Forward Networks
Forward Networks provides a digital twin platform that models your entire network infrastructure to prevent outages, verify security policies, and automate complex change management tasks effectively.
NordLayer
NordLayer provides a flexible and easy-to-implement network security solution for modern businesses, offering secure remote access and data protection through a dedicated cloud-based virtual private gateway and zero-trust principles.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Forward Networks | NordLayer |
|---|---|---|
| Website | forwardnetworks.com | nordlayer.com |
| Pricing Model | Custom | Subscription |
| Starting Price | Custom Pricing | $10/month |
| FREE Trial | ✘ No free trial | ✘ No free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✘ No free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2013 | 2019 |
| Headquarters | Santa Clara, USA | New York, USA |
Overview
Forward Networks
Forward Networks provides a mathematical model of your entire network, creating a functional digital twin that spans on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments. You can visualize every possible traffic path and verify that your network is behaving exactly as intended. By analyzing your network's state against your specific business policies, the platform identifies misconfigurations and security gaps before they cause outages or breaches.
You can use the platform to perform 'what-if' analysis, allowing you to test changes in the digital twin before deploying them to production. This proactive approach eliminates manual troubleshooting and reduces the risk of human error. Whether you are managing complex data centers or sprawling multi-cloud deployments, you gain a single source of truth that simplifies audits and accelerates digital transformation initiatives.
NordLayer
NordLayer is a cloud-native network security platform designed to protect your business data and provide secure remote access for your entire team. You can move away from bulky hardware and complex manual configurations by deploying a scalable, software-defined perimeter that grows with your organization. It helps you implement zero-trust principles by verifying every connection attempt to your private resources.
You can manage your entire network from a single centralized control panel, where you assign user permissions, monitor activity, and set up dedicated servers with fixed IP addresses. Whether your team works from home, a coffee shop, or the office, you ensure their internet traffic remains encrypted and your internal systems stay shielded from unauthorized access. It is built for businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large enterprises needing robust compliance tools.
Overview
Forward Networks Features
- Network Digital Twin Create a vendor-agnostic mathematical model of your entire network to visualize paths across all devices and cloud instances.
- Path Analysis Search for any traffic path between two points to see exactly how packets are handled by every hop.
- Intent Verification Define your network policies and receive instant alerts if a configuration change violates your security or connectivity rules.
- Change Modeling Predict the impact of planned changes by testing them against the digital twin before touching your production environment.
- Security Posture Blast Visualize the potential reach of a compromised host to identify and close security holes in your segmentation strategy.
- Automated Documentation Generate up-to-date network diagrams and configuration state reports automatically for simplified compliance audits and troubleshooting.
NordLayer Features
- Dedicated IP Addresses. Assign fixed IP addresses to your private gateways so you can whitelist access to your sensitive internal systems and cloud resources.
- Smart Remote Access. Connect your remote employees to the company network securely with encrypted tunnels that protect data even on public Wi-Fi networks.
- Centralized Control Panel. Manage all your users, gateways, and security settings from one intuitive dashboard without needing advanced technical expertise.
- Two-Factor Authentication. Add an extra layer of protection to your accounts by requiring a second form of verification during the login process.
- Auto-Connect VPN. Ensure your team is always protected by setting the application to connect automatically whenever an internet connection is detected.
- Network Segmentation. Divide your network into smaller segments to control exactly which users can access specific internal servers or sensitive data.
Pricing Comparison
Forward Networks Pricing
NordLayer Pricing
- Shared gateways in 30+ locations
- 256-bit AES encryption
- Two-factor authentication
- Auto-connect functionality
- Centralized member management
- 24/7 support
- Everything in Lite, plus:
- Dedicated server options
- Fixed IP address support
- Custom DNS settings
- Smart Remote Access
- Network segmentation capabilities
Pros & Cons
Forward Networks
Pros
- Unmatched visibility into complex multi-vendor network environments
- Drastically reduces time spent on manual troubleshooting
- Simplifies complex compliance audits with automated verification
- Prevents costly outages by catching errors before deployment
Cons
- Initial data collection setup requires significant time
- High price point targets large enterprise budgets
- Requires consistent data snapshots for maximum accuracy
NordLayer
Pros
- Extremely simple setup process for non-technical users
- Fast connection speeds across global server locations
- Clean and intuitive management dashboard interface
- Responsive customer support available around the clock
- Easy integration with existing identity providers
Cons
- No forever-free plan for very small teams
- Dedicated IP addresses require an additional monthly fee
- Occasional minor bugs in the desktop application