223 is set to be the year that SASE takes centre-stage. With a promising future ahead of it, the cloud-based, as-a-Service model ticks off a number of current consumer trends and needs at once, creating what could be the biggest cybersecurity opportunity for partners today.
What is SASE?
Secure access service edge (SASE) is a framework that bundles networking and security into a single, unified cloud-delivered service. SASE typically consists of five elements: SD-WAN, Firewall-as-a-Service, secure web gateway (SWG), cloud security broker, and zero trust network access. These five elements come together to create streamlined, secure network access for users anywhere and everywhere.
What does SASE mean for my end-customers?
In the current work-from-anywhere climate, SASE is an obvious choice for businesses looking to connect and secure their users and devices. With it, end-customers stand to benefit from:
- Security on the go: the SASE architecture methodology allows for users to securely access apps wherever they are, in a consistent, user-friendly way
- Scalability: SASE’s cloud-based nature allows end-customers to easily scale and adapt in line with business needs
- Improved security: SASE’s advanced security functions (firewall, VPN, zero trust network access) helps to protect organisations against cyber threats
- Cost reduction: SASE allows customers to pay for what they need on a subscription basis and doesn’t require investment in any on-premises hardware
Today, SASE is considered the security ‘gold standard’ for the modern enterprise – and it’s clear why. As a cloud-delivered and as-a-Service model, SASE ticks two major boxes in how end-customers want to consume their security solutions. SASE is also, in many ways, an antidote to the security implications of digital transformation, helping protect workloads in the cloud and enabling secure remote working.
So, it’s unsurprising that Gartner predicts an increase in worldwide end-user SASE spending, estimating a reach of $9.2 billion this year (up 39% from 2022).
What does this mean for me?
Partners have a serendipitous opportunity in SASE. As digital transformation, as-a-Service models, and work-from-anywhere continue to trend, SASE remains the most relevant, holistic solution for the modern enterprise.
Since SASE is relatively new, you can get ahead of the competition by adding it to your portfolio. But of course, that newness also presents a knowledge barrier. That’s why choice of distributor is so important; by working with a distributor that can provide design, implementation, and maintenance training, as well as pre- and post-sales support, you can confidently and effectively deliver SASE solutions.
SASE also allows you to get a step closer to your customers’ business transformations. This means you can build strategic partnerships with your vendors and position yourself as trusted IT strategy advisers.
Of course, offering SASE is not a tick-box exercise, and you shouldn’t expect to hit maximum SASE output overnight. But SASE is the future, so there’s no better time to start than today.
Are you SASE ready? Find out where you are in your journey and where to go next with our SASE self-assessment tool.