December 08, 2024 5m read

From Tactical Moves to Transformation: The Ripple Effect of SASE

Eyal Webber Zvik
Eyal Webber Zvik
The Ripple Effect of SASE

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Wikipedia defines a ripple effect as “an initial disturbance to a system propagating outward to disturb an increasingly larger portion of the system.” This phenomenon is highly applicable to many IT transformations such as cloud migration and move to hybrid work, but even more so to SASE (Secure Access Service Edge).

Enterprises often embark on a SASE journey to address a specific, tactical need—like replacing SD-WAN or enhancing remote access security—but what begins as a targeted project often leads to profound, far-reaching change across the entire IT landscape.

The Tactical Start

The ripple effect of SASE often starts small, typically focused on a single use case like modernizing WAN infrastructure. In the face of rising bandwidth costs and the limitations of MPLS, IT teams turn to SD-WAN, a more flexible and cost-effective solution that leverages public internet links to improve performance and reliability. Organizations often begin their SASE journey with this type of project, aiming to solve an immediate problem such as scaling global connectivity or securing remote workers.

However, the shift to SASE is not just a one-time swap of technologies. It becomes a gateway to a broader transformation, as the initial project reveals the benefits of consolidating networking and security into a single cloud-native service.

The Expanding Ripple: Four Transformational Impacts

As enterprises adopt SASE for one function, the platform’s full potential starts to reveal itself, and the ripple effect begins to spread through the entire organization. Here are four key ways SASE transformation touches every part of the business.

1. Business Agility

Traditional networks, built on legacy technologies like MPLS, are rigid and slow to adapt to changing business needs. By converging SD-WAN with network security, SASE empowers enterprises to be agile. Global connectivity becomes simpler, faster, and more cost-effective, allowing IT to support the business with optimized and secure access to applications, both on-premises and in the cloud.

This agility doesn’t just improve IT performance; it unlocks new business opportunities. Enterprises can expand into new regions faster, adopt cloud services with ease, and respond more quickly to market changes. SASE enables IT to operate at the speed of business.

2. Improved Security Posture

In today’s threat landscape, where users, applications, and data are everywhere, security must extend beyond the traditional data center perimeter. The security capabilities of SASE—such as FWaaS (firewall-as-a-service), SWG (Secure Web Gateway), and CASB (Cloud Access Security Broker) —deliver consistent protection across all edges, from data centers to remote workers to cloud environments.

The ripple effect here is the shift from reactive, threat-chasing, appliance-based security to proactive, cloud-native security that scales globally and can be centrally managed. The result is not just improved protection, but also a simplified security infrastructure that reduces the attack surface while cutting costs.

3. Operational Efficiency

Managing disparate point solutions—SD-WAN devices, firewalls, VPNs, etc.—creates unnecessary complexity. SASE simplifies IT operations by converging all these functions into a single platform managed from a unified console. This reduces the operational burden on IT teams, allowing them to focus on more strategic initiatives.

The ripple effect in terms of efficiency is enormous. IT teams no longer have to juggle multiple vendors, troubleshoot interoperability issues, or manage several management consoles. Instead, they gain full visibility and control over their network and security from a single platform, dramatically reducing operational overhead and improving productivity.

4. Cost Savings

When enterprises replace legacy technologies like MPLS and hardware-based security appliances with a cloud-native SASE solution, they achieve significant cost savings. Not only are internet links cheaper than MPLS circuits, but the consolidation of security and networking functions into a single platform reduces the need for expensive hardware and outsourced management.

This ripple effect leads to a more sustainable IT budget, where costs are aligned with actual business needs, and scaling up doesn’t require massive capital investment in new infrastructure. SASE also provides the flexibility to adjust quickly as business demands change, enabling IT to support growth without spiraling costs.

How to Plan a SASE Project | Get Your SASE Project Guide

The Opportunity to Create the Ripples

When I was a child, I loved throwing stones into a large puddle in the winter and watching the ripples form, expanding in perfect circular waves. The stone would hit the water, and I’d marvel as the force traveled outward, affecting everything around it. As I watched, I was just an observer.

Now, we’re in the unique position of not just watching, but being the stone. Implementing SASE is more than just adopting a new technology; it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create the ripple effect that transforms the enterprise. Instead of being the one throwing the stone and standing on the sidelines, we are now the rock— right at the center of a transformation that will reverberate through every part of the organization.

For IT executives, this is not just a chance to modernize your infrastructure but to drive real, lasting change that makes your organization more agile, secure, and efficient. Are you ready to be the stone that starts the ripple?

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Wondering where to begin your SASE journey?

We've got you covered!
Eyal Webber Zvik

Eyal Webber Zvik

Eyal Webber-Zvik is Cato’s Vice President of Product Marketing. In his role, Eyal manages a global team of product marketing directors that are tasked driving the company's messaging, position, press and media relations, and more. Previously, Eyal ran Cato's product management organization, translating Cato's SASE vision into a global, successful cloud service. Throughout his years at Cato Networks, Eyal has been involved in dozens of SASE projects across various enterprises and markets. Eyal has more than 20 years of ICT experience in engineering, product management and product marketing.

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