9 Easy Steps to Follow When Migrating from a Legacy VPN to a ZTNA Solution
Director and Principal of Security, Versa Networks
July 26, 2023
When working with the executive leadership of Versa’s customers, I am often asked after they have selected their ZTNA solution of choice, what’s suggestions might I have planning and deploying the ZTNA solution. My response is always the same: it is not a cookie cutter design because every organization is incredibly unique. I do though have a generic framework that I provide to customers that helps to outline the journey of planning and implementing the solution. Below are 9 easy steps to help outline the journey from a legacy VPN to a ZTNA solution once the solution has been procured.
Step no. 1 is to educate/re-educate yourself with the key differences between a legacy VPN and ZTNA. Keep in mind that while a legacy VPN provides implicit network-level access, ZTNA focuses on granting explicit access to the application or service based on user identity, device posture, and other contextual factors.
Step no.2 is to make sure you assess all your organizations requirements. Make sure to consider factors such as user locations, the types of devices being used, all of the applications that are accessed, how this applies to the organization’s security needs, and future scalability requirements.
Step no.3 is to make sure that you clearly define your access policies by determining the access policies you want to enforce with ZTNA. This should include items such as identifying the users and/or user groups that require access to specific applications or services. Also the conditions under which access should be granted should be included as well such as geo location, time of day, and the posture of the device.
Step no.4 is to create a detailed plan to prepare for migration. This plan should outline the steps involved in transitioning from VPN to ZTNA. Consider factors such as user communication and training along with high and low level designs specific to the network and security architecture.
Step no.5 is all about conducting pilot tests with small groups of users to ensure that the ZTNA solution meets all the requirements and functions as defined by the migration plan. One of the more crucial parts to this step is to gather feedback and address any issues or concerns that the test users may have so that the full implementation can go as smooth as possible.
Step no.6 is the production rollout of the ZTNA solution per the defined migration plan and the feedback gathered during step no.5. This typically involves making corrections to the configuration of the solution, verifying the integration with your existing identity and access management systems, and verifying the access policies through the implementation process as defined by your organization.
Step no.7 focuses on end user education and training about the new access method and provide training on how to use the ZTNA solution effectively. Considering that this will be a change for some users on how they access certain applications and network resources, it should be noted that the training should always highlight the benefits and reasons for the new ZTNA solution and address any concerns or questions the end user community may have.
Step no.8 is monitor and optimize the solution through continuously checking the performance and effectiveness of the new ZTNA implementation. This step should run in parallel to step no.7 as well. Throughout this stage you should collect metrics, analyze data, and adjust as needed to optimize the solution and ensure it aligns with your evolving security requirements.
Step no.9 is to make sure that once the new ZTNA solution is fully implemented and tuned that the Legacy VPN solution is decommissioned. This is probably the most important and potentially missed steps in the process. The reason for that is that administrators will use the legacy VPN as a hidden back door at times just in case the ZTNA solution fails. This type of failsafe is incredibly dangerous to the organization as the solution stops being monitored after time and could be “forgotten/abandoned in place.” Malicious actors can easily use these hidden back doors to infiltrate and cause harm to the enterprise network.
Remember that the exact steps above may vary depending on the specific ZTNA solution and the needs of the organization. It’s essential to consult with your IT/security team, your partner, and the vendor of choice to ensure a smooth migration process. If you are interested in what Versa Networks offers as a ZTNA solution hit the Contact Us and drop us a line. We will get you in touch with a security expert to help identify the right security architecture from Versa Networks to fit your security needs.
