Index › Function 07 of 6 · October 2026 Edition
October 2026 Edition
Network and edge
Connecting and protecting traffic: SASE, zero trust access, firewalls, SD-WAN, web application firewalls, DDoS protection and content delivery. 16 of 20 categories scored, 4 planned.
Standing in network and edge
First-choice share across the direct, paraphrase, budget and scale prompts, all fourteen models, for the sixteen network and edge categories scored in the October 2026 Edition.
SMB
100%▲+11Since September 2026: 89% → 100%, +11 points. Past the 11-point floor: movement. Read over the models both editions asked.
Mid-market
82%▼−9Since September 2026: 93% → 84%, −9 points. Inside the 11-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.
Enterprise
57%▼−24Since September 2026: 80% → 56%, −24 points. Past the 11-point floor: movement. Read over the models both editions asked.
SMB
51%▲+7Since September 2026: 48% → 55%, +7 points. Inside the 11-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.
Mid-market
73%▲+1Since September 2026: 74% → 74%, +1 point. Inside the 11-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.
Enterprise
37%▼−4Since September 2026: 42% → 38%, −4 points. Inside the 11-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.
SMB
79%▼−11Since September 2026: 93% → 83%, −11 points. Inside the 11-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.
Mid-market
69%▼−21Since September 2026: 89% → 67%, −21 points. Past the 11-point floor: movement. Read over the models both editions asked.
Enterprise
59%▲+3Since September 2026: 53% → 57%, +3 points. Inside the 11-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.
SMB
85%▼−7Since September 2026: 90% → 83%, −7 points. Inside the 11-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.
Mid-market
68%▼−15Since September 2026: 80% → 65%, −15 points. Past the 11-point floor: movement. Read over the models both editions asked.
Enterprise
46%▼−11Since September 2026: 53% → 43%, −11 points. Inside the 11-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.
Network and edge
Network access controlSmall business and mid-market share a leader. Enterprise differs.
F5 BIG-IPContested
Network and edge
Data center networkingMid-market and enterprise share a leader. Small business differs.
Next in network and edge
Planned categories are in the build queue and are scored exactly like every other.
DNS security plannedNetwork access control plannedNetwork detection and response plannedNetwork monitoring planned