Vodafone Idea’s enterprise business, Vi Business, has partnered with Cisco to expand its Hybrid SD-WAN portfolio as businesses increasingly depend on cloud applications, distributed operations and AI-driven workloads.
The partnership combines Cisco Meraki’s cloud-managed networking and secure multi-WAN capabilities with Vi Business’ managed connectivity services. The companies are targeting enterprises that need more flexible ways to connect offices, branches, cloud environments and remote locations while maintaining network security and centralized management.
Vi Business has been offering Hybrid SD-WAN services since 2023. The latest collaboration with Cisco is aimed at strengthening the technology behind those services and simplifying network management for enterprise customers.
Vi Business Combines SD-WAN With Managed Connectivity
The Hybrid SD-WAN offering brings together software-defined networking, security and multi-cloud connectivity through a managed service model.
Enterprises can use different connectivity technologies depending on their requirements, including leased lines, broadband and cellular networks. This allows businesses to build a hybrid network rather than relying on a single type of connection across every location.
Cisco Meraki provides the underlying cloud-managed networking platform. Its centralized dashboard allows enterprises to manage SD-WAN functions, application- and performance-aware routing, security, Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity from a single interface.
Vi Business will provide the connectivity infrastructure and managed services around the platform, including proactive monitoring, lifecycle management and end-to-end support.
Why Hybrid SD-WAN Matters for Businesses
Traditional enterprise networks were often designed around fixed connectivity between offices and data centers. That model has become more complicated as companies increasingly use public cloud platforms, SaaS applications, remote working and distributed branch networks.
SD-WAN allows enterprises to manage multiple connectivity paths and make network decisions based on application and performance requirements.
For example, a business can use a combination of leased lines, broadband and cellular connectivity rather than depending entirely on one connection. This can provide greater flexibility when network requirements change or when companies add new offices and locations.
For enterprises operating across multiple cities, the ability to centrally manage these connections can also reduce the operational complexity involved in maintaining separate networking systems.
Cisco Meraki Brings Centralised Network Management
Cisco Meraki is central to the new Vi Business offering.
The cloud-managed platform provides a single dashboard through which enterprises can manage networking and security functions. Application-aware and performance-aware routing can help businesses determine how traffic should move across available connections.
The platform also brings wired and wireless networking capabilities into the same management environment.
This is particularly relevant for enterprises with distributed operations, where IT teams may have to manage networks across dozens or hundreds of locations.
Vi Business said the combination of its nationwide connectivity with Cisco Meraki’s cloud-managed capabilities is designed to provide customers with a single point of contact and a unified service experience.
Managed Service Model Reduces Upfront Investment
Another part of the offering is its service-based model.
Instead of having to make a large upfront investment in networking infrastructure, enterprises can use Vi Business’ managed Hybrid SD-WAN service and scale their network requirements as their operations grow.
The managed approach also covers monitoring and lifecycle management, allowing businesses to outsource parts of the day-to-day network operation.
This could be particularly useful for companies expanding into new locations or managing large distributed networks where maintaining dedicated networking infrastructure at every site can become expensive and difficult to manage.
AI and Cloud Adoption Are Driving Network Changes
The partnership comes as enterprise networks are being asked to support a wider range of workloads.
Cloud applications, distributed workforces and AI workloads are increasing the amount of traffic moving between branch offices, cloud platforms and corporate systems. This is putting greater emphasis on networks that can scale quickly while maintaining security and performance.
Vi Business and Cisco are positioning the Hybrid SD-WAN offering around this shift toward more distributed enterprise infrastructure.
Cisco’s Ashok Shivashankar, Managing Director, Partner Organization, Cisco India & South Asia, said modern enterprise networks need to be intelligent, secure and able to adapt to constant change as companies move toward an AI-first environment.
Vi Business Chief Enterprise Business Officer M P Sunil Kumar said the combination of cloud-managed SD-WAN, wired and wireless networking and built-in security is intended to help enterprises centrally manage distributed networks while simplifying operations.
India’s SD-WAN Market Is Expanding
The companies are entering a market where demand for SD-WAN services is expected to increase as Indian businesses accelerate digital transformation.
Industry estimates cited by Vi Business project India’s SD-WAN market to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 20.5% and reach $14.6 billion by 2031.
For Vi Business, the opportunity extends beyond traditional telecom connectivity. Enterprise customers increasingly expect telecom operators to provide managed networking, security, cloud connectivity and other services rather than simply supplying bandwidth.
The Cisco partnership allows Vi Business to strengthen that enterprise proposition by combining its connectivity footprint with Cisco Meraki’s cloud-managed networking technology.
What the Vi-Cisco Partnership Means for Enterprise Customers
For businesses, the main benefit is the ability to manage different network connections and security capabilities through a more unified platform.
Companies with offices spread across multiple locations can use Vi Business’ connectivity options while relying on Cisco Meraki for centralized network management. The combination can also provide flexibility to use wired and wireless connections according to individual site requirements.
The service is therefore aimed less at individual consumers and more at businesses looking to modernize their Wide Area Network infrastructure without taking complete responsibility for deploying and managing the underlying network themselves.
With cloud services and AI applications becoming increasingly important to enterprise operations, Vi Business and Cisco are betting that demand for managed, secure and flexible networking will continue to grow.
