Networks are the cornerstone of any company’s operations and must be trusted by all employees, especially by IT managers and senior management. Everyone in the company must be able to rely on them in their daily work. Today, more than ever, everything runs through networks. However, the accelerated digital transformation due to the COVID-19 of companies and the generalisation of remote work make cyber attacks more and more dangerous and numerous. In addition to the increase in attacks and incidents, there are the difficulties associated with the major developments underway: cloudification and hybridisation of the IS, generalisation of the hybrid work and mobility model, edge computing, 5G, etc. Businesses are undergoing an unprecedented transformation that is forcing them to respond to the digitisation needs of their businesses with hybrid platforms. This situation is generating increasing complexity in information systems and making it difficult to control the different environments.
Faced with these challenges, is the SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) concept the solution for companies? It is true that the maturity of the concept and the necessary technologies is not yet complete, SASE involves the implementation of building blocks that can be deployed progressively, one after the other. And approaches, such as artificial intelligence-based incident detection with automated response, can also be incorporated.
Enterprise networks and cybersecurity are becoming increasingly integrated, and this trend has major benefits for CIOs. All businesses need instant and continuous access to their data and resources wherever they are in their network or in the cloud. With the gradual deployment of 5G, the use of Edge Computing and the spread of teleworking, not to mention the migration to the cloud, usage is changing and the traditional network is becoming a network with multiple edge infrastructures. And with the expansion of the edge comes increased access for attacks. For security to be effective in such an environment, it must be fully integrated into the network itself.
In addressing the critical need to reliably and quickly transport application and client traffic, this integration will be further accelerated with the Secure Access Service Edge (SASE). SASE is not a specific technology, but rather a description of a stronger synergy of network and security services for devices connected to the edge. In addition, this infrastructure is hosted in the cloud and can include a variety of networking and security features. Many companies are looking for a comprehensive approach to securing their networks, which is why SASE is worth considering.
To make the right choice, it is important to evaluate the company’s current security and network. These are two elements that are usually independent of each other. Security measures are overlaid on the network once it is in place. Furthermore, since networks are undergoing rapid and sometimes constant transformation, there is not enough time to deploy security measures after implementation.
In fact, network changes must be anticipated by security measures, so that companies do not accidentally open the door to vulnerabilities, risks and attacks.
The added value of SASE is to help companies and organisations not only ensure the security of their new distributed networks, but also to maintain that security as they adapt to the ever-changing business activity and parameters of their networks.
SASE is following the path of the software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN), which Gartner expects to be implemented by 60% of enterprises by 2024. SD-WAN is popular because it embraces a simple concept: to make life easier for IT teams, allowing them to manage their networks in the cloud via a centralised edge platform. With its automation and orchestration capabilities, it will be able to do the same for SASE functions.
Customers are now asking to take advantage of an edge platform to move away from a traditional edge security model to a SASE approach. As a result, the concept supported by SD-WAN delivers all the benefits of adopting a software-defined WAN: improved security, better management/flexibility, optimised bandwidth, cost savings and optimal performance of cloud applications.
One of the biggest benefits of the convergence of SASE and SD-WAN is the freedom of choice for organisations to adopt their security solution. They can integrate any popular solution into their SD-WAN.
Market players such as Colt Technology Services have launched tailored solutions such as SD-WAN Remote Access to support the next wave of digital business transformation. These players are responding to the secure remote access needs of its SD-WAN customers as they move towards a hybrid way of working. Colt’s remote access service is one of the first to be based on Versa SASE to enable remote access without compromising network security, integrity and performance. It is also based on an easily scalable business model. The goal is to deploy a complete solution for secure hybrid working while simplifying infrastructure organisation, controlling costs and enabling a multitude of applications to enhance the security of the devices to be protected, depending on business needs. As organisations continue to migrate to the cloud to run their operations, SASE is expected to continue to grow.
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