Organizations considering SASE must understand its impact on their network infrastructure and security architecture. Choosing an all-in-one SASE solution incorporating networking and security services is the best way to avoid these challenges.
Ensure your SASE solution includes secure web gateways and zero trust network access (ZTNA), which provide fine-grained, identity-based permissions for users, devices, data, and workloads. This will strengthen your security and reduce complexity for IT teams.
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Cost-Effectiveness
A SASE solution can help organizations achieve lower costs by reducing the number of physical appliances and management tools they need to manage. A SASE solution that combines backbone and edge services, such as CASBs, SD-WANs, and virtual private network replacement, reduces the number of security tools IT must purchase, deploy, maintain, and upgrade. It also shifts upfront capital costs to monthly subscription fees and eliminates hardware, infrastructure, and maintenance expenses associated with standalone solutions.
Another way SASE can lower costs is by implementing access policies at the network edge rather than centralized data centers, as in traditional networking models. This approach enables enterprises to grant least-privileged access based on user identity markers at distributed points of presence (PoPs) closer to remote users.
A SASE system can lower expenses while streamlining administration and lowering the chance of security lapses. For example, a SASE solution that integrates with networking and security tools that adhere to Zero Trust Networking Architectures eliminates the need for a separate network segment for remote work. This makes enforcing policies at the network’s edge easier and prevents unauthorized access to sensitive information. Moreover, a SASE solution that offers tight integration with SD-WAN technologies simplifies the management process and helps organizations improve efficiency by combining the best of both worlds.
Scalability
A dependable and safe network is essential to the success of any company. However, implementing SASE is only sometimes straightforward. It requires retooling technology teams and may require integrating new technologies into existing platforms. It can also be a challenge to implement for businesses that are used to traditional networking models.
Furthermore, the scalability of SASE solutions reduces costs by reducing management complexity and eliminating hardware sprawl. This allows IT to focus on supporting the business and reducing hidden costs associated with maintenance tasks and hardware upgrades. SASE architectures are identity-driven and allow flexible access based on user identities and device types. They also provide the ability to scale quickly as user communities expand and network geographies change.
Efficiency
Many enterprises may already have some SASE components, including a secure Web gateway, zero-trust network access, or a cloud access security broker. Choosing a SASE vendor that integrates these functions as part of a Services PoP architecture — and offers a single management interface for all networking and security services — provides greater efficiency, making it easier to scale the SASE solution as business needs grow.
This approach also reduces costs, eliminating the need for separate hardware solutions that may need more capacity to support business growth. Instead, the SASE solution’s unified policy based on user and resource identity, rather than IP address, drives security policy and enforcement.
SASE also works well for securing remote workers and the data they access from cloud applications. This is because traffic is inspected at the point of presence rather than routed through the enterprise’s secure data center. This reduces the risk of compromised or stolen data from reaching its intended destination.
SASE solutions are rapidly becoming popular as organizations seek to support remote work better and protect their data and applications in the cloud. Unlike legacy solutions that struggle to scale and provide the security needed to meet these requirements, SASE provides the cost-efficiency, scalability, and flexibility required to make business work from anywhere.
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Security
SASE solutions provide a range of security measures that protect remote workers and their organizations from cyber threats. These include secure web gateways (SWG), cloud access security brokers (CASB), and zero trust network access (ZTNA). These technologies are all delivered as a service, providing a single point of protection that operates across multiple locations and devices. This reduces the number of vendors IT teams need to manage and mitigates technical issues that could impact all users.
Choosing a provider with a good track record and extensive security capabilities is essential. Ensure they can offer performance, scalability, support, and compliance with industry regulations. Adopting a gradual implementation approach may also be beneficial, beginning with a pilot test in a controlled environment and expanding to the entire organization.
SASE is a valuable technology for businesses looking to maximize the efficiency of their remote workforce. By combining networking and security functions, SASE offers improved cost and scalability while ensuring a consistent experience for remote employees. IT teams must understand the challenges and benefits of SASE so they can make an informed decision about its adoption. This will help them to implement the solution effectively for a seamless remote work experience that improves productivity and reduces operational risks