Secure Access Service Edge, or short for SASE, is a powerful IT solution that can help your organization better protect the data and technologies used by your employees, whether they’re onsite or remote.
The new landscape requires a modern solution that offers seamless connectivity from anywhere while providing security everywhere.
So, here we decided to give you a complete guide on SASE: what it is, how it works, its benefits, and its challenges.
What is Secure Access Service Edge & Why Is It Necessary?
SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) is a network architecture that unifies network and security solutions in a cloud-based service to improve accessibility, efficiency, and cybersecurity.
The concept of SASE was introduced in Gartner’s 2019 report and grew out of organizations’ growing demand for trusted access through transformative networking approaches.
Gartner also published a follow-up white paper with a migration plan for organizations moving from legacy network infrastructure to SASE.
In a nutshell, SASE combines SD-WAN capabilities with security and offers it as a service.
The security policies applied to user sessions are adapted to each of them based on four factors:
- Identity of the connecting entity.
- Context (device health and behavior, sensitivity of resources being accessed).
- Security and compliance policies.
- Continuous risk assessment during each session.
The WAN side of SASE builds on the capabilities of entities including SD-WAN providers, carriers, content delivery networks, network-as-a-service providers, bandwidth aggregators, and network equipment providers.
The security side is based on Cloud Access Security Agents, Secure Cloud Web Gateways, Zero Trust Network Access, Firewall as a Service, Web API Protection as a Service, DNS, and Browser Isolation remote.
And in the modern threat landscape, SASE keeps users safe without sacrificing performance or security.
Legacy security approaches (where users outside the network can’t access the data inside, but users inside the network can) simply can’t handle modern use cases like remote workers and applications on the cloud.
With SASE, end users and devices can authenticate and gain secure access to all resources they are authorized to access protected by security located near them. Once authenticated, they have direct access to resources, which solves latency issues.
What are Secure Access Service Edge Key Components?
These enable the organization to enforce security policies, two-factor authentication, and single sign-on across all cloud apps people are supposed to use, keeping unauthorized devices and people out of critical assets without restricting access to those who need it.
- Firewall As A Service (FWaaS) – Can work on premises, but is often leveraged through the cloud in a SASE setup.
- Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) – Requires users/devices to provide explicit permission to access apps. It is as if the user were physically in the office and needed to scan their card to access restricted areas; they would have to check the badge every time they wanted to enter.
- Secure Web Gateway (SWG) – It works like a sieve on the network to filter out what shouldn’t be there. It also enables organizations to enforce their acceptable user policies, keeping attackers out and keeping data confidential.
- SD-WAN -Provides a secure, direct connection to the Internet, typically for branch offices and remote sites. By combining this with the security techniques of SSE, SD-WAN allows users to connect to all the applications and data they need to be productive.
How Does Secure Access Service Edge Works?
Traditionally, an organization’s network traffic predominantly flowed through its various locations, such as branch offices, with most security architectures and applications hosted in data centers or its headquarters and accessed remotely over a private network.
Modern networks are considerably more complex, often encompassing SaaS products, cloud technology, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, mobile devices, and remote workers.
All of these endpoints require network connectivity and security. A large amount of traffic they generate to and from data centers and the security inspection process causes latency and diminished user experience (UX).
SASE aims to address these inefficiencies by enabling organizations to scale their network and security capabilities directly to all endpoints in any location through its cloud delivery model.
It is a cloud-based model that works by integrating network and security capabilities into a single, unified framework. A SASE solution uses an inspection engine at an edge point of presence to scan traffic for malware or any issues before it is routed or forwarded.
SASE also ensures enhanced security as access is only given to specific applications that are necessary for users concerning their work profiles.
Will You Adopt Secure Access Service Edge Technology In 2022?
Companies are likely to move to hybrid approaches first, with traditional networks and security systems handling pre-existing connections between data centers and branch offices. SASE was consolidated to handle new connections, devices, users, and stays.
SASE is not a cure-all for network and security problems, nor will it prevent future outages, but it will enable businesses to respond faster to outages or crises, thereby minimizing their impact on the business. In addition, SASE will enable companies to be better positioned to take advantage of new technologies such as edge computing, 5G, and mobile AI.