Which Vendors Are Supported by BT SD-WAN?

BT’s SD-WAN portfolio includes five vendor platforms: Cisco SD-WAN (vManage), Fortinet SD-WAN, VMware VeloCloud SD-WAN, Palo Alto Prisma SD-WAN and Cisco Meraki SD-WAN. BT describes its SD-WAN services as available in fully managed or co-managed options, though specific service model availability should be confirmed per platform during the quote process. For UK multi-site businesses, the two most commonly discussed platforms through the BT Partner Channel are Fortinet and Meraki. This page helps you evaluate the vendor options, understand the difference between managed and co-managed service models, and decide when to request a workshop before using the pricing calculator.

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AT A GLANCE

BT SD-WAN vendor and service model summary

	Fortinet pathway	Meraki pathway
Platform	Fortinet SD-WAN	Cisco Meraki SD-WAN
Security approach	Integrated NGFW with FortiSASE capability (ZTNA, CASB, SWG, sandboxing)	Integrated security via MX appliance with Cisco Umbrella SIG integration (SWG, CASB, DNS security)
Management dashboard	FortiManager / FortiAnalyzer	Meraki cloud dashboard
Branch integration	SD-WAN + firewall on a single appliance	One-box branch: SD-WAN + LAN + Wi-Fi + IoT from one platform
SASE capability	FortiSASE — part of the Fortinet security fabric	Cisco Umbrella SIG — cloud-delivered security
Service models	Managed and co-managed options — confirm availability at quote stage	Managed and co-managed options — confirm availability at quote stage
Typical buyer profile	Security-first organisations needing advanced threat protection	Operationally lean teams wanting a unified branch platform with simpler management

ON THIS PAGE

Vendor overview Five platforms listed by BT — and why Fortinet and Meraki lead the conversation

Fortinet vs Meraki Structured comparison across security, management, branch integration and SASE

Managed vs co-managed What each model means operationally and who typically suits each

Best fit by business type Which vendor and service model combination suits your profile

Decision logic Structured if-then guidance to narrow your vendor and model choice

Scenario cards Four estate profiles with vendor and model recommendations

Workshop vs calculator When to request a guided workshop and when to go straight to the calculator

Quote readiness checklist What you need before requesting a BT SD-WAN quote

Price your requirement → Open the BT SD-WAN pricing calculator

WHAT THIS PAGE HELPS YOU DECIDE

Vendor pathway and service model selection

This page is specifically about choosing the right vendor pathway and service model within BT SD-WAN. It does not cover cost factors (see BT SD-WAN cost factors) or the broader question of whether SD-WAN or traditional managed WAN is the right architecture (see Managed WAN vs SD-WAN comparison).

After reading this page, you should be able to determine whether Fortinet or Meraki is the more relevant pathway for your estate, whether you need a managed or co-managed service model, and whether you should request a vendor workshop or proceed directly to the pricing calculator.

VENDOR SUPPORT

Which vendors are listed within BT SD-WAN?

BT lists five SD-WAN vendor platforms on its product page. The BT Business website describes these as available with fully managed or co-managed options, though the specific service model and packaging details for each platform should be confirmed during the quote process.

Vendor platform	Architecture	Key differentiator
Cisco SD-WAN (vManage)	Cloud-first, Catalyst 8K hardware	Multi-cloud connectivity, enterprise routing heritage
Fortinet SD-WAN	NGFW-integrated SD-WAN appliance	Single-vendor security stack with FortiSASE capability
VMware VeloCloud SD-WAN	Cloud-first SD-WAN overlay	Cloud-first with zero trust remote access
Palo Alto Prisma SD-WAN	App-defined autonomous SD-WAN	Native Prisma Access SASE integration
Cisco Meraki SD-WAN	Cloud-managed MX appliance	One-box branch: SD-WAN + LAN + Wi-Fi + IoT from single dashboard

Source: BT Business SD-WAN product page (business.bt.com/overlay-networks-cloud/sd-wan). Platform availability, service model options and specific packaging should be confirmed during the quote process or vendor workshop.

Why Fortinet and Meraki lead the BT Partner Channel conversation

The Network Union’s BT SD-WAN pricing calculator focuses on Fortinet and Meraki as the two most commonly discussed platforms for UK multi-site businesses. This reflects the buyer profiles most frequently seen through the partner channel: security-first organisations evaluating Fortinet’s integrated security stack, and operationally lean teams drawn to Meraki’s simplified cloud management and unified branch platform.

The other three platforms — Cisco vManage, VMware VeloCloud and Palo Alto Prisma — may be more relevant for larger or more complex enterprise requirements and can be discussed during a workshop or via the quote process.

VENDOR COMPARISON

Fortinet vs Meraki inside BT SD-WAN evaluations

Fortinet and Meraki represent different approaches to SD-WAN. The comparison below reflects general platform positioning based on each vendor’s published capabilities. BT may package and deliver these platforms with additional service-specific features — exact capabilities and licensing should be confirmed during the quote process or vendor workshop.

Dimension	Fortinet	Meraki
Security architecture	NGFW built into the SD-WAN appliance — firewall, IPS, application control, VPN on a single device	Integrated security via MX appliance — L7 firewall, AMP, IPS, content filtering
SASE / cloud security	FortiSASE — ZTNA, CASB, SWG, sandboxing delivered as part of the Fortinet security fabric	Cisco Umbrella SIG integration — SWG, CASB, DNS-layer security
Management dashboard	FortiManager for policy, FortiAnalyzer for analytics	Meraki cloud dashboard — browser-based, single pane for all Meraki infrastructure
Branch convergence	SD-WAN + firewall on one appliance; separate Fortinet switches and APs available	SD-WAN + LAN switching + Wi-Fi + IoT + cameras from one cloud-managed platform
Operational complexity	More granular policy control — suited to teams comfortable with detailed security configuration	Simplified management — suited to teams wanting less operational overhead
Zero-touch provisioning	Supported via FortiDeploy / FortiManager	Native zero-touch provisioning — appliances auto-configure from the cloud

Fortinet — key evaluation points

Security is the core differentiator — NGFW, IPS, application control and VPN are native to the appliance
FortiSASE provides ZTNA, CASB, SWG and sandboxing without requiring separate cloud security products
Suited to organisations where advanced threat protection and zero trust are primary requirements
FortiManager provides granular security policy management
Recognised as a Leader in the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for SASE Platforms (per Fortinet)

Meraki — key evaluation points

Simplicity is the core differentiator — cloud-managed dashboard for SD-WAN, LAN, Wi-Fi and IoT
One-box branch solution reduces hardware count and management overhead at each site
Suited to organisations wanting a unified branch platform with less operational complexity
Cisco Umbrella integration provides cloud-delivered security
Zero-touch provisioning means appliances auto-configure from the cloud when powered on

Important: The comparison above reflects general vendor platform positioning. How BT packages and delivers these platforms — including licence tiers, service model options and support arrangements — should be confirmed during the quote process or vendor workshop.

SERVICE MODEL

Managed vs co-managed: what each model means

BT describes its SD-WAN services as available in fully managed or co-managed options. The choice of service model determines the operational split between BT and your internal team. Specific service model availability may vary by vendor platform and should be confirmed during the quote process.

Responsibility	Fully managed (BT Managed)	Co-managed
Network design and deployment	BT	BT
Platform maintenance and firmware	BT	BT
Security updates and patching	BT	BT
Capacity monitoring	BT	BT
Infrastructure incident response	BT	BT
24/7 NOC monitoring	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

What changes when you choose co-managed?

You gain

Direct access to the SD-WAN management dashboard
Ability to make policy changes without raising a change request to BT
Faster application prioritisation and routing modifications
Greater operational agility for day-to-day network adjustments
More direct control over security policies

You accept responsibility for

Day-to-day policy management and modification
Application prioritisation changes across your sites
First-line troubleshooting before escalation to BT
Maintaining internal team capability for ongoing operations
Understanding the security and routing implications of policy changes

When does each model make sense?

Choose fully managed if: your organisation lacks a dedicated network operations team, prefers BT to own all configuration changes, needs 24/7 incident response with no internal escalation burden, or is deploying SD-WAN for the first time and wants BT to handle the learning curve.

Choose co-managed if: you have an internal IT or network team capable of handling day-to-day changes, want direct dashboard access for faster operational adjustments, need the ability to modify security and routing policies in near real-time, or plan to build internal SD-WAN capability over time.

Not sure? Request a vendor workshop. The workshop can walk through both models in detail, demonstrate dashboard access and help you decide based on your team’s actual operational capacity.

Note: Service model availability and the specific operational split may vary by vendor platform. If you expect to change between managed and co-managed models during the contract, confirm contract flexibility and governance at workshop or quote stage.

BEST FIT

Best fit by business type

The right vendor and service model combination depends on your security requirements, internal team capacity, branch infrastructure needs and operational preferences.

Business profile	Likely vendor fit	Likely service model	Rationale
Security-first organisation with compliance requirements	Fortinet	Managed or co-managed	Fortinet’s integrated NGFW and FortiSASE capability provides deep security coverage within the SD-WAN platform
Lean IT team needing a unified branch platform	Meraki	Managed	Meraki’s one-box branch and cloud dashboard minimise operational overhead with simplified management
Internal network team wanting direct policy control	Fortinet or Meraki	Co-managed	Both platforms support co-managed access; Fortinet suits teams wanting granular control, Meraki suits teams preferring template-based simplicity
Multi-site retail or hospitality with branch Wi-Fi needs	Meraki	Managed	Meraki unifies SD-WAN, switching, Wi-Fi and IoT under one dashboard — suited to distributed branch estates
Enterprise with advanced SASE and ZTNA requirements	Fortinet	Managed or co-managed	FortiSASE includes ZTNA, CASB, SWG and sandboxing as part of the Fortinet security fabric
First-time SD-WAN deployment with limited internal expertise	Meraki	Managed	Meraki’s simpler management model and a fully managed service reduce the operational learning curve

DECISION LOGIC

Vendor and service model decision logic

Use these structured decision paths to narrow your vendor and service model choice before requesting a quote or workshop.

Vendor selection logic

If your primary requirement is advanced threat protection, zero trust or SASE with a single-vendor security stack
→ Then Fortinet is likely the more relevant pathway

If your primary requirement is a simplified, cloud-managed branch platform with unified SD-WAN, LAN, Wi-Fi and IoT
→ Then Meraki is likely the more relevant pathway

If your requirements span both advanced security and simplified branch management
→ Then request a workshop — a guided walkthrough will help you evaluate both pathways against your specific estate

If your estate has complex multi-cloud, multi-region or highly specialised routing requirements
→ Then consider Cisco vManage, VMware VeloCloud or Palo Alto Prisma — raise this during the quote process or workshop

Service model selection logic

If you have no internal network operations team and want BT to handle all changes
→ Then fully managed

If you have an internal team capable of managing day-to-day policy and want faster operational control
→ Then co-managed

If you want to start with BT managing everything and transition to co-managed later
→ Then discuss contract flexibility at workshop or quote stage to confirm whether transitioning between models is available for your chosen platform

If you are unsure about your team’s operational capacity
→ Then request a workshop — the workshop can demonstrate both management models in practice

SCENARIOS

Scenario cards: vendor and model recommendations

These are illustrative estate profiles to help guide your vendor and service model thinking. They are not customer case studies.

Scenario A — Meraki + Managed

25-site UK retail chain with branch Wi-Fi requirements

Estate25 retail branches across the UK

Primary needSD-WAN + in-store Wi-Fi + simple management

Internal IT capacitySmall central team, no dedicated network ops

Security requirementStandard branch security

Vendor fitMeraki

Service modelManaged

Meraki’s one-box branch platform covers SD-WAN, switching and Wi-Fi under a single cloud dashboard. A managed service removes the need for a dedicated network operations team.

Scenario B — Fortinet + Managed

40-site financial services business with compliance requirements

Estate40 offices — head office, regional hubs and branches

Primary needAdvanced security, ZTNA and SASE at all locations

Internal IT capacityDedicated IT team but limited SD-WAN experience

Security requirementNGFW + FortiSASE (ZTNA, CASB, SWG)

Vendor fitFortinet

Service modelManaged

Fortinet provides an integrated security stack including ZTNA and CASB within the Fortinet security fabric. A managed service is appropriate here because the IT team lacks SD-WAN operational experience. A workshop should precede the quote to walk through FortiSASE capabilities and confirm security policy requirements.

Scenario C — Fortinet + Co-Managed

60-site technology company with an experienced network team

Estate60 sites — offices, labs and remote locations

Primary needGranular policy control with direct dashboard access

Internal IT capacityDedicated network operations team with firewall expertise

Security requirementAdvanced security with team-managed policy changes

Vendor fitFortinet

Service modelCo-managed

The internal team has the expertise to manage day-to-day policy changes directly via FortiManager. Co-managed gives them direct access while BT handles platform maintenance, firmware updates and infrastructure-level incident response.

Scenario D — Meraki + Co-Managed

15-site professional services firm with a capable internal IT team

Estate15 offices across the UK

Primary needSimple management with ability to make rapid changes

Internal IT capacitySmall but capable IT team, comfortable with cloud dashboards

Security requirementStandard + cloud security for SaaS applications

Vendor fitMeraki

Service modelCo-managed

Meraki’s cloud dashboard is intuitive enough for a small IT team to manage day-to-day changes. Co-managed gives them direct access for application prioritisation and policy adjustments.

WORKSHOP

When to request a workshop vs going straight to the calculator

Not every buyer needs to use the pricing calculator immediately. In some cases, a vendor workshop will produce a better outcome by clarifying technical and operational requirements first.

Go straight to the calculator if

You already know your preferred vendor (Fortinet or Meraki)
You have a clear view on managed vs co-managed
Your site count, circuit types and bandwidth requirements are defined
You want a quote request generated quickly

Request a workshop first if

You are evaluating Fortinet vs Meraki and need technical guidance
You are unsure whether managed or co-managed suits your team
You need a deeper walkthrough of SASE capabilities
Your estate has complex requirements that would benefit from pre-quote design input
You want to see dashboard demos before committing to a vendor

Book a BT SD-WAN vendor workshop
Walk through Fortinet and Meraki options, managed vs co-managed models, and SASE capabilities. Clarify your vendor and service model choice before requesting a quote.

Arrange a vendor workshop →

READINESS

Quote readiness checklist

Before using the BT SD-WAN pricing calculator, having these inputs ready will produce a more focused and accurate initial quote request.

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
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 security, compliance or integration requirements

Watch-outs

Vendor choice affects security capability

Fortinet’s security stack (FortiSASE) includes ZTNA, CASB, SWG and sandboxing as part of the Fortinet fabric
Meraki’s cloud security capability (Cisco Umbrella SIG) is a separate Cisco cloud service integrated with the Meraki platform
Confirm which security capabilities you need before selecting a vendor pathway

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
If internal capacity changes, discuss options with BT at your service review

Not all five vendors are discussed equally in the calculator

The Network Union pricing calculator focuses on Fortinet and Meraki
If you need Cisco vManage, VMware VeloCloud or Palo Alto Prisma, mention this in the calculator’s notes field or request a workshop

Branch convergence varies by vendor

Meraki’s one-box branch includes LAN switching, Wi-Fi and IoT
Fortinet’s SD-WAN appliance focuses on networking and security — additional Fortinet switches and access points are separate
Factor this into your total branch hardware assessment

Frequently asked questions

Does BT SD-WAN support Fortinet and Meraki?

Yes. BT lists both Fortinet and Cisco Meraki as SD-WAN platforms on its product page. Both are commonly discussed for UK multi-site business deployments through the BT Partner Channel.

What other SD-WAN vendors does BT list?

BT also lists Cisco SD-WAN (vManage), VMware VeloCloud and Palo Alto Prisma SD-WAN. These may be more relevant for larger or more complex enterprise requirements. Confirm vendor availability during the quote process.

What is the practical difference between Fortinet and Meraki?

Fortinet leads with security — its SD-WAN appliance includes a full NGFW with FortiSASE capability (ZTNA, CASB, SWG). Meraki leads with operational simplicity — its cloud-managed dashboard unifies SD-WAN, LAN, Wi-Fi and IoT from a single platform.

What does fully managed mean in practice?

With a fully managed service, BT handles network design, deployment, monitoring, firmware updates, security patching, policy changes and 24/7 NOC incident response. Your team has dashboard visibility but does not manage day-to-day configuration.

What does co-managed mean in practice?

With a co-managed service, BT handles platform maintenance, firmware updates, security patching, capacity monitoring and infrastructure-level incident response. Your team handles day-to-day policy modifications, application prioritisation and first-line troubleshooting via direct dashboard access.

Can I switch between managed and co-managed during the contract?

Buyers expecting to change between service models during the contract should confirm contract flexibility and governance at workshop or quote stage. Availability may vary by vendor platform and commercial arrangement.

When should I request a vendor workshop instead of using the calculator?

Request a workshop 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.

Does the pricing calculator support all five BT SD-WAN vendors?

The Network Union’s pricing calculator focuses on Fortinet and Meraki. If you need Cisco vManage, VMware VeloCloud or Palo Alto Prisma, mention this in the calculator’s notes field or request a workshop.

What is FortiSASE and how does it differ from Cisco Umbrella?

FortiSASE is Fortinet’s cloud-delivered security service that includes ZTNA, CASB, SWG and sandboxing as part of the Fortinet security fabric. Cisco Umbrella SIG provides DNS-layer security, SWG, CASB and DLP as a cloud-delivered service integrated with the Meraki platform. Both provide cloud security through different architectures.

How does Network Union relate to BT?

The Network Union operates as an Authorised Partner of BT, providing access to the BT Partner Channel with partner commercial terms. Requirements submitted through the pricing calculator are reviewed by a BT Sales Specialist team. Commercial and contracting arrangements should be confirmed during quote review.

Price your BT SD-WAN requirement
Define 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.