PAC Predictions 2021: Secure access service edge (SASE) becomes the must-have cyber service

As enterprises remodel their infrastructure – with a trend favoring decentralization – the surface area for potential attacks is increasing considerably. In parallel to still evolving solutions like cloud access security brokers (CASB), there has been discussion within the industry of the need for a new class of solution – secure access service edge (SASE). An approach which combines network and network security capabilities as a service. Although widely talked up by new and existing vendors, the service has specific benefits for the many organizations that face a growing need to enable distributed applications for distributed users, in a highly dynamic environment.

SASE was originally discussed as a potential, slightly theoretical solution to bridge the evolving patterns of network utilization and delivery, together with the need for more broadly distributed security, delivered as a cloud-like service. However, over the past 12 months, the concept has gained significant momentum in the market. Many vendors have rushed to communicate the availability of their SASE solutions.

A key driver of changing behavior is the much more decentralized pattern of IT today. The most widely used applications are often delivered as SaaS from multiple locations around the world, from data centers that are completely outside the IT user organization’s control. Internal applications can be delivered from multiple locations, most commonly via a corporate network which is today often an SD-WAN. And even before the current pandemic, there was increasing demand for remote access to applications, a demand that has obviously increased dramatically as staff move to work from home. PAC expects a strong market demand for SASE consulting and solutions over the next 18+ months.
 

Learn more about the top 10 IT trends, which we believe will have the greatest impact in 2021.