The 10 Benefits of Secure access Service Edge (sase)
Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) is a network framework that combines cloud-native security and WAN capabilities into a single cloud service. SASE offers several advantages, including improved security, scalability and a simplified, more cost-efficient security solution. SASE is flexible and easily scalable because it is a cloud service, making it a practical choice in changing times.
SD-WAN, Secure Web Gateway (SWG), Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB), Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), and Firewall as a Service (FWaaS) are all part of the SASE architecture. As a result, it can detect sensitive data and malware, decrypt content, track sessions in real-time, determine risk and authorise secure access to specific applications or data.
In this article, we outline the benefits of SASE:
1.Cost Efficiency
SASE allows businesses to remove the combination of physical and virtual IT infrastructure, opting for the single could-native solution. Reducing infrastructure requirements provides cost efficiency by reducing the network complexity and eliminating redundant applications. SASE integrates regular updates and patches and makes general network maintenance simpler, reducing the hours of management required by an organisation’s IT Team. SASE also provides continuous network performance monitoring and security threat detection and response.
2.Scalability within the WAN infrastructure
Inside the WAN infrastructure, SASE allows hyper-scalability. Traditional systems take a lot of time and energy to scale up and down, while a cloud-based SASE architecture reduces workload and speeds up provisioning. SASE allows IT to get a site online in minutes. Less physical hardware means less downtime for repairs and fewer software licences. IT may reassign workers to higher-priority tasks like security and network monitoring due to increased efficiencies.
3.Simple Management
Organisations that use several network and security devices are aware that each dashboard added reduces work efficiency. The SASE network consolidates everything into one location, eliminating the need for multiple reports. SASE is designed as a central cloud-based management application allowing control of the entire platform from a single point, thus creating simple and streamlined management. With traditional SWG, SD-WAN, NGFW, and VPN devices, as the organisation requirements and site offices expand, additional labour is required to manage this. In comparison, the management complexity of SASE does not expand with the network. As a result, organisational IT departments are not required to spend time on time-consuming repair activities.
- Edge to Edge Security
By combining the network and security functions, forming a single cloud-based platform, SASE improves overall performance, creating a simple integration and securing and connecting the organisational WAN.
SD-WAN is a critical component of the SASE solution, with features such as active-active failover and WAN optimisations boosting network stability and performance. SWG, NGFW, IPS, and next-generation network architecture are often used as part of a total network security stack. As a result, the cloud-native architecture secures all of the network's edges and provides proper network visibility.
5. Simplified security
To keep up with the current security specifications, legacy network solutions often require installing additional security devices and systems. Also, legacy solutions are often unable to provide the most up-to-date security features, such as IPS, NGFW, and SWG. As a result, organisations implement more security solutions to patch the void in capabilities, thus increasing the original problem.
SASE solves this problem by implementing FWaaS, which integrates security features such as URL filtering, intrusion prevention, anti-malware, and firewalling into its design. Companies can easily monitor their network security, set standard rules, spot anomalies, and make improvements efficiently with the integration of FWaaS.
- Consistent Data-Protection
When you deploy something from the cloud, maintaining continuity across locations and environments (including SaaS applications, on-premises repositories, and more) is a lot simpler.
Today's organisations' capture, store, and transmit enormous quantities of data. No matter where data is stored, businesses must protect it from destruction, fraud, or misuse. SASE uses the cloud to enable DLP focusing on the data itself, automating several of the DLP processes, removing the need for many security tools to be purchased and maintained.
SASE DLP automatically discovers and classifies critical data, authenticates users and computers, thus allowing administrators to monitor who has access to data and applications. It allows the implementation of security policies across the entire network, including various cloud systems, multiple apps and remote devices
- Network Performance and Reliability Improvements
If things are slowing down or being unreliable, this creates inefficiency within an organisation. A high-performance SASE solution ensures that things move at the pace that the organisation needs. SASE offers continuous network monitoring, revealing real-time data flow performance amongst both cloud environments and data centres.
As networks extend into more remote areas, they communicate using an ever-increasing number of communications technologies. SASE makes it possible for more users to link to the network safely and reliably. SASE allows organisations to monitor a more significant group of users. With the increase in monitoring, there is an increase in the reliability and speed of these networks.
- Complete Visibility and Control
SASE gives organisations the absolute power to observe all that happens within the network, keeping an eye on users, applications, and data. SASE solutions classify traffic by application on all ports, saving time and giving complete visibility. It is essential to have visibility into these applications in order to detect and recognise security flaws. Being able to monitor and control the way users and applications interact and communicate to recognise such risks.
As the core design of SASE is to consolidate multiple applications, systems and functions into one single platform, this results in an increase in transparency and visibility across the whole network as fewer software agents are needed. Incorporating ZTNA capabilities enabled in the SASE network allows organisations to take advantage of zero-trust granular visibility.
- Consistent and Secure Data Protection
When you deploy data from the cloud, maintaining consistency across locations and environments (including SaaS applications and on-premises repositories) is a lot simpler. SASE uses CASB to work together, providing cloud protection and overall network security. The aggregation of the two work to solve an organisations WAN security requirements within the cloud.
- Fully Integrated SD-WAN
The way organisations link to the cloud has changed due to the implementation of SD-WAN. An organisation can move away from closed, proprietary WAN solutions with SD-WAN. To direct traffic across the WAN, SD-WAN employs a centralised control plane. Increased application efficiency, better user interface, increased business productivity, and lower IT spend are all benefits of this design.
SASE integrates cloud services into the SD-WAN, offering safe access to remote users and branch offices. SASE reduces, and in some cases removes, the need for specialised hardware and security equipment. SASE also unifies network and protection roles into a single cloud security framework.
Consider adding in a Palo Alto Networks SASE solution as an SD-WAN overlay that adds security protocols while extending a network's reach, supporting mobile devices, IoT devices, and any other form of device with an intermittent network link.
