There are times when the name of a tool or technology doesn’t really give the layperson a good idea of its scope or capabilities. Cloud-based applications and computing is a good example of this. While this is now a commonly understood term, before its popularization, people were constantly confused about what it actually meant to do something in the cloud.
The same can be said about secure access service edge (SASE)—pronounced like “sassy.” For the uninitiated, there’s essentially no way to know how an organization might use this technology or even the basics of what it is at all. Yet, SASE is rapidly changing how enterprises think about their network architecture and security. Let’s dig into what you need to know in order to gain a better understanding of SASE.
What Is SASE?
At its core, SASE is actually the combination of an array of technologies into one dynamic product. First, it is built on a software-defined wide-area network (SD-WAN) foundation. Understanding the ins and outs of SD-WAN is an important first step to realizing the full potential of SASE.
SD-WAN is a virtual overlay that runs on top of traditional enterprise networks. There are a few major advantages to this over past network architectures. For starters, it makes it much easier for a variety of connection types to operate on the network. No matter how devices are connecting, or from where, SD-WAN can direct traffic in an efficient way, even utilizing various hierarchical models. SD-WAN also allows for much more visibility and control over networks, as traffic can all be viewed through the virtual layer. This affords enterprises the agility to identify issues and make changes on the fly.
While SD-WAN is a great technology, it’s not all-encompassing. One of the big blind spots for SD-WAN offerings is their general lack of deep cybersecurity protocols. This is where SASE as a product comes into play. By offering enterprises the ease and flexibility of SD-WAN along with a full network security suite, SASE raises the bar for what organizations can do with their networks. Furthermore, many SASE products include third-party management and security expertise from the provider—further bolstering security output.
Now that you have a general understanding of SASE and what it does, it’s time to dig a bit deeper into a couple of specific ways it can improve operations.
Stay Protected All the Time
Threats never sleep. It doesn’t matter if you’re at the office, at home, in a meeting, at a doctor’s appointment, or on vacation—attacks are incoming. Accepting this as a starting point can help hammer home the essential nature of getting the right tools and applications for comprehensive network security.
You won’t be alone if you feel your organization isn’t doing enough on the security front. Almost 80 percent of high-level IT professionals don’t think their enterprises are doing enough to protect against cyber-attacks. By adopting SASE, you can vastly increase the likelihood that you’ll stop threats before they spread.
Realize Greater Cost Efficiencies
There’s more to SASE than just improved performance. Plenty of products on the market can do this. One element that really sets SASE apart is the fact that in addition to making your networks perform better and with a higher level of security, it can also help realize cost efficiencies.
SASE brings several traditionally disparate tools under one roof, which can in turn make the package as a whole more affordable. Any organization looking to consolidate certain tools or services should definitely look at the cost benefits of adopting SASE.
All enterprises need to think about network security and performance. Networks aren’t just something that works in the background. They’re an essential asset that harbors what’s arguably your organization’s more precious asset: data. Using SASE to upgrade networks should be on the radar of every corporate stakeholder.
Also Read: 7 Simple Steps to Keep Your Cryptocurrency Exchange Secure from Cyberattacks
