What is SASE? Secure Access Service Edge

2 min readJan 28, 2022

Secure Access Service Edge is a cloud-based service for streamlining network access, improving security, boosting network performance and reducing the number of vendors into a single service provider. SASE was coined by the global research and advisory firm Gartner.

SASE networks are flexible and scalable, able to connect globally distributed employees and offices across any location and via any device in an attempt to meet the challenges of digital business transformation, edge computing, and workforce mobility.

An image depicting SASE network and security model

SASE combines WAN capabilities and cloud-native network security services including zero-trust network access, secure web gateways, cloud access security brokers and firewalls-as-a-service (FWaaS).

Core Security Components:

1. Secure Web Gateways (SWG):

SWG prevents cyber threats and data breaches by filtering unwanted content from web traffic, blocking unauthorized user behaviour, and enforcing company security policies. SWG’s are also ideal for providing security for remote workforces based on their ability to be deployed in a distributed environment.

2. Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB):

A CASB performs several security functions for cloud-hosted services including revealing shadow IT (unauthorized corporate systems) and securing confidential data through access control ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations.

3. Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA):

ZTNA platforms help defend against potential data breaches by locking down all internal resources, applications and devices from public view by requiring real-time verification of every user.

4. Firewall-as-a-Service (FWaaS):

FWaaS refers to firewalls delivered from the cloud as a service that protects cloud-based platforms, infrastructure, and applications from cyber-attacks. FWaaS is a set of security capabilities that includes URL filtering, intrusion prevention, and uniform policy management across all network traffic.

Benefits:

Ease of use
Transparency
Effective network access and security
Enhanced performance through latency-optimized routing
Zero trust network access enablement
Superior quality of service

SASE and Payoda

While SASE has received a lot of attention from networking and security vendors and the media, we feel the primary theory underlying it — the idea that data centre security and network architectures have become ineffective -is what makes it most interesting. Payoda keeps its word by lowering risk profiles and optimising hybrid enterprise networks to support and secure users wherever they are, with consistent security at all network edges.

Authored by: Ashwin Balasubramaniam