Secure access service edge (SASE) has grown out of a need to provide remote workers secure access to applications and data from anywhere, at any time. Traditional network security solutions were not equipped to support remote workers. These solutions required the deployment and management of multiple technologies, which was a complex, expensive, and time-consuming undertaking. Often, organizations ended up with solutions from multiple vendors that didn't interoperate well and increased complexity. But a single-vendor SASE approach that converges networking and security is easier to manage and more cost-effective.

Why the Single-Vendor SASE Approach Makes Sense

Trying to get solutions from different vendors to work together as a unified SASE architecture is difficult to build and time-consuming to maintain and troubleshoot. A single-vendor SASE approach converges networking and security, so management, optimization, and policy enforcement are all controlled through a single interface.

Ideally, the single-vendor solution should also interoperate across the distributed network. It should be able to seamlessly hand off connections between the cloud and on-premises devices, so access and security policies follow users and applications end to end, rather than terminating connectivity and control at either edge of the network.

Only by truly converging networking and security across the entire business environment can organizations implement zero-trust principles for consistent security and superior user experience everywhere.

Delivering Consistent Security Across All Edges

Fortinet empowers organizations to consistently apply enterprise-grade security across all network edges. Organizations should be able secure users whether they are on or off the network at a branch location (thin edge or secure edge). The flexibility to perform security locally on a FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) or to connect branch offices to FortiSASE over an IPSec tunnel to perform security inspection in the cloud using a FortiSASE POP via FortiGates (SD-WAN/NGFW) allows organizations to deliver consistent security for users both on and off the network. It also simplifies security policy management.

Enhancements to FortiSASE for Three Key Use Cases

FortiSASE offers cloud-delivered security and networking capabilities to deliver enterprise-grade security and performance for users anywhere in a single, integrated solution. With FortiSASE, organizations can shift spending from a CapEx to an OpEx  model and benefit from enhancements to the following use cases:

Secure Internet Access: Securing All User Traffic to and from the Internet

FortiSASE is further enhanced with improved performance and infrastructure scalability and dedicated public IP support. The enhanced geolocation-based experience enables access to custom services based on a user's location.

Secure Private Access: Secure and Reliable Access to Privately Hosted Applications

FortiSASE provides a flexible and secure private access solution with support for a comprehensive set of private applications running in the data center or public cloud. FortiSASE now offers expanded Secure SD-WAN hub connectivity to support even larger global hybrid networks with seamless on-premises integration, providing secure access to corporate applications.

Secure SaaS Access: Comprehensive Visibility and Control for SaaS Applications

FortiSASE has been enhanced with CASB innovations that expand application coverage and provide deeper control of SaaS application behavior and the ability to restrict tenants' access control.

Reduce Complexity and Improve Security with Single-Vendor SASE

Every organization is unique. Some are implementing controls inside data centers and in the cloud and offering secure connectivity across branches, campuses, and manufacturing facilities. Others are implementing SD-WAN for application-steering needs, while others are taking the next step and adding secure remote access through SASE.

No matter what your situation is, our goal at Fortinet is to help unify your security and networking solutions. Converged technologies like single-vendor SASE are the best way to reduce complexity, increase security effectiveness, and ensure a consistent and reliable user experience across today's expanding networks.

Learn more about how FortiSASE provides cloud-delivered security and networking for remote users.