Silver Peak Systems

Silver Peak Systems was a United States networking technology company that developed products for improving the performance, reliability, and manageability of wide area networks. Its portfolio initially centered on WAN optimization, a category designed to make applications, data replication, storage traffic, and virtual desktop workloads perform more effectively across geographically dispersed networks. The company later expanded into software-defined wide area networking, or SD-WAN, through its Unity EdgeConnect platform. David Hughes founded Silver Peak in 2004. The company shipped its first product, the NX-series hardware appliance, in September 2005. These appliances were designed to optimize traffic across wide area links and became the foundation of the company’s early product business. Silver Peak subsequently broadened its deployment options with the VX series of virtual appliances and introduced the GMS Global Management System for centrally managing NX and VX installations. The company’s later strategy reflected the movement of enterprise networking away from dedicated hardware and toward software-defined, centrally orchestrated infrastructure. In June 2015, Silver Peak introduced its first SD-WAN solution, EdgeConnect. The platform was subsequently marketed within the Unity family as Unity EdgeConnect, with physical and virtual deployment choices. Related products included Unity Boost, an optional WAN-optimization package, and Unity Orchestrator, a management platform offered as a virtual appliance, cloud-hosted service, or software-as-a-service subscription. Silver Peak built an enterprise ecosystem through partnerships and resale arrangements with major technology companies. Dell resold Silver Peak WAN-optimization products in more than 30 countries for use with Dell storage, networking, server, and virtual desktop environments. Silver Peak also partnered with VMware to make virtual WAN-optimization capabilities available through VMware vCloud Air. EMC resold Silver Peak products through its EMC Select program and qualified them for use with several storage replication and data-protection environments. Hitachi Data Systems likewise resold Silver Peak products for deployment alongside its backup and replication offerings. On July 13, 2020, Hewlett Packard Enterprise announced its intention to acquire Silver Peak for $925 million. The transaction closed on September 21, 2020. Silver Peak then became part of Aruba Networks, an HPE subsidiary, ending Silver Peak’s independent operation as a company. Its technology and product capabilities were incorporated into HPE’s Aruba networking portfolio, particularly the company’s SD-WAN and edge-networking activities.

Silver Peak Systems was founded in 2004 by David Hughes as an enterprise networking company specializing in wide area network performance. Its initial market was WAN optimization, where organizations use purpose-built hardware and software to reduce the effects of latency, limited bandwidth, and distance on business applications and data movement. This positioning was relevant to enterprises operating distributed offices, data centers, storage systems, and virtual desktop environments. The company shipped its first product, the NX-series hardware appliance, in September 2005. The NX line formed the company’s early hardware platform for WAN optimization. Silver Peak later added the VX series of virtual appliances, allowing customers to deploy comparable optimization functions in virtualized environments rather than relying exclusively on dedicated physical equipment. To manage these deployments, the company offered the GMS Global Management System for NX and VX appliances. Silver Peak’s product strategy expanded as enterprise networking increasingly adopted virtualization, cloud services, and software-defined control. In June 2015, the company introduced EdgeConnect, its first SD-WAN solution. EdgeConnect represented a move beyond point optimization of WAN traffic toward a broader platform for implementing and managing software-defined connectivity across enterprise locations. The offering was later presented within the Unity product family as Unity EdgeConnect, available in physical and virtual appliance forms. The Unity portfolio also included Unity Boost, an optional WAN-optimization package, and Unity Orchestrator. Orchestrator provided centralized management and was available in several delivery models, including a virtual appliance, a cloud-hosted implementation, and a software-as-a-service subscription. Together, these products reflected Silver Peak’s attempt to combine WAN optimization with centrally controlled SD-WAN operations. Partnerships were an important part of the company’s route to market. Before its acquisition, Silver Peak was a Dell partner for WAN optimization in more than 30 countries. Dell resold the technology for use with storage products such as EqualLogic and Compellent, Force10 networking, servers, and virtual desktop deployments. Silver Peak also partnered with VMware, including an arrangement under which its virtual WAN-optimization products were offered as part of VMware vCloud Air. EMC resold Silver Peak physical and virtual appliances through the EMC Select program. Silver Peak products were also qualified for integration with EMC VPLEX Geo and a range of EMC storage replication, backup, and data-mobility technologies. Hitachi Data Systems similarly resold Silver Peak WAN-optimization products for use alongside its backup and replication products. These relationships connected Silver Peak’s technology with major enterprise storage and infrastructure ecosystems. On July 13, 2020, Hewlett Packard Enterprise announced its intent to acquire Silver Peak for $925 million. The transaction was completed on September 21, 2020. Following completion, Silver Peak became part of Aruba Networks, an HPE subsidiary. The acquisition ended Silver Peak’s existence as an independent company and placed its WAN and SD-WAN capabilities within HPE’s Aruba networking business.

• 2020

  HPE announces acquisition

  [1]Silver Peak Systemsen.wikipedia.org

  Hewlett Packard Enterprise announced an agreement to acquire Silver Peak for $925 million on July 13.

• 2020

  Acquisition closes

  [1]Silver Peak Systemsen.wikipedia.org

  The acquisition was completed on September 21, and Silver Peak became part of Aruba Networks.

• 2015

  EdgeConnect SD-WAN solution launches

  [1]Silver Peak Systemsen.wikipedia.org

  The company introduced EdgeConnect in June as its first SD-WAN solution.

• 2005

  First NX-series product ships

  [1]Silver Peak Systemsen.wikipedia.org

  Silver Peak shipped its first product, an NX-series WAN-optimization hardware appliance, in September.

• 2004

  Silver Peak Systems is founded

  [1]Silver Peak Systemsen.wikipedia.org

  David Hughes founded Silver Peak Systems as a company focused on enterprise WAN performance and optimization.

Enterprise networking provider focused on WAN performance optimization, virtualized network infrastructure, and software-defined wide area networking.

• WAN optimization hardware · 2005

  NX series

  The NX series was Silver Peak’s original hardware-appliance line. It was designed to optimize traffic crossing wide area links, improving the effective performance of enterprise applications and data movement between distributed locations. The first Silver Peak product shipped in September 2005.

• Virtual WAN optimization appliance

  VX series

  The VX series provided Silver Peak WAN-optimization functions as virtual appliances. This deployment model enabled customers to place optimization capabilities in virtualized infrastructure rather than depending solely on dedicated network hardware.

• Network management software

  GMS Global Management System

  GMS was management software for Silver Peak NX and VX deployments. It gave organizations a way to administer and monitor distributed WAN-optimization appliances from a centralized management layer.

• SD-WAN platform · 2015

  Unity EdgeConnect

  Unity EdgeConnect was Silver Peak’s principal SD-WAN offering. Originating as EdgeConnect, launched in 2015, it supported physical and virtual appliance deployments for implementing software-defined wide area networks and managing connectivity across enterprise sites.

• WAN optimization software

  Unity Boost

  Unity Boost was an optional WAN-optimization package associated with the Unity portfolio. It extended the SD-WAN platform with capabilities intended to improve application and data-transfer performance over wide area connections.

• SD-WAN management software

  Unity Orchestrator

  Unity Orchestrator was Silver Peak’s centralized management platform for Unity deployments. It could be delivered as a virtual appliance, cloud-hosted service, or software-as-a-service subscription, reflecting the company’s multi-deployment approach to SD-WAN management.

• 2020

  Sale to Hewlett Packard EnterpriseM&A

  Background

  Silver Peak had developed a substantial SD-WAN and WAN-optimization portfolio, including EdgeConnect, Orchestrator, and related physical and virtual products.

  Action taken

  Hewlett Packard Enterprise announced on July 13, 2020 that it intended to acquire Silver Peak for $925 million. The acquisition closed on September 21, 2020, with Silver Peak becoming part of Aruba Networks.

  Aftermath

  Silver Peak ceased operating as an independent company, while its technology became part of HPE’s Aruba networking business.

  Acquisition value. $925 million (Announced July 13, 2020; completed September 21, 2020)

  Source

• 2015

  Expansion into SD-WAN with EdgeConnectProduct launch

  Background

  Silver Peak had established its business around WAN optimization hardware, virtual appliances, and management software. The company expanded into software-defined networking as enterprise customers sought more centrally managed and flexible wide area architectures.

  Action taken

  Silver Peak launched EdgeConnect in June 2015 as its first SD-WAN solution, later positioning it within the Unity EdgeConnect family.

  Aftermath

  The launch broadened Silver Peak’s portfolio from WAN optimization into SD-WAN and became central to the company’s later strategic value.

  Source

1. 1Silver Peak Systemsen.wikipedia.org