Just as companies are increasingly replacing their own computer servers and storage equipment with cloud infrastructure, so traditional networking gear is making way for a new off-premises approach to managing traffic.

Aviatrix Systems Inc. sees a big revenue potential in this trend. To seize the opportunity, the Santa Clara, California-based networking startup today raised $15 million in funding from a group of investors led by Charles River Ventures. The capital infusion will fuel the firm’s business expansion efforts and help it try to widen the adoption of its cloud-based traffic management platform.

Described as a “solution for all-inclusive secure connectivity,” Aviatrix’s system consists of two integrated components designed to automate wide-area networks that extend beyond the corporate firewall. The first element is the Aviatrix Gateway, a piece of software that serves the purpose of routing long-distance traffic. It can be set up on a company’s internal virtualized infrastructure or in a cloud environment and configured to establish secure network tunnels to other corporate sites.

Hyatt Hotels Corp., for instance, relies on Aviatrix Gateways to link its 60-plus Chinese resorts with a regional Azure deployment that is running back office applications. The software also provides the ability to restrict user access based on job requirements and implement various security measures such as multi-factor authentication.

Companies can centrally control the behavior of their gateways through a Aviatrix Cloud Controller, the second component of the startup’s platform. As its name suggests, the service provides a web-based console that enables administrators to implement operational changes and keep tabs on network activity. In the background, every important action is recorded by a built-in event logging function in case organizations need to audit their infrastructure.

Aviatrix says that its platform thus streamlines management operations while reducing the need for physical networking equipment. Besides Hyatt Hotels, the startup’ has won over Belkin International Inc., mobile gaming giant GREE Inc. and several other big-name companies since its launch in 2014.

Aviatrix has raised a total of $25 million to date. Today’s investment provides the potential to compete more effectively with Cisco Systems Inc. and other better-established rivals that provide cloud-controlled networking products.

Image courtesy of Aviatrix