What is SASE (Secure Access Service Edge)?

• You have complete flexibility in where and when security services are applied when security is integral to the network fabric. Meshed traffic patterns are handled with efficiency.
• Security is policy-driven, independent of location, and largely independent of device. This enables security services based on the user’s identity instead of an IT-controlled device, network access point (Internet, cloud, corporate, VPN) or location.
• SASE applies security based on the communication session and can therefore take into consideration the identity of both the user and the device as well as the data context of the transaction.

• SASE is a purely software-defined service and does not rely on any hardware appliance or location.
• SASE can be applied at the ever-shifting, logical edge of the network (a communication session), rather than at the physical “edge” (an IT-controlled device or corporate office).
• Many IoT devices have little to no local security capabilities. SASE, with security in the network fabric, can safely connect these devices.

What are SASE components?

SASE is an entire package of technologies that embeds security into the global fabric of the network. Major components of SASE are Software-defined WAN (SD-WAN), Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB), NGFW and Firewall-as-a-Service (FWaaS), Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), and Secure Web Gateways (SWG).

What is SASE architecture?

The core of SASE architecture is comprised of the users, devices, applications, and resources, and the identity, risks, roles, profiles, privileges and policies that govern access between them. SASE architecture is the convergence and inversion of both network and security architectures.

How do you adopt SASE?

SASE encompasses a combination of networking and security technologies. Some experts expect enterprise to adopt a hybrid approach to SASE: using existing security and networking systems, while gradually implementing SASE networking technology to scale large numbers of unmanaged devices, WFA users, and cloud-hosted resources.

What are the challenges with SASE?

As with the adoption of any new network approach, service edge technologies can come with bumps on the road. Some points to consider when evaluating SASE challenges are the scalability of the SASE architecture proposed, distribution of cloud gateways, SASE vendor skillset, and integration and interoperability of the SASE solution. Choosing the right SASE strategy can ease the path of a successful implementation.

Why is SASE necessary?

The SASE solution is necessary for today’s modern client-to-cloud era, enabling effective cloud adoption and digital transformation, consistent cloud performance for WFA and mobile users, ubiquitous policy enforcement across your network, securing unmanaged devices, sophisticated and up to date threat intelligence, and simplifying IT management.

Who should use SASE?

Organizations large and small benefit from SASE because it is cloud-native, simple, and secure. SASE enabled organizations can enable secure and reliable Work-from-Anywhere (WFA) environments and secure access while maintaining their rate of cloud adoption.

What are the benefits of SASE?

SASE provides many benefits by consolidating networking and security functions traditionally delivered as point products. SASE benefits include reducing costs and complexity, achieving a least-privileged model, ensuring consistent policy enforcement, reducing the overall attack surface, and delivering a seamless user experience.

What problems does SASE solve?

SASE can help your organization in many ways from solving problems with traditional WAN architectures, presenting new digital transformation opportunities for your business, to increasing IT staff effectiveness. Other benefits include: reducing costs and IT complexity, securing remote and mobile users, ensuring consistent policy throughout your network, and optimizing network performance and user experience.