Industry Insights

Reducing the Cost of Ownership with a Unified SASE Strategy

Too many tools. Too much complexity. Not enough control.

Today’s network and security teams are drowning in a patchwork of systems, each adding cost, management overhead, and risk. And worse yet, this tangled web of tools still can’t keep up with the threat vectors as cloud adoption and hybrid work accelerate.

That’s why more organizations are shifting to a platform-based SASE approach to simplify operations, reduce costs, and significantly improve their security posture. Futuriom’s article provides more information on how a platform-based SASE approach can help you achieve CapEx and OpEx savings while improving security posture.

The Case for Convergence

Network and security professionals agree that managing multiple-point products is operationally complex and expensive. Using different vendors for solutions such as SD-WAN, VPN, firewalls, CASB, SWG, ZTNA, and DLP means multiple policy engines, inconsistent policy enforcement, expensive integrations, multiple consoles, and siloed expertise, not to mention the need to manage multiple contracts and renewals.

That’s where Unified SASE comes in.  It combines all these tools and more into a cohesive, seamlessly integrated offering.

Unlike “stitched-together” SASE solutions (which often integrate acquired tools via APIs), a true Unified SASE platform—like Versa Networks’ offering—is built from the ground up. Powered by the VersaONE Platform, the Versa Unified SASE solution features a single architecture, a shared policy engine, a single pane of glass, and a unified data lake. The result is a more consistent security posture, simplified management, shared expertise, and significant cost savings.

Real ROI: What the Numbers Say

Futuriom’s recent research highlights the clear ROI of Unified SASE deployments. In two real-world cases involving Versa Networks, customers reported a 20% to 50% reduction in CapEx and OpEx costs by unifying their network and security infrastructure with SASE.

Below is a breakdown of the source of some of those savings. For more details, read their whitepaper.

ROI Area	Savings Impact
Licensing and Product Costs	15–25% savings through consolidation
Lifecycle Management (deployment, patching, configuration management)	Reduce the number of hours required by 30-50% (Consolidation simplifies patching and configuration management; zero-touch provisioning cuts down on deployment efforts.)
Change Management (configure, update, and maintain security policies)	20 to 50% fewer hours (fewer policies to manage and no longer need to reconcile conflicting policy rules across multiple systems)
Incident troubleshooting	20–30% fewer hours (With integrated data and context across networking and security, it becomes faster to pinpoint the root cause of incidents and reduce false positives)
Integration savings	30–50% lower integration/development effort, since a unified platform reduces the need for connectors to individual systems
Network Transport	20–40% savings by replacing MPLS with lower-cost transport
Licensing Management Overhead	25–50% less time spent on renewals and contract negotiation
Audit and Compliance savings	Up to 60% reduction in audit and compliance costs, since Unified SASE puts all policy management and logging in one place, making it easier to apply consistent controls, pass audits, and meet compliance requirements.
Energy and Infrastructure Savings	25–50% reduction in power use due to reduced hardware footprint

Customer Proof: Real Results in Retail and Energy

In one deployment, a large national retailer used the Versa Unified SASE platform to consolidate its SD-WAN and cybersecurity stack. By managing all services through a single platform, the retailer saved through lower licensing costs, management efficiencies, and a smaller firewall footprint.

In another case, a global energy company replaced multiple security tools and SD-WAN systems with Versa, while also transitioning away from MPLS circuits, resulting in an annual savings of $1.5 million across 165 locations.

What Makes Unified SASE Different?

Many vendors claim to offer a “platform,” but not all platforms are created equal. True Unified SASE platforms like Versa’s stand out with:

• A full range of integrated SASE functions (including SD-WAN, NGFW, ZTNA, CASB, SWG, DLP, etc.)
• A single management console for policy, monitoring, and analytics
• One data lake for unified threat detection and faster response
• Cloud-native architecture with on-premises and hybrid deployment options
• Consistent user experience across locations and devices

This is more than product bundling or loose integration of acquired products—architectural integration provides a singular context and translates to ease of management and measurable business value.

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Conclusion: Consolidate and Win

If your organization juggles multiple security vendors and tools, Unified SASE provides a cleaner and more cost-effective solution. By consolidating network and security functions into a single platform, you can simplify your environment, enhance your security posture, and achieve significant cost savings without compromising performance.

Futuriom’s report shows that lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) isn’t theoretical; it’s happening now. For network and security leaders seeking to maximize the value of their existing budgets while significantly improving their security posture, the future lies in Unified SASE.

Learn more about Versa Networks’ full-featured Unified SASE platform here.