SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) is often introduced as an emerging market, and Gartner has made statements about comprehensive solutions still years away. So, are new solutions just a marketing mirage or a real business investment to be made in 2020? In this series of SASE Straight Talk articles, Masergy answers some of the biggest SASE questions on the minds of IT professionals.
Is SASE real or just a concept? The answer is it’s both. SASE is multidimensional.
When it comes to the validity of solutions, there are opinions on both sides of the argument. Nay-sayers call today’s offerings more marketing fluff than product reality. And that’s no surprise given that Gartner’s 2019 Hype Cycle for Enterprise Networking report forewarns buyers of this “marketecture.” SASE is still in its formative phase. Meanwhile, more and more providers are hitting the streets with their SASE product claims, reassuring clients that their first-to-market offerings are legitimate and deliver real business value.
So, where does this leave early adopters?
Ultimately, of course, the burden is largely on the IT buyer to discern the validity of any particular solution. SASE may still be an emerging and evolving market, but there are tactical ways to tease out the leaders from the laggards. It starts with SASE’s five core capability areas and a warning label from Gartner.
SASE: It’s more about core capability areas than a detailed feature checklist
Buyers are often looking for a detailed feature checklist, but SASE is still “soft” at this time. Gartner describes solutions that unify SD-WAN and security into one cloud-based service from a single provider. Thus, SASE acts as a model or framework for building the next generation of IT services. And yet, Gartner hasn’t prescriptively provided a detailed checklist of every last technology required–they only provide core capability areas:
Beyond these core components, the market lacks defined feature standardization. With these details intentionally loose, there is wide variation in the way solutions deliver on SASE, what technologies providers use, and how they bring all the elements together in one cloud service platform. This brings us to Gartner’s warning label.
Unpacking Gartner’s warning: SASE architecture matters
Gartner’s Hype Cycle report offers IT leaders some breadcrumbs to help IT leaders separate a true solution from the mere facade
“Software architecture and implementation matters. Be wary of vendors that propose to deliver services by linking a large number of features via VM service chaining, especially when the products come from a number of acquisitions or partnerships. This approach may speed time to market but will result in inconsistent services, poor manageability and high latency.”
To unpack this, it helps to think about SASE as a standard platform where a constellation of capabilities are being unified under a single operating system. Architecture and implementation matter because it exposes the uniformity of that one common platform. When everything needs to interoperate, the underlying architecture is what allows for cooperation and collaboration. Otherwise, IT teams could easily be left stymied by multiple dashboards and controllers. This is exactly the problem SASE aims to avoid!
It’s a bit like comparing Frankenstein’s parts and pieces all stitched together to a set of nesting dolls all crafted from the same template. How providers go from delivering point solutions to a fully integrated “as a service” model will expose key differences, distinguishing true SASE solutions. Does integration happen at the source-code level?
Network service providers typically use their own private network to serve as SASE’s common underlying platform. Understanding the uniformity of that network is key and explains why providers with a ubiquitous software-defined network will be quick to advertise that fact. When the core operating system is the same all across the globe and uses modern software-defined principles, it’s easier to get all five core capabilities to interoperate with edge-to-edge visibility in one management portal.
Evidence of a well-architected SASE platform becomes particularly tangible when:
Ready for more? Read more articles in the SASE Straight Talk series
Engage in the SASE conversation online. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!
Call us now to arrange a consultation (866) 588-5885.
Or arrange for a consultation through our request form.
CASB serves as of one of SASE’s fundamental purposes. Here’s how it works within a SASE framework to mitigate security risks.
Here’s a look at Masergy’s approach to SASE, the enhancements we have made, and how we’re leaning into network-security convergence.
Masergy, the software-defined network and cloud platform for the digital enterprise, announced that it is strengthening its SD-WAN Secure solution to offer Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) capabilities
Masergy Named Most Innovative Managed SD-WAN Service Provider by Frost & Sullivan
Do SASE solutions reach far enough? Here’s a look at what’s inside the SASE framework today, and where it could go in the future.
Healthcare IT leaders are reducing the complexity of digital transformation by addressing UC, the network, and security in one unified strategy.
Want to switch from SD-WAN to SASE midstream? These RFP questions can help you roll your IT modernization project into a larger investment.
While IT leaders are enabling the remote workforce, they are also building an autonomous network. Leverage your investments today for innovation tomorrow.
Why do businesses need SASE and more importantly does it help with work from home? Here’s how SASE solutions deliver real value.
Masergy Launches SD-WAN Work From Anywhere Solutions, which extend the value of Masergy SD-WAN Secure to Home and Mobile Users
Planning a move toward SASE? Here are three ways to make apples-to-apples comparisons, teasing out the differences in solutions.
SASE is consolidating best-of-breed technologies into one cloud service, and it’s here where the Masergy-Fortinet offering stands above the rest.
Are firewalls becoming a dividing line between SASE strategies? Why some IT leaders choose a cloud-managed approach over a cloud-native one.
What’s the difference between a fully managed SD-WAN service and a co-managed service? Here’s how to get the best out of shared responsibilities.
Ask people what SASE is and you’ll likely get 10 answers. While the newness of SASE is a factor in the confusion, here’s what SASE is and what it’s not.
Data shows remote work has triggered a modernization of business operations and the network. Explore the highlights from the new IDG study.
Masergy’s new SD-WAN portfolio gives companies of every size unrivaled application performance along with more flexibility and choice.
ZK Research data shows IT spending is up, and the value of the network has increased. Don’t miss the latest SD-WAN strategies in this online event.
SD-WAN has redefined network management, and how you deploy it can impact success. Get the six elements of SD-orchestration and key considerations.
Networks are on their way to becoming “self-driving.” Understand the current state of networking automation and what’s needed to reach full autonomy.
SD-WAN solutions are now platforms, but what does that mean? Moreover, what differentiates platforms from solution sets? Here’s the hidden secret.
With SD-WAN’s many connectivity options, when do you deploy 4G and 5G links and when should you avoid them? Here’s how Masergy advises its clients.
The idea of converting all your private network connections into public ones is being challenged. Attitudes are shifting. Here’s what it shows us.
Research from European enterprises surveyed as the pandemic lockdown began helps IT leaders identify new trends and what businesses need now.
SD-WAN is giving way for terms like SD-Branch. Understand the benefits and how SD-Branch is addressing security challenges at the network edge.
Here’s a guide to understanding the value of user identity analytics and why these details are increasingly important for security today and network automation tomorrow.
SD-WAN management portals typically track only IP traffic for entire sites, but Masergy’s SD-WAN gives you per-user analytics as a standard offering.
Masergy's CTO, Chris MacFarland, teaches you how to reach the milestone of true autonomy. This article originally appeared in Forbes.
See how Masergy’s network is changing in light of Coronavirus. Get tips for fast VPNs and understand shifts in digital transformation priorities.
Learn how Masergy is acting with urgency to protect employees, clients, and business continuity. We explain how Masergy helps clients respond and how he virtualized the company.
With 20 years of history, Masergy is full of fun factoids. Explore the pioneering moments, pivotal transformations, and tales from the startup days.
Get a free copy of Gartner's report. Learn how Masergy pioneered software-defined networks and is building the autonomous networks of tomorrow.
Many technologies are uniting under SD-WAN. Learn what’s changed and why new additions are starting to look like autonomous networking.
2020 marks Masergy’s 20th anniversary. The celebration starts with our top innovation landmarks and where we’re going next.
In celebration of Masergy’s 20th anniversary, we’re honoring our greatest leaders and key players. Here’s the story of Terry Traina, Masergy’s Chief Digital Officer.
AIOps puts a virtual network engineer on your team, but it’s also paving the way for autonomous networking. Get the requirements and four next steps.
Here’s a fully managed SD-WAN solution that helps organizations truly transform the WAN edge with a security-driven approach.
Think you only have 30-40 apps running on your network? It’s probably more like 900+. Here’s a quick guide to handling the blind spots of shadow IT.