Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)

What is SASE?

Secure Access Service Edge, or SASE, is an enterprise networking and security category introduced by Gartner. SASE converges SD-WAN, a Cloud Network, and Security Service Edge (SSE) functions, including FWaaS, CASB, DLP, SWG, and ZTNA, into a unified, cloud-native service.

With SASE, enterprises can eliminate the effort and costs required to maintain complex and fragmented infrastructure made of point solutions, reduce the risk for breach and data loss with optimal security posture, enable secure work from anywhere, and improve access to global applications on premises and in the cloud.

SASE Network Security Components

How Does SASE Work?

SASE provides a single cloud-based service that connects and secures all locations, users, devices, and applications, on-premises and in the Cloud. A SASE service has four main characteristics:

How Does SASE Work? - Identity-driven

Identity-driven

User identity form the basis for risk-based access policies that also consider the user’s device posture, the sensitivity of the data or application being accessed, and the desired action. The policy seamlessly follows the user in the office, on the road, and at home to ensure consistent enforcement everywhere.

How Does SASE Work? - Support fro all edges

Support for all edges

SASE delivers consistent security and optimization to any enterprise edge including on-premises and cloud data centers, branch offices, and down to a single user or device.

How Does SASE Work? - Cloud-native

Cloud-native

Cloud-native SASE is elastic, self-healing, and self-maintaining. Delivered as a global cloud service SASE rapidly adapts to emerging business needs and make all network and security capabilities available everywhere.

How Does SASE Work? - Globally distributed

Globally distributed

SASE is built on an extensible global cloud network to deliver low-latency networking and security capabilities to all users and business locations.

What are the key components of SASE?

key components of sd wan graphic

Software-Defined WAN (SD-WAN)

SD-WAN enables optimal WAN management. SASE leverages SD-WAN capabilities to provide an optimal and resilient on-ramp into the SASE cloud service.

Cloud Network (Global Private Backbone)

The Cloud Network optimizes global routing, latency sensitive traffic such as voice and video, and cloud and on-premises application access for all sources and destinations.

key components of fwaas graphic

Firewall as a Service (FWaaS)

A firewall is the foundation of any network security stack. SASE includes FWaaS to provide 360 degree visibility and control to all traffic and enable logical segmentation of the network.

key components of cloud access security broker graphic

Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB)

CASB helps enterprises monitor the usage of SaaS applications, both sanctioned and unsanctioned (“Shadow IT”), and apply access policies based on user identity, application risk, and nature of the action and data being used.

key components of swg graphic

Secure Web Gateway (SWG)

SWG protect users against malware, phishing, and other web-borne threats. SASE offers SWG protection to all users, at all locations, without the added latency of routing traffic to inspection in specific locations.

key components of unified management graphic

Unified Management

SASE solves the complexity of managing multiple disparate products. A true SASE allows users to monitor and manage all network and security solutions from a single pane of glass.

key components of ztna graphic

Zero-Trust Network Access (ZTNA)

ZTNA offers a modern approach to securing application access for users. It embraces a zero-trust policy, where application access is dynamically adjusted based on user identity, location, device posture, and more. SASE continuously inspects all ZTNA sessions for risks and naturally extends to provide endpoint protection, detection and response.

What are the Benefits of SASE?

What are the Benefits of SASE? - Improving agility

Improving agility

With SASE using a cloud-first and thin edge design, deployment is quick and easy. Zero touch and self-service provisioning enables users and locations to be onboarded in minutes, anywhere in the world, and benefit from the cloud-delivered security and optimization capabilities.

What are the Benefits of SASE? - Improving security via unified policies

Improved Visibility and Control

SASE provides full visibility and control across, WAN, Internet, and Cloud. Full traffic coverage ensures corporate policies apply to all edges, regardless of source and destination.

Autonomous Service Lifecycle Management

A cloud-native service, SASE automatically maintains optimal security posture against emerging threats, recovers from service infrastructure disruption to ensure service continuity, and can extend and scale to accommodate massive traffic loads and growing customer geographical footprints.

Cato Networks is the World’s First SASE Platform

Cato SASE Cloud is a proven SASE platform you can deploy today. Cato’s cloud-native architecture converges SD-WAN, a global private backbone, a full network security stack, and seamless support for cloud resources and mobile devices.

Customers easily connect physical locations, cloud resources, and mobile users to Cato SASE Cloud, and IT teams immediately benefit from the agility of a unified network and security service managed through a single, self-service console.

With Cato, we got the functionality of SD-WAN, a global backbone, and security service for our sites and mobile users integrated together and at a fraction of the cost.

Willem-Jan Herckenrath,
Manager ICT, Alewijnse

Challenge

Point Solutions for Networking and Security are too Complex to Manage and Costly to Own

Current networking and security solutions such as VPN remote access are incompatible with the cloud-centric and mobile-first digital business. The network is rigid and static, and security is heavily fragmented across multiple domains. Together, networking and security are slowing down the business instead of enabling innovation and agility.

Current networking and security solutions such as VPN remote access are incompatible with the cloud-centric and mobile-first digital business. The network is rigid and static, and security is heavily fragmented across multiple domains. Together, networking and security are slowing down the business instead of enabling innovation and agility.

Cato Solution

Cloud-native Convergence of Networking and Security enables Simplicity, Agility, and Lower Costs

Cato is delivering the world’s first SASE platform, (and has been recognized by Gartner as a “Sample Vendor” in the SASE category of the “Hype Cycle for Enterprise Networking, 2019”) through a globally distributed cloud service that provides enterprise network and security capabilities to all edges.

Cato is delivering the world’s first SASE platform, (and has been recognized by Gartner as a “Sample Vendor” in the SASE category of the “Hype Cycle for Enterprise Networking, 2019”) through a globally distributed cloud service that provides enterprise network and security capabilities to all edges.

 Comparing Legacy Solutions with Cato SASE Cloud

Legacy

Legacy

Cato SASE Cloud

Cato SASE Cloud

Service Agility

Legacy

Slow and Cumbersome

IT teams have to configure multiple solutions through multiple consoles, struggling to maintain consistency and control of the infrastructure. Provisioning new resources is slow and dependent on complex multi-product integrations.

Cato SASE Cloud

Quick and Easy

Cato enables IT teams to deliver optimized networking and powerful security to all sites, applications, and users regardless of location. Provisioning new resources is fast and simple with the full range of Cato’s optimization and security capabilities instantly available.

Visibility and Control

Legacy

The Dreaded Silos

Technical silos created by point solutions limit collaboration across teams. Lack of visibility and fragmented control leads to slower troubleshooting, increased security exposure, and overall lower satisfaction levels from the business.

Cato SASE Cloud

Teamwork, Regained

IT teams leverage Cato’s converged software stack to maximize visibility into network traffic and security events. From the same interface, IT professionals configure and enforce corporate policies across the business. This enables better cross-team collaboration, improving overall service delivery to the business.

Infrastructure Management

Legacy

Boatload of Busy Work

Owning and managing multiple on-premise solutions for networking and security forces IT teams to spend a lot of time on generic, day-to-day management, scaling, sizing, and upgrading of products. This leaves them little to no time to get business-specific projects done.

Cato SASE Cloud

Focus on the Business

With Cato, IT teams are relieved of the grunt work of maintaining the infrastructure. Cato ensures the service is up-to-date and ready to optimize and secure all customer network traffic everywhere. This enables IT to focus precious resources and skills on business-specific requirements.

Cost Effectiveness

Legacy

Complexity is Expensive

Buying, integrating and maintaining multiple products is costly. Each product has to be sized to support current needs and future growth and often requires upgrades as requirements change. As the number of point products grow, complexity increases exponentially. And, moving complexity to the service providers only increases their costs, leading enterprises paying more or suffering lower quality of service.

Cato SASE Cloud

Simplicity Costs Less

Cato dramatically simplifies the delivery of networking and security to the business. The capabilities you require are built in not bolted on and there is no need to size, scale, or maintain the Cato service. Cato’s converged, cloud-based platform and flexible management options enables significant cost reduction.

Legacy

Cato SASE Cloud

Service Agility

Slow and Cumbersome

IT teams have to configure multiple solutions through multiple consoles, struggling to maintain consistency and control of the infrastructure. Provisioning new resources is slow and dependent on complex multi-product integrations.

Quick and Easy

Cato enables IT teams to deliver optimized networking and powerful security to all sites, applications, and users regardless of location. Provisioning new resources is fast and simple with the full range of Cato’s optimization and security capabilities instantly available.

Visibility and Control

The Dreaded Silos

Technical silos created by point solutions limit collaboration across teams. Lack of visibility and fragmented control leads to slower troubleshooting, increased security exposure, and overall lower satisfaction levels from the business.

Teamwork, Regained

IT teams leverage Cato’s converged software stack to maximize visibility into network traffic and security events. From the same interface, IT professionals configure and enforce corporate policies across the business. This enables better cross-team collaboration, improving overall service delivery to the business.

Infrastructure Management

Boatload of Busy Work

Owning and managing multiple on-premise solutions for networking and security forces IT teams to spend a lot of time on generic, day-to-day management, scaling, sizing, and upgrading of products. This leaves them little to no time to get business-specific projects done.

Focus on the Business

With Cato, IT teams are relieved of the grunt work of maintaining the infrastructure. Cato ensures the service is up-to-date and ready to optimize and secure all customer network traffic everywhere. This enables IT to focus precious resources and skills on business-specific requirements.

Cost Effectiveness

Complexity is Expensive

Buying, integrating and maintaining multiple products is costly. Each product has to be sized to support current needs and future growth and often requires upgrades as requirements change. As the number of point products grow, complexity increases exponentially. And, moving complexity to the service providers only increases their costs, leading enterprises paying more or suffering lower quality of service.

Simplicity Costs Less

Cato dramatically simplifies the delivery of networking and security to the business. The capabilities you require are built in not bolted on and there is no need to size, scale, or maintain the Cato service. Cato’s converged, cloud-based platform and flexible management options enables significant cost reduction.

SASE Value for WAN Transformation

Digital transformation and the WAN transformation it mandates doesn’t happen overnight. It is often comprised of multiple projects involving SD-WAN, Internet security, cloud migration, mobile access, and more.

When considering your next incremental investment in your network (SD-WAN, a global connectivity solution, or a security solution), ask yourself if the right decision is choosing a point solution that addresses the current project needs, or a strategic SASE platform that can address both current and future projects requirements.

Replace MPLS /
Increase BW

Global
Connectivity

Secure
DIA

Optimize
Cloud Access

Optimize
Mobile Access

Really Simple
Management

SASE

Edge SD-WAN

Private Global Backbone

NGFW / UTM

SWGs

SASE: A single platform that can support your current and future IT projects

  • What is SASE used for?

    Secure access service edge (SASE) is used to deliver converged enterprise network and security services from a globally distributed cloud service. SASE overcomes the cost, complexity and rigidity of loosely integrated and geographically bound point solutions. When combined with a global private backbone, SASE can also address WAN and cloud connectivity challenges.

  • What is the difference between point solutions (SD-WAN, NGFW, SWG, VPN) and SASE?

    Point solutions such as SD-WAN, NGFW, SWG, and VPN address specific networking and security requirements. The need to buy, size, scale, and maintain each solution separately, makes IT infrastructure complex and costly. SASE is a transformational alternative to those legacy technological silos. It provides as a globally distributed cloud service that replaces physical and virtual point solution with a cost effective, scalable and agile alternative.

  • What is the difference between SD-WAN and SASE?

    SD-WAN is a key component of the SASE platform that connects branch locations and datacenters to the SASE cloud service. SASE extends SD-WAN to address the full WAN transformation journey that includes security, cloud, and mobility at a global scale.

  • Why is SASE important?

    SASE is important because the convergence of network and security into a cloud-native service allows IT teams to connect and secure all business locations and users in an agile, cost-effective and scalable way.

  • Is SASE better than point solutions (SD-WAN, NGFW, SWG, VPN)?

    As a result of the move to the cloud and an increasing mobile workforce, point solutions can only deliver the capabilities the business needs at a growing complexity and costs. SASE’s converged, cloud-native, and globally distributed architecture easily delvers the capabilities the business needs to all users and locations everywhere. SASE therefore overcomes the cost, complexity and high overhead of running numerous legacy point solutions.

  • Is SASE better than SD WAN?

    SD-WAN is just the first step in the WAN transformation journey. It lacks key security functions, global connectivity capabilities, and support for cloud resources and mobile users. A full SASE platform can support the entire WAN transformation journey, as it enables IT to provide the network and security functions the business needs in an agile and cost-effective way.

  • How secure is SASE?

    SASE is secured end-to-end. All communication across the SASE platform is encrypted. Threat prevention capabilities including decryption, firewalling, URL filtering, anti-malware, and IPS are natively integrated into SASE, and are globally available to all connected edges.

  • What is not a SASE?

    SASE is a cloud service that is identity-driven, cloud-native, globally distributed, and supports all edges. Alternative architectures, such as service chaining appliances, hosting appliances and virtual machines, and telco bundles, are based on point solutions not a converged software stack designed for the cloud.