Boost Your Workforce Anywhere by Adapting to Cloud Security

Enterprise architecture has entered a new age. Organizations are switching from a multifaceted patchwork of best-of-breed point solutions to a single-vendor approach to achieve a more dependable, secure networking platform that enables their dispersed workforce to access hybrid and multi-cloud applications in a more secure, reliable, and efficient manner. ​ The capacity of software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) to improve network performance, optimize connection, and offer centralized policy control and administration has made it popular in recent years. IT organizations can provide consumers with a more consistent and smooth experience wherever they work with SD-WAN because of its sophisticated traffic management and optimization features. According to Gartner, by 2026, 85% of businesses in need of zero trust network access (ZTNA), secure web gateway (SWG), or cloud access security broker (CASB) would get them from a single vendor as opposed to a converged solution. Here are some reasons why integrating cloud security with an SSE platform works so well, as well as an overview of the many SSE solutions that businesses can apply right now.

Necessity of Cloud Security

Organizations used to house their workforces in a single office building or a headquarters with a few possible satellite sites. Monitoring, managing, and enforcing secure access to business-critical apps was made simple. That ship has sailed, twenty years into the twenty-first century and one pandemic later. It is expected to have exceptional experiences on any device, anywhere, at any time. However, because workers, apps, networks, clouds, and security solutions expand well beyond traditional office boundaries and data centers, providing security from endpoint applications has proven to be incredibly complex. Secure access service edge (SASE) models with SSE and SD-WAN are two examples of security policies that are now in use for remote workers.

How to Proceed to SSE and SASE

With today's extremely scattered people, places, and things (such Internet of Things and operational technology projects), SASE is particularly built to enable the kinds of hybrid working patterns we are witnessing. SASE consists of a collection of services that outline the network and security needs for a high-quality user experience. These services include access controls, network performance and availability indicators, and communication with edge endpoints. For more information, please check Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)

Modular and unified SASE architectures are the two main types available today. The modular approach, which offers a consolidated cloud security SSE solution with a single dashboard (unified policies, one agent, and single SLAs), combined with an SD-WAN solution with its dashboard, may be preferable for IT organizations with distinct NetOps and SecOps teams. These SSE and SD-WAN systems are single- or multi-vendor solutions in a modular fashion. Single-vendor solutions, however, are suggested as they offer reduced security risk and easier integration and maintenance. A unified SASE system with fully converged SSE and SD-WAN administered through a unified dashboard for shared policy services and controls is an alternative beyond the single-vendor approach. A recent Forbes article cites Gartner's prediction that by 2026, 65% of enterprises would have combined the many SASE components into a single vendor-provided solution. According to Gartner, 50% of new SD-WAN acquisitions will be predicated on a single vendor solution.

Implementation of SSE and SASE

Here are the primary choices clients tend to choose:

SSE in SD-WAN for Cloud Security

Some businesses could already have some SSE components, such as next-generation firewalls. However, a comprehensive SSE offers advantages like the zero-trust approach in ZTNA to defend against internal and external threats, obtain end-to-end visibility, and enhance the user and IT experience, particularly when all components are integrated into a single vendor solution.

SSE for ZTNA Shift

To prevent over-privilege and the dangers of lateral movement, ZTNA inside SSE offers a security paradigm where users and devices are given access to the particular applications and resources they require. With FS perfect Zero Trust Networking Solution, it can be configured to adjust its security policies according to changes in user behavior, device status, or the overall security environment, resulting in a more seamless user experience and flexible IT administration. Ingenious support for both novel and established protocols, together with ongoing posture checks and user insights, reduces risk and boosts end-user productivity.

SSE Shrinks Office Architectures

A manufacturing plant's requirements are not the same as those of a modest office in a strip mall. Expensive Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) WAN backbones are not necessary for small workplaces. They have the option of using broadband, internet fiber, 5G, and SSE for security, including ZTNA. Conversely, branch sites are more likely to require an MPLS backbone in order to guarantee that the organization's wide area network (WAN) has sufficient capacity to accommodate various data transport protocols.

Cloud Security in Practice

Up to 100,000 devices and users connect to the network of Deakin University, one of Australia's biggest institutions, every day. Deakin combined cloud, endpoint, email, and firewall security into a single platform with end-to-end visibility by switching to a cloud security architecture. Week-long investigations and response times were slashed to minutes by the improved security posture.

Serving 90,000 member workers of Mercury Marine, a Wisconsin-based outboard motor manufacturer, Marine Credit Union demonstrates the advantages of implementing an enterprise-wide, cloud security system. To offer cloud security, endpoint security, firewall, malware analytics, and detection and response, the tiny IT team implemented cloud, integrated security features. According to Marine Credit Union, this strategy has greatly simplified operations and helped ensure that member users always have wonderful, safe experiences.

In short, a cloud-enforced SSE makes it feasible for users to have seamless, safe user experiences with strong security controls and access from anywhere.

Conclusion

As the industry's leading provider, FS is dedicated to offering you the most advanced Cloud Data Center Solutions. We possess a committed team with extensive experience and expertise, capable of tailoring your cybersecurity strategy to meet specific needs. The FS solution support not only empowers you to build a more consistent and efficient secure networking platform over time but also safeguards your people, places, and things no matter where they are. Thus, you can optimize operations, respond rapidly to market changes, and achieve sustainable growth in the digital age.