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Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)

Delivering the Most Flexible SASE Solution

SASE is the future of security and networking. From SD-WAN, ZTNA, CASB, and NGFW, the Fortinet platform provides complete readiness for embracing SASE.

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What is SASE?

Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) is a cloud-delivered service that combines network and security functions with WAN capabilities to support the dynamic, secure access needs of today’s hybrid organizations. Conceptually, SASE extends networking and security capabilities beyond where they’re typically available. This lets users, regardless of location, to take advantage of firewall as a service (FWaaS), secure web gateway (SWG), zero-trust network access (ZTNA), and a medley of threat detection functions.

The term SASE (pronounced “sassy”) was first described by Gartner in an August 2019 report called, “The Future of Network Security in the Cloud.” Gartner notes that in the SASE market trend report, "Customer demands for simplicity, scalability, flexibility, low latency, and pervasive security force convergence of the WAN edge and network security markets.”

Tech Bytes: Fortinet’s SASE Is More Than Just The Cloud

Learn more about Fortinet SDN and where SASE fits into a mature security strategy

Why is SASE necessary?

Enterprise networks are increasingly reliant on cloud-based applications to run their businesses and support distributed workflows to support remote and mobile users. This has resulted in the conventional enterprise network to rapidly grow beyond the conventional network edge, challenging infrastructure leaders to secure and manage an ever-expanding attack surface. While networks have advanced rapidly enough to support the workflows of these remote endpoints, most security tools have not kept pace, rendering VPN-only solutions obsolete. For organizations to remain competitive, all endpoints must be secured and managed with the same security and networking policies as their on-premises infrastructure, regardless of where they’re located.

 

John Maddison. Fortinet | CUBEConversation

Fortinet Flexible SASE Solution - CUBE Conversation

John Maddison, EVP of Products and CMO at Fortinet talks with John Furrier for a CUBEConversation from theCUBE studio in Palo Alto, CA about the evolution of Secure Access Service Edge(SASE) and what it means for customers.

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Components of the SASE Model

SASE is all about secure access. In addition to connectivity, every SASE strategy must include a core set of essential security elements, including the following.

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Industry’s most flexible SASE platform to secure users and edges
 

  • Firewall-as-a-Service (FWaaS) : Delivers consistent firewall functionality to the cloud edge, including high-performance SSL inspection and advanced threat detection techniques to establish and maintain secure connections for distributed users.   

  • Dynamic Network Segmentation (DNS): Allows data, workflows, and applications to be assigned to isolated segments of the network in order to prevent attackers and malicious insiders from moving laterally across different areas of the network.

  • Intrusion Prevention System (IPS): Monitors the network to proactively search for malicious activities and anomalous behavior in order to discover potential exploits and known vulnerabilities.

  • Data Loss Prevention (DLP): Prevents end-users from moving key information outside the network to ensure that both your network and data are secure.
     
  • Secure Web Gateway (SWG): Secures web access against both internal and external risks by automatically blocking threats embedded in encrypted traffic.

  • Zero-trust Network Access (ZTNA) and VPN: Extends and enforces zero trust application access to users outside of the conventional network in order to prevent off-network access contamination to the data center. 
     
  • Sandboxing: Whether sandboxing is executed in the cloud or on an appliance, it provides crucial protections against advanced known and zero-day threats. 

 

Benefits of SASE

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When properly implemented, a SASE approach allows organizations to apply secure access no matter where their users, workloads, devices, or applications are located. This becomes a critically important advantage as more users join a remote workforce, SaaS applications see rapid adoption, and data moves rapidly among data centers, branch offices, and hybrid- and multi-cloud environments.

SASE Offers:

  • Flexible, consistent security: Deliver a comprehensive range of security services, from threat prevention to NGFW policies, to any edge, ensuring zero-trust network access to know who is on your network, know what is on your network, and protect assets both on and off the network
  • Reduced total cost of ownership: Conquer point product sprawl once and for all by using a single platform approach and reducing or eliminating capex and opex costs
  • Reduced complexity: Simplify your architecture by consolidating key networking and security functions from disparate point products into single solutions, all easily managed from a single-pane-of-glass management system
  • Optimized performance: Leveraging cloud availability, your team members easily and securely connect to the Internet, applications, and corporate resources wherever they are located.



SASE and the Fortinet Advantage

For SASE to work well, all of its components need to interoperate as a single integrated system—connectivity, networking, and security elements alike. 

Fortinet has been delivering core SASE requirements—plus much more—for years as part of our vision for security-driven networking. Now, along with our recent strategic acquisition of OPAQ Networks, Fortinet can deliver the most complete SASE platform there is.

Fortinet offers the most comprehensive and flexible SASE solution available today.

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