SASE, which stands for secure access service edge, is a cybersecurity concept that is gaining popularity. It was first proposed by Gartner in a 2019 report entitled, “The Future of Network Security in the Cloud” and has since been implemented in many different systems. When building an SASE strategy for your business, it is important to know what it is, the tools that can be used, how it will impact your overall technology, and more.
Understanding SASE
SASE is a cloud-delivered service model that allows companies to manage their digital security more effectively. It combines wide area networking (WAN) with various security services such as Zero Trust and CASB together to get all the benefits in one convenient place.
The capabilities of SASE are then delivered to the various devices on the network based on the specific needs of that device. They use real-time context, a continuous assessment of risk and trust, and the enterprise security policies that are established in order to determine what permissions traffic or other actions may have.
The specific entities can be identified as various things such as individual users, groups of users, applications, devices, internet of things (IoT) devices, services, and more. When implemented properly, SASE offers many benefits including:
- Improved flexibility
- Zero Trust
- Affordability
- Threat Monitoring and Prevention
- Simplification
- Data Security and Protection
- Improved Performance
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Tools for Implementing SASE
Having the right tools in place for your SASE system will help everything to go more smoothly. Some of the key components that you need to consider include the following:
- SD-WAN – An SASE strategy generally starts with an SD-WAN implementation. If you already have SD-WAN in place, you can configure this WAN architecture to work with the SASE cloud-based configurations. If not, you can implement SD-WAN as a part of your initial SASE strategy.
- Cloud Security – At its core, SASE is a cloud-based system. You will need to not only have cloud services in place, but also be ready to configure the security implementation properly. You can use most any major cloud services platform for this including AWS, Azure, and more.
- Zero Trust Access – Another core tool of the SASE strategy is network access that harnesses the concept of zero trust. This means that users identities are established based on device type. You will need to have a system that is able to identify device type and grant authorization based on this.
- Edge Routers – Whenever using any type of cloud solutions, you should have edge routers to manage the traffic that is entering and exiting your internal networks. This can also include an F5 or other security device to ensure your systems remain protected. These edge routers can be managed as a part of the SASE configuration.
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Technology Behind SASE
The technology behind SASE effectively combines a variety of different concepts that in the past had to be managed separately. This helps to make everything easier to manage, more affordable, and more effective. By keeping all the security related tasks combined together, there are fewer opportunities for mistakes or exploits to take place.
By moving these concepts to the cloud, the security systems can be managed and applied from anywhere that has an Internet connection. As with so many other modern systems, harnessing the power of cloud technologies is able to dramatically improve the way security is handled for company networks.
Some of the different technologies that are merged together in SASE include:
- Network Traffic Priorities – By managing network traffic priorities centrally from the cloud, companies are able to ensure the most critical traffic is given priority. This is important for things like VoIP, real-time data backup, and much more.
- Network Security Priorities – Managing the security priorities in an SASE environment is also possible. Companies can decide what level of scrutiny traffic and devices need based on treat and risk categories. These security levels are constantly evaluated and updated to ensure all systems are protected.
- Threat and Data Protection – The SASE system uses cloud infrastructure to constantly monitor threats to the network and data so that protective action can be taken. The real-time threat monitoring allows companies to confidently protect all their key data.
- Network-to-Cloud Connectivity – Managing the network-to-cloud connectivity will help to ensure the right paths are taken for data transmission, and that they are properly secured at all times.
When handled properly, SASE will not only help to improve the overall security of a network, but it can actually increase the speed at which data is able to be transmitted. Prior to bringing these related tasks together, companies would often have to choose between optimizing security or speed. Today, thanks to this innovative new system, both of these essential goals are improved simultaneously.
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Tips for Adopting an SASE Strategy
As with any type of security strategy, it can be tempting to think that you will be able to implement SASE and then your systems will be safe. The fact is, however, that all security strategies are going to need constant attention to ensure they remain effective.
Taking the time to really think through your SASE strategy up front will ensure that your computer systems are as safe as possible from the start. As you add, remove, or upgrade your systems, you need to evaluate what type of impact that is going to have on security and make the necessary adjustments. In addition, keeping up to date with the latest vulnerabilities and other threats will help you to be able to act quickly to modify your SASE strategy to keep things safe.
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