updates and patching	BT	BT
24/7 NOC monitoring	BT	BT
Infrastructure incident response	BT	BT
Policy changes and modifications	BT — via change request	Customer — direct access
Application prioritisation	BT — via change request	Customer — direct access
Day-to-day operational changes	BT	Customer
Dashboard access	Read-only visibility	Full management access
First-line troubleshooting	BT	Customer before escalation to BT

Note: Service model availability may vary by vendor platform. If you expect to change between managed and co-managed during the contract, confirm contract flexibility at workshop or quote stage. For a deeper exploration of managed vs co-managed and how it relates to vendor choice, see the vendor page.

What should be clarified before quote stage

Pre-quote guidance

BT Secure SD-WAN is configured per deployment. Before requesting a quote, resolving the following questions will produce a more focused and accurate commercial conversation.

Security scope

Do you need standard branch security or full SASE? Standard licence tiers include NGFW and basic threat protection. Advanced tiers add ZTNA, CASB, SWG and cloud-delivered security. The answer affects both vendor choice and per-site licensing scope.

Vendor preference

Do you have a preference for Fortinet or Meraki — or are you evaluating both? If you have a clear preference, you can go straight to the pricing calculator. If you are evaluating both, a workshop will help you compare the two platforms against your specific requirements.

Service model

Does your team have the capacity and willingness to manage day-to-day SD-WAN policy? If yes, co-managed gives you direct dashboard access. If no, fully managed means BT handles everything. If unsure, discuss this in a workshop where both models can be demonstrated.

Branch infrastructure scope

Do you need SD-WAN only, or do you also need LAN switching, Wi-Fi and IoT management at each branch? Meraki provides a unified branch platform covering all of these from a single dashboard. Fortinet focuses on SD-WAN and security — branch switching and Wi-Fi are separate. This distinction may influence your vendor decision.

Compliance and regulatory

Do you have specific compliance requirements that affect your security architecture? If your organisation operates under regulatory requirements that mandate certain security controls, raise these during the workshop or quote process to ensure the vendor and licence tier meet those needs.

Estate readiness

Do you know your site count, circuit type per site, bandwidth requirements and backup needs? If yes, you are likely ready for the pricing calculator. If these inputs are not yet defined, a workshop or internal scoping exercise should come first.

Decision logic

Next step guidance

Use these structured paths to determine your next step.

Workshop or calculator?

If you already know your vendor preference, management model and estate requirements → Go straight to the BT SD-WAN pricing calculator

If you are evaluating Fortinet vs Meraki and need technical guidance → Request a workshop to walk through both platforms against your requirements

If you are unsure whether managed or co-managed suits your team → Request a workshop — dashboard demos and operational walkthroughs will help clarify

If you need a SASE capabilities discussion before committing to a licence tier → Request a workshop — SASE requirements should be validated before entering the pricing process

If your estate has complex or non-standard requirements → Request a workshop — the pre-quote design input will produce a more accurate outcome

If you need a platform beyond Fortinet or Meraki (Cisco vManage, VMware VeloCloud, Palo Alto Prisma) → Mention this in the calculator notes field or request a workshop to discuss alternative vendor pathways

Who benefits most from a workshop first

Workshop recommended

Buyers evaluating both Fortinet and Meraki who need platform comparison
Organisations unsure about managed vs co-managed
Buyers with SASE, ZTNA or compliance-driven security requirements
Estates with complex or mixed requirements that benefit from pre-quote design input
First-time SD-WAN buyers who want to understand the operational model

Who can go straight to the calculator

Calculator ready

Buyers with a clear vendor preference (Fortinet or Meraki)
Organisations with defined site count, connectivity mix and bandwidth requirements
Teams that already understand managed vs co-managed and have a preference
Buyers who want a quote request generated quickly
Organisations renewing or replacing existing MPLS who have already evaluated SD-WAN architecture

Example business scenarios

Illustrative profiles

These are illustrative buyer scenarios to help you identify which elements of BT Secure SD-WAN are most relevant to your situation. They are not customer case studies.

Scenario A

Security-first organisation needing integrated threat protection

Primary concernAdvanced security at every branch

Likely vendor pathwayFortinet (Advanced tier with FortiSASE)

Service modelManaged or co-managed depending on internal capability

Recommended next stepWorkshop — to validate SASE and ZTNA requirements

This buyer needs the “Secure” in Secure SD-WAN to include ZTNA, CASB and SWG at every branch. A workshop will confirm that the Fortinet Advanced licence tier meets the specific security policy requirements.

Scenario B

Multi-site retailer needing a unified branch platform

Primary concernSimplified branch management with SD-WAN, Wi-Fi and LAN

Likely vendor pathwayMeraki (one-box branch platform)

Service modelManaged — small central team with no dedicated network ops

Recommended next stepPricing calculator — clear vendor preference and defined estate

This buyer values operational simplicity over advanced security depth. Meraki’s cloud-managed dashboard and one-box branch platform fit the requirement. The estate is well-defined, so the pricing calculator is the right next step.

Scenario C

Growing business unsure about vendor and service model

Primary concernUnderstanding what options exist before committing

Likely vendor pathwayOpen — evaluating both Fortinet and Meraki

Service modelUndecided — wants to understand the operational difference

Recommended next stepWorkshop — needs guided walkthrough of both options

This buyer is in the early evaluation phase. A workshop will walk through Fortinet and Meraki capabilities, demonstrate managed and co-managed dashboards, and help narrow the vendor and service model choice before entering the pricing process.

Scenario D

Experienced IT team wanting co-managed SD-WAN with policy control

Primary concernDirect dashboard access for day-to-day policy management

Likely vendor pathwayFortinet or Meraki — depends on security depth vs simplicity preference

Service modelCo-managed — internal team is capable and wants operational control

Recommended next stepPricing calculator — or workshop if vendor undecided

This buyer knows they want co-managed. If the vendor preference is clear, the calculator is the right next step. If the team wants to compare FortiManager vs Meraki dashboard before deciding, a short workshop will resolve the vendor question.

Book a BT SD-WAN capability workshopWalk through Fortinet and Meraki options, managed vs co-managed models, SASE capabilities and service model choices. Clarify the right BT Secure SD-WAN route for your business before requesting a quote.

Arrange a workshop →

Quote readiness checklist

Readiness

Before using the BT SD-WAN pricing calculator or requesting a workshop, having these inputs ready will produce a more focused conversation.

Total number of sites requiring SD-WAN
Circuit type preference per site (leased line, broadband, cellular)
Bandwidth requirements per site type
Backup circuit requirements (if any)
Vendor preference: Fortinet, Meraki or open to discussion
Security requirement: standard branch security or full SASE (ZTNA, CASB, SWG)
Management model preference: managed or co-managed
Preferred contract term (12, 24, 36 or 60 months)
Hub or data centre connections (if any)
Greenfield deployment or migration from existing WAN
Any specific compliance, regulatory or integration requirements
Branch infrastructure needs beyond SD-WAN (LAN, Wi-Fi, IoT)

Watch-outs

“Secure SD-WAN” does not mean SASE is automatically included. SASE capabilities (ZTNA, CASB, SWG) require advanced licence tiers — confirm which tier you need during scoping.
Security capability varies by vendor. Fortinet and Meraki have different security architectures. The security features available depend on which vendor and licence tier you select.
Co-managed requires internal capacity. Choosing co-managed gives your team direct dashboard access — but also means your team is responsible for day-to-day policy management.
Service model availability should be confirmed per platform. BT describes managed and co-managed options, but specific availability may vary by vendor. Confirm during the quote process.
Branch convergence differs between vendors. Meraki includes LAN, Wi-Fi and IoT in one platform. Fortinet focuses on SD-WAN and security — additional branch infrastructure is separate.

Frequently asked questions

FAQ

What is BT Business Secure SD-WAN?

BT Business Secure SD-WAN is BT’s managed SD-WAN service with integrated security capabilities. It combines software-defined networking with next-generation firewall, intrusion prevention and, at advanced licence tiers, cloud-delivered SASE security (ZTNA, CASB, SWG). The service is available across five vendor platforms, with Fortinet and Cisco Meraki being the two most commonly discussed for UK multi-site deployments.

What does “Secure” mean in BT Secure SD-WAN?

The “Secure” element refers to the integrated security capabilities within the SD-WAN platform. Rather than deploying separate firewall hardware at each branch, the security is built into the SD-WAN appliance itself. The depth of security available depends on the vendor and licence tier selected — standard tiers include NGFW and basic threat protection, while advanced tiers add full SASE with ZTNA, CASB and SWG.

What vendor platforms are available?

BT lists five SD-WAN vendor platforms: Cisco SD-WAN (vManage), Fortinet SD-WAN, VMware VeloCloud SD-WAN, Palo Alto Prisma SD-WAN and Cisco Meraki SD-WAN. The Network Union pricing calculator focuses on Fortinet and Meraki as the two most commonly discussed platforms for UK multi-site businesses through the BT Partner Channel.

What is the difference between managed and co-managed?

With fully managed, BT handles all policy changes, monitoring, firmware updates and incident response. Your team has read-only dashboard visibility. With co-managed, BT handles platform maintenance and infrastructure issues, while your team has direct dashboard access for day-to-day policy changes, application prioritisation and operational modifications.

Do I need a workshop before using the pricing calculator?

Not always. If you already know your vendor preference, management model and estate requirements, you can go straight to the pricing calculator. A workshop is recommended if you are evaluating Fortinet vs Meraki, unsure about managed vs co-managed, need a SASE capabilities walkthrough, or have complex requirements that benefit from pre-quote design input.

Is SASE included with all BT Secure SD-WAN deployments?

No. SASE capabilities require advanced licence tiers. For Fortinet, the Advanced tier includes FortiSASE with ZTNA, CASB, SWG and sandboxing. For Meraki, the Secure SD-WAN Plus tier includes Cisco Umbrella SIG integration. Standard licence tiers provide NGFW and basic threat protection without cloud-delivered SASE.

How does the BT Partner Channel work?

The Network Union operates as an Authorised Partner of BT, providing access to BT’s SD-WAN portfolio with partner channel commercial terms. Requirements submitted through the pricing calculator are reviewed by a BT Sales Specialist team. All services are contracted directly with BT.

Can I mix Fortinet and Meraki within the same deployment?

This would depend on BT’s specific packaging and service arrangements. If you have a requirement for mixed vendor deployment, raise this during a workshop or in the notes field of the pricing calculator to confirm feasibility.

Where can I compare Fortinet and Meraki in more detail?

For a detailed side-by-side vendor comparison, see BT SD-WAN Vendors: Fortinet vs Meraki for UK Businesses. That page covers security architecture, SASE capability, management dashboards, branch convergence and operational complexity in more depth.

Where can I understand the cost factors behind BT SD-WAN?

For a full breakdown of the commercial scope drivers, see BT SD-WAN Cost Factors for UK Multi-Site Businesses. That page covers site count, circuit types, bandwidth, licensing, resilience, management model and contract term in detail.

Price your BT SD-WAN requirementDefine your sites, connectivity mix, vendor preference and management model. Your requirements are reviewed by a BT Sales Specialist team through The Network Union’s partner channel.

Open the pricing calculator →

The Network Union has operated as an Authorised Partner of BT since 2012. Commercial and contracting arrangements should be confirmed during quote review. For more information about The Network Union’s partner status, see BT Authorised Partners.