By Jaye Tillson, Director of Strategy, Axis Security
Organizations today face the constant challenge of securing their networks and connecting their distributed workforce seamlessly. Introducing Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), an innovative network and security framework that combines wide-area networking (WAN) capabilities with comprehensive security features.
SASE represents a paradigm shift, converging network and security services into a single cloud-native architecture.
I often get asked about the use cases for SASE, so I will explore the top three use cases for SASE and how it revolutionizes network security and connectivity for modern businesses.
Secure Remote Access and Workforce Mobility:
Organizations require reliable and secure remote access solutions due to the rise of remote work and the proliferation of mobile devices. SASE offers a compelling use case by providing secure remote access for employees, regardless of their location or the devices they use. By consolidating networking and security functions into a unified cloud-based platform, SASE ensures remote workers can access corporate resources securely and seamlessly. SASE’s Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) capabilities verify user identities, device posture, and contextual factors before granting access, minimizing the risk of unauthorized access or data breaches. This use case empowers organizations to embrace flexible work arrangements while maintaining a robust security posture.
Cloud Adoption and Application Performance:
As businesses migrate their applications and data to the cloud, ensuring optimal performance and security becomes increasingly important. SASE’s architecture, which leverages local network egress points to optimize application performance and reduce latency, is built on a global network of Points of Presence (PoPs). As a result, traffic can be directed efficiently, resulting in shorter distances between users and applications. Further, SASE’s integrated security capabilities, such as secure web gateways (SWG) and cloud access security brokers (CASB), provide granular visibility and control over cloud-bound traffic, safeguarding sensitive data and mitigating attacks. SASE’s ability to enhance cloud connectivity and security make it an indispensable tool for businesses embracing digital transformation.
Branch Office Transformation and Simplified Network Management:
Networking and security infrastructure management across multiple locations has historically been a challenge for organizations with distributed branch offices. A cloud-native architecture replaces traditional MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) networks with an ideal solution, SASE. By consolidating networking and security functions in the cloud, SASE simplifies network management, reduces operational costs, and increases agility. Branch offices connect securely to the SASE architecture via software-defined wide-area networking (SD-WAN) capabilities, ensuring optimal performance, and providing unified threat protection. SASE’s approach eliminates the need for separate appliances at each branch, streamlines network provisioning, and delivers consistent security policies across the organization’s entire network infrastructure.
To conclude, Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) has emerged as a transformative framework, redefining network security and connectivity for modern businesses. Its top three use cases, secure remote access, cloud adoption, and application performance, and branch office transformation, underscore SASE’s versatility and value to organizations.
By consolidating networking and security functions into a cloud-native architecture, SASE empowers organizations to embrace digital transformation, enhance productivity, and fortify their security posture. As businesses continue to evolve in a dynamic landscape, SASE offers a compelling solution to meet the ever-growing demands of network security and connectivity.
