Always remember to check your blind spots
The words of warning from your driving instructor probably still ring in your ears as you attempt an overtake on the M3. That awareness is imperative for your safety, and can save you from fines, penalties, and other grievous consequences.
This isn’t, however, an article on road safety – we’re here to talk about SASE and its own blind spot.
Secure access service edge (SASE) is often seen as the present and future of networking and security. Combining these two functionalities promises an all-in-one approach to secure, high-performing networks. But what those vendors aren’t telling you is that, without a resilient, always-on network, SASE can’t meet its full potential.
There’s the blind spot; the critical role of the network underlay. Without well-managed network connectivity provided by a reliable managed service provider (MSP), SASE alone can’t solve inefficient networks or guarantee seamless security.
SASE needs the network
When talking about SASE, vendors tend to focus primarily on the overlay networking and security features. SASE is an integration of software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) and secure service edge (SSE) and creates a more holistic approach to network security. 82% of European businesses see SASE adoption as a top priority for their organisation.
That’s all well and good, but it’s the quality of the network itself that’s often forgotten. A poorly designed, inefficient network infrastructure can lead to:
- High latency, as data traffic takes longer to travel from one point of the network to another
- Security vulnerabilities, since incorrect configurations increases the network’s attack surface
- Operational disruptions, including network downtime and generally slow network speeds
According to Gartner’s 2023 Flex Report, 45% of enterprises struggle with SASE performance due to an inadequate network foundation. Without a high-performing, resilient underlay, businesses won’t be able to fully realise the benefits of their SASE investment.
Don’t underappreciate the underlay
SASE’s success stems from a network that delivers consistent, high-speed, and secure connectivity. An unreliable infrastructure impacts business critical operations, and employees will find it difficult to do their jobs. With 62% of remote workers relying on technology to stay connected with their colleagues, that reliable network is a necessity, rather than a nice-to-have.
The cloud-based nature of SASE only makes the need for that complete network infrastructure more pressing. The flexibility and scalability SASE provides can be found lacking if the network isn’t present. If businesses can’t scale appropriately, then their goals for long-term growth will be left unachieved.
Downtime, poor-quality connections, and security gaps can further hinder performance, and only drums home the point of having a stable network underlay. This is where an experienced MSP plays a crucial role in providing an optimised network that’s secure and ready to support SASE deployment effectively.
Costs and complexities of poorly integrated SASE
Vendor-led SASE solutions often fail to account for network integration. That failure to align the SASE overlay with the network underlay means businesses will have to deal with various challenges post-adoption. Each one of them can prove to be costly.
Let’s first focus on the hidden costs behind such a disjointed service. Management overheads sharply increase, and a greater portion of IT budgets are dedicated towards resolving performance issues and addressing infrastructure gaps. The overall degradation of the network itself negatively impacts user productivity, as slow connectivity and lost productivity costs the UK £11 billion a year.
The fragmentation between security and networking can also create gaps in security itself and compliancy. If policies between the overlay and the underlay are misaligned, and data traffic isn’t being inspected properly, then data breaches can become a possibility. In the wake of a breach, 46% of organisations have reported reputational damage, and might face additional fines in more serious cases.
This poorly integrated SASE solution makes it difficult for IT teams to gain end-to-end visibility of the network and implement troubleshooting efforts. Data traffic patterns become unpredictable, and soon difficulties arise over solving issues and efficiently routing traffic itself. It all adds towards an inefficient, misaligned, and overly complex infrastructure.
Of course, all this can be avoided by choosing the right MSP in the first place…
Always start with the partner in mind
Businesses shouldn’t see SASE as a standalone solution; rather, it’s best to first establish that resilient, high-performing network that supports SASE. With those foundations in place, SASE can become the high-performing, secure and scalable solution that it’s supposed to be.
Managed networks from Gamma helps to minimise inefficiencies through a fully managed, end-to-end networking and security service. An optimised network underlay can support SASE functionality effectively, and is a key benefit that comes when opting for a single-vendor solution. Alongside that, expert guidance is always at hand to navigate the complexities of SASE adoption and avoid any common pitfalls.
Partnering with an MSP like Gamma allows businesses to build that high-performing network infrastructure that takes SASE further. That networking assurance takes the sting away from that troublesome blind spot.
Always check for those blind spots – we, or your driving instructor, don’t need to tell you twice.