Fast Times

Aryaka Networks is helping businesses respond to change in a bold new world

The shift to remote work is no longer a passing trend—it has become the standard. In this evolving landscape, customers demand network performance that not only matches but surpasses what they experienced in traditional on-site environments, all while ensuring top-tier security. IT and security professionals face the challenge of delivering seamless, secure, and efficient access to applications and data across global networks—without increasing costs, risks, or complexity, and without compromising the user experience.

Aryaka Networks addresses these challenges with an innovative, integrated solution that unifies networking and security. Their Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) as a Service is built on a single-pass architecture and zero-trust SD-WAN, empowering businesses to leverage AI-driven automation and insights across their global networks. This approach enhances security, optimizes application performance, and ensures real-time observability, all while simplifying IT operations.

Venkat Ranga

“Unified SASE as a Service allows us to act as our customers’ eyes within their environments, ensuring protection from global threats while maintaining optimal network and application performance,” explained Venkat Ranga, Aryaka’s VP of Business Information Systems. A seasoned expert with over 20 years in IT and business technology, Ranga plays a pivotal role at Aryaka.

Unlike traditional IT teams, Ranga and his global team are embedded across all of Aryaka’s business functions. They drive process improvements and make critical technology decisions, including build-versus-buy strategies, development, and management. “My team, comprising both employees and consulting partners, plays a major role in setting the internal technology strategy and rolling up their sleeves to make a difference.” They are responsible for building and managing every business system — from lead generation and order-to-cash to procure-to-pay, issue resolution, and business metrics.

Ranga built Aryaka’s business technology systems from the ground up, establishing a foundation capable of supporting rapid global growth. As a result, their systems can scale business operations at growth rates of 3-4X. “Our systems are best in class, and our processes are highly mature,” he said. “Over the next 12 to 24 months, we will continue to invest strategically to support our growth in a cost-effective manner, utilizing AI where possible.”

He credits Aryaka’s new CEO, Shailesh Shukla, and CPO, Renuka Nadkarni, for accelerating innovation, developing leading secure networking products, and swiftly delivering them to market in response to customer demand.

Ranga’s career journey began at PwC as a management consultant, where he learned the importance of value creation in customer interactions and business programs. His tenure at VMware, where he delivered key business solutions for HR, finance, sales, renewals, and support groups, provided him with a comprehensive understanding of how well-run companies excel. “When I was ready for my next challenge, I pursued an Executive MBA to transition into leadership roles, which ultimately led me to Aryaka.”

His leadership principles were shaped early in life in India. “My father was the sole provider for our family, including his parents and siblings, which taught me how to optimize resources under constraints,” he reflected. “I learned accountability, commitment, and the importance of always thinking about the greater good.”

At Aryaka, Ranga leveraged business technology to enhance efficiency. “We executed over 100 biweekly releases and initiated 40 to 50 programs over the years to achieve this transformation.” Today, Aryaka operates under a Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) model, enabling rapid innovation. Their engineering team is rolling out products at unprecedented speeds, and the Business Technology team ensures these advancements support sales and customer service functions. To achieve this, Ranga relies on both internal and external partnerships.

One such partnership is with global technology consultancy CriticalRiver, which predates Ranga’s tenure at Aryaka. “I started working with them when they were one tenth of their current size. What I admire most about CriticalRiver is their people and integrity — qualities I seek in employees and partners. Their team has supported all of Aryaka’s Salesforce implementations and played a crucial role in enabling our business users to sell our products and manage billing. Our partnership is invaluable.”

Aryaka’s flexible and agile solutions are tailored for today’s operational complexities. “Manufacturing is a highly complex industry, with multinational manufacturers running globally distributed organizations,” Ranga explained. Aryaka’s direct connectivity into China, a result of years of investment, allows the company to set up sites overnight. “We have a direct connection through our traditional SD-WAN, now unified with our security offerings. Our global presence gives us a competitive edge.”

He continued, “This is our moment. We are committed to serving customers wherever they are, at the speed they require. I’m fortunate to work with a team of like-minded professionals, many of whom have followed me from previous organizations. Every day, in every interaction, we focus on value creation.”

Ranga draws inspiration from “Execution” by Lawrence Bossidy and Ram Charan. “The book left a lasting impression on me. It emphasizes that strategy alone isn’t enough — disciplined execution is what truly matters.”

For today’s technology leaders, customer obsession is paramount, and Ranga embodies this mindset. “You must anticipate customer needs and execute at the speed of innovation. AI has revolutionized business, and we aim to embed AI capabilities to further scale our operations.”

His team embraces ubuntu, an African philosophy encapsulated by the belief, “I am what I am because of who we all are.” This principle fosters accountability and commitment, contributing to Aryaka’s success. His team is a close-knit group, boasting the lowest attrition rate in the company.

“Employee growth is the most important thing,” Ranga concluded. “As leaders, we must focus on creating opportunities for our teams to learn, develop, and advance in their careers.”

—

At Aryaka Networks, we are a pioneering leader secure networking. Our innovative approach has transformed global secure networking with the launch of Aryaka Unified SASE as a Service, the first solution of its kind to deliver unparalleled performance, agility, simplicity, and security without compromise.

Empowering Businesses Worldwide

With operations in over 100 countries, we empower businesses to modernize, optimize, and transform their networking and security environments while maintaining existing investments. Our commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction has earned us recognition as a three-time Gartner Peer Insights Customers’ Choice winner.

—