Riverbed has introduced Network 360, a new network observability offering that integrates agentic AI with data from packets, flows, and devices to help network operations (NetOps) teams investigate incidents, pinpoint their possible causes, and anticipate problems. The company says the platform also extends visibility to remote users, Zero Trust architectures, data centers, and public cloud environments.
Riverbed Network 360 in 30 seconds
- Riverbed integrates its IQ and Q AI capabilities directly into AppResponse and NetProfiler.
- IQ combines causal, predictive, generative, and agentic AI to analyze evidence and suggest next steps.
- Q lets teams investigate incidents through natural-language queries, without relying on multiple dashboards.
- NPM+ extends observability to remote users, Zero Trust, public cloud, and networks outside the company’s direct control.
- Network 360 has been available since September 16, 2026, and Riverbed says it initially adds no extra cost on top of AppResponse and NetProfiler.
The offering starts from a common problem in network operations: having lots of data doesn’t necessarily make it easy to find the root cause of an incident. Riverbed argues that traditional tools surface evidence that then has to be manually correlated to work out what’s happening.
With Network 360, the company is trying to shift that interpretation work onto an AI layer capable of correlating different sources of information. The platform is designed to work with network data and provide contextual explanations of problems, along with recommendations on the next steps an operator can take.
The novelty isn’t a standalone AI tool. Riverbed is building its IQ and Q capabilities into network observability products already in its catalog, while expanding its information sources through NPM+.
IQ and Q Bring AI to Network Analysis
Riverbed IQ acts as Network 360’s intelligence layer. According to the company, this SaaS-based service uses causal, predictive, generative, and agentic AI to correlate operational evidence, pinpoint possible causes, and anticipate problems.
The causal component looks for relationships among the available data to help determine why an incident is happening. The predictive capability is aimed at detecting signs of emerging problems, while generative AI allows for more direct interaction with the information.
Riverbed Q provides the conversational interface. IT teams can ask natural-language questions to investigate performance issues and get information without having to manually work through different dashboards, queries, and tools.
The company explains that IQ and Q can analyze and correlate the available evidence and, when needed, let the operator drill down into the underlying detail, including flows, packets, and other connected data.
This last part matters because automation doesn’t remove access to the original technical information. The operator can start from an AI-generated recommendation and then dig deeper into the evidence behind the analysis.
AppResponse, NetProfiler, and NPM+ Expand the Data Sources
Network 360 also builds on two existing Riverbed products. AppResponse provides packet capture and analysis with detailed information, while NetProfiler is geared toward flow monitoring and analysis at enterprise scale.
With the new offering, Riverbed IQ and Riverbed Q become natively integrated into both products’ observability experience. The company is thus combining low-level data with AI tools capable of helping interpret it.
NPM+ extends the reach of that information even further. Riverbed describes it as an endpoint-based network observability capability that provides visibility into remote users, Zero Trust architectures, public clouds, data centers, and networks the company doesn’t directly control.
Combining packets, flows, and endpoint-derived information is meant to give a broader view of incidents. For NetOps teams, the stated goal is to be able to connect a technical problem to its impact on users and services and cut down the time spent tracking down the root cause. As other observability vendors have also been expanding through acquisitions, the push to correlate more data sources with AI is becoming a broader industry trend.
Riverbed is also including professional services to design, deploy, and stand up these environments alongside AppResponse or NetProfiler. The company frames these services as a way to define what data should be collected and what workflows will be used.
The launch comes at a time when enterprise networks are growing increasingly heterogeneous. Applications can be spread across data centers, public clouds, and SaaS services, while employees connect from different locations and Zero Trust architectures change how connectivity is established.
Riverbed presents agentic AI as a further step beyond conversational assistants. In the Network 360 offering, AI doesn’t just answer questions — it analyzes evidence, identifies possible causes, and recommends actions. The company says this capability can help shift from manual investigations that can drag on for hours or days to AI-guided processes.
That doesn’t mean every network action now runs automatically. Riverbed’s messaging talks about recommendations and an evolution toward increasingly autonomous actions, but it describes that autonomy as a development direction rather than a general capability available for any incident.
Riverbed also links Network 360 to its Aternity platform and to employee digital experience data. According to the company, sharing a common intelligence layer can make it possible to combine network data with information about the user experience.
Availability is immediate. Riverbed says NPM 360 is initially being offered with no premium on top of the current price of AppResponse and NetProfiler. The announcement doesn’t detail a separate price for all the components of the new offering.
The launch also comes after Riverbed was recognized as a Leader and Fast Mover in the GigaOm Radar 2026 report on network observability, according to the company itself. That assessment belongs to GigaOm’s analysis and is part of the corporate information distributed by Riverbed.
For network operations teams, the most visible change is in how they interact with the data. Rather than simply querying metrics or captures and manually building an explanation, Network 360 aims to use AI to correlate that evidence and guide the investigation. Its real usefulness will depend on the data coverage available in each infrastructure and how the different sources are integrated with operational processes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Riverbed Network 360?
It’s a new network observability offering from Riverbed that combines packet, flow, and device data with causal, predictive, generative, and agentic AI capabilities.
What does Riverbed IQ do?
IQ acts as Network 360’s intelligence layer. Riverbed says it analyzes operational data to correlate evidence, identify possible causes, anticipate problems, and recommend next steps.
What is Riverbed Q for?
Q is Riverbed’s conversational assistant. It lets users ask natural-language questions to investigate performance issues and access information without manually working through multiple dashboards and tools.
When is Network 360 available?
Riverbed announced Network 360’s availability on September 16, 2026. The company says it is initially being offered at no extra cost on top of the price of AppResponse and NetProfiler.
