SASE AND THE SECURITY OF NEXT-GENERATION NETWORKING
The way we work has changed, and the way we secure our networks must change with it. As companies become more decentralized, the growing population of remote workers and branch offices need a new approach to networking and security. Beyond a distributed workforce, the rising costs of traditional networking architecture, siloed security tools, a security talent shortage, and inefficiencies in the centralized network model have created even more challenges.
Security Challenges in the New Network Architecture Model
Network security is no longer confined to the data center – it’s shifting to the cloud. This introduces gaps in visibility and coverage throughout your network, increases the volume and complexity of security tools, and puts additional strain on already limited budgets and security resources.
A Zero Trust Architecture can alleviate some of these concerns. There are many moving pieces to a true Zero Trust architecture, and Zero Trust networking is a foundational pillar. Zero Trust network access verifies user identities and establishes device trust before granting access to authorized applications, helping organizations prevent unauthorized access, contain breaches, and limit an attacker’s lateral movement on a network. ZTNA requires a strong, cloud-based, multi-factor authentication approach. How can this be achieved?
Enter SASE
The Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) enables a Zero Trust network access by consolidating numerous networking and security capabilities and functions – traditional delivered in multiple, siloed point solutions – in a single, fully integrated cloud-native platform. In a Zero Trust network, SASE is the key to allowing your identified users to access the applications they need to do their jobs from anywhere.
The benefits of SASE are numerous, including: reducing costs and complexity; enabling secure remote and mobile access; providing latency optimized, policy-based routing; improving secure, seamless access for users; improving security with consistent policy; updating threat protection and policies without hardware and software upgrades; restricting access based on user, device, and application identity; and increasing network and security staff effectiveness with centralized policy management.
Updating an enterprise network is no small undertaking, and in the rush to get connected, security may be an afterthought in modern network design. But that is a fatal mistake. Integrating zero trust security into the foundation of your network is one of the only ways to protect your distributed enterprise – and a SASE solution done right can be the foundation of that protection.
Download the Cisco ebook to explore:
- Key networking and security trends and their associated challenges
- Different networking and security options and key considerations
- How SD-Wan architecture addresses modern networking challenges but introduces security challenges
- How a multi-function cloud-native security service via SASE compliments SD-WAN and addresses modern security challenges
- Key SASE and cloud security takeaways
AHEAD and Cisco Secure Your Network
Together with Cisco, AHEAD is focused on modernizing, automating, and securing our clients’ network architecture — in the data center, across the enterprise, and in the cloud. Our networks are built to support the scalability, speed, and efficiency demanded by the digital enterprise, while maintaining security as a foundational element. AHEAD is uniquely suited to assist clients with multi-cloud strategies. Our rich experience and deep skillsets in cloud, data center, enterprise networking and network security allows us to address the complex realities of the modern enterprise.
With an emphasis on cloud and progressive networking solutions like SD-WAN, SASE, SDN, and automation, we pride ourselves on designing end-to-end networks and developing secure architectures, solutions and operations that combine legacy realities with cutting-edge innovation.