In a world where simplicity is key, SASE emerges as a simplified solution to optimize networking and increase security for enterprises
If you're in the tech space, chances are you've come across the term SASE (pronounced "sassy"). Besides being your teenager’s most obvious attribute, what does SASE mean, and why is Gartner predicting that at least 40% of enterprises will have explicit strategies to adopt it before 2025?
SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) is more than just a catchy (or confusing) acronym. By combining security and networking technologies into one cloud-based solution, SASE solutions gives enterprises the flexibility and agility to securely connect users and devices anywhere.
Let’s explore the meaning of SASE and address some frequently asked questions about its role in enterprise security and optimization.
What is the goal of SASE?
The goal of SASE is straightforward — to simplify network management and security. It does so by delivering security and networking functions from the cloud, providing secure access to applications and data, no matter where the user is located. It's designed to improve security, agility, and scalability, as well as reduce an organization's costs and management complexities.
What are the five key components of SASE?
SASE is a collection of various existing technologies, but before we break each of them down, let’s first answer the question: What does SASE mean?
Think of SASE like a pie sliced neatly in half: On one half, you have networking and SD-WAN, while on the other half, there's Security Service Edge — a subset of SASE — which is a group of cloud-delivered security technologies. Although SASE is a newer term, the five key components that make it up have been around for a while:
Software-Defined WAN (SD-WAN)
SD-WAN is the wide-area networking piece of the SASE pie. Enterprises can use it to improve overall network performance and reliability through application identification and traffic steering. It can also segment the network based on priority, use case, and cloud-managed policies.
Secure web gateway (SWG)
A SWG is a fundamental piece of the SASE architecture. It provides security controls for web traffic, including URL filtering, malware protection, and data loss prevention. Once a web request is initiated, the SWG decides whether it should be allowed based on established policies for robust internet security.
Cloud access security broker (CASB)
A CASB is another security component of SASE, meaning you don’t have to choose between SWG vs. CASB. This technology functions as a middleman between end users and a cloud service provider to ensure security policies are enforced on the entire network, securing both on-premises and cloud-based data.
Firewall as a service (FWaaS)
FWaaS delivers firewall functionality from the cloud to devices anywhere. Instead of relying on physical firewall appliances or on-premises software, FWaaS leverages cloud infrastructure to provide firewall capabilities as a service, which is much more cost-effective and easier to manage.
Zero trust network access (ZTNA)
Zero trust implements a “never trust; always verify” SASE security strategy, where every attempt to access any content is treated as potentially malicious. To gain access to corporate resources, users and devices must undergo authentication and authorization processes. Along with continuous inspection to ensure compliance (or something similar).
What is the origin of SASE?
SASE is a relatively newer concept first introduced by Gartner in 2019, as the need for a unified approach to secure access and wide-area networking increased. It was created to address the evolving requirements of modern enterprises as more applications moved to the cloud, more employees worked remotely, and VPNs began losing their luster.
This shift from traditional network security to a cloud-native approach reflects a natural evolution driven by changing connection types and a distributed workforce. Instead of relying solely on perimeter-based defenses like firewalls and VPNs, modern strategies like SASE integrate security and networking functions into a unified cloud-delivered service, enhancing overall security and scalability.
Does SASE replace VPN?
An attack on Ivanti’s VPN solution in January 2024 highlighted the need for something more robust than perimeter-based security. Because of its integration of zero trust security, SASE stands out as a viable VPN alternative. It enables secure access to applications and resources by minimizing the attack surface, preventing lateral movement, and stopping zero-day exploits — a level of protection beyond what VPNs offer.
What are the disadvantages of SASE?
SASE undoubtedly offers numerous benefits to enterprises, such as enhanced security, scalability, flexibility, and management, but it's important to be mindful of potential drawbacks surrounding cost.
While SASE aims to reduce costs by consolidating security and networking functions into a single platform, there could be upfront costs associated with migrating to a SASE architecture. With cloud-based services, it’s also important to keep an eye on bandwidth, as there could also be costs associated with overages.
Whether your enterprise should adopt SASE depends on various factors, but one thing is clear: as the shift towards cloud-based solutions continues, embracing a SASE approach will be a logical, more secure step forward.