Hybrid cloud systems and the adoption of edge computing among enterprises has solved a number of modern problems, from the latency demands of real-time applications to the regulatory demands of data privacy in a global economy. But the intersection of on-premises, cloud and edge computing has created challenges in securing diverse systems under the same roof.
Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) addresses this fragmentation. It integrates software-defined networking, threat prevention, access control, and application security into a unified, cloud-delivered platform accessed through a single management interface.
SASE's operational foundation rests on globally distributed Points of Presence (PoPs) positioned to place security and networking enforcement as close as possible to users and data sources. This distributed fabric, often managed by SASE providers, eliminates the operational burden of provisioning and maintaining complex network infrastructure, while guaranteeing low-latency access to cloud applications through direct-to-cloud routing.
The convergence begins with SD-WAN (Software Defined Wide Area Network), which intelligently routes traffic across multiple transport links, including MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching), broadband, LTE, and 5G. Rather than relying on expensive, static MPLS circuits, SD-WAN dynamically selects optimal paths based on application requirements, link quality, and business priorities. This intelligent routing ensures branch offices, remote workers, and edge devices achieve consistent application performance without capacity constraints.
"The software-defined networking is where we see most customers start with their SASE deployments," says Ben Radcliff, VP of cybersecurity and managed security services at Ensono.
The second phase for most organizations is to overlay security onto the SD-WAN, with zero trust as the prevailing theme, adds Dave Shackleford, founder and CEO at Voodoo Security.