Managed security services providers (MSSPs) face challenges as they try to stay competitive in the rapidly evolving networking market while helping their customers defend against increasingly sophisticated threats. Fortunately, with secure access service edge (SASE), MSSPs have a solution that can help their enterprise customers better manage complex hybrid network environments without sacrificing cybersecurity.

As a cloud architecture that combines security service edge (SSE) and SD-WAN solutions, SASE has multiple embedded technologies. On the cloud security services side of SASE, there are three main elements: secure web gateway (SWG), zero-trust network access (ZTNA), and cloud access security broker (CASB).

On the networking side, SASE features software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN), Firewall-as-a-Service (FWaaS), bi-directional access to the web, and unified management.

Why MSSPs Are Embracing SASE

As SASE adoption increases with IT teams at businesses and organizations worldwide, many MSSPs see the benefits for their customers and their services strategies. SASE permits organizations to have secure access no matter where their users, workloads, devices, or applications are located. Currently, there are four key drivers of SASE adoption:

1. The convergence of networking and security
2. The shift from the on-premises proxy as applications are moving to the cloud
3. The growth of the work-from-anywhere (WFA) hybrid workforce
4. The trend toward vendor consolidation for cost-savings and efficiency

At Fortinet, our MSSP partners tell us that many enterprises plan to consolidate platforms. In addition to using fewer vendors to simplify and streamline operations, CISOs and CIOs are also looking to reduce expenses.

SASE helps IT teams simplify their operations and reduce the complexity that exists in the network. SASE's consolidation and convergence abilities provide organizations with better user experience, bi-directional access to the web, and unified management. With SD-WAN as a foundational element, a SASE solution also offers access to applications that is faster, more reliable, and more secure.

Additionally, because the global threat landscape is constantly growing and evolving, threats can proliferate quicker than ever before. Therefore, the only way for organizations to react fast enough is by using one unified, integrated platform that can then be expanded and extended. SASE can enable a single set of security profiles across users, applications, and devices. Many MSSPs know that they cannot adequately support their customers with legacy solutions against the increasing scale and speed of these modern threats, and this is why they are embracing SASE solutions.

The Evolution of SASE = Unified SASE

The next step in SASE's evolution is the unified SASE solution that features the benefits of a single-vendor approach. It's possible to create a unified SASE solution by combining technologies from different vendors. But many organizations prefer a single-vendor SASE approach that has all of the security and networking tools controlled and consolidated under the same umbrella of just one vendor's management console.

Some organizations rely on a "dual-vendor SASE" approach that features one vendor for the security services side of SASE and one vendor for the networking side, but Fortinet doesn't believe that's the future of SASE.

Savvy MSSPs are connecting with single-vendor SASE providers like Fortinet because we provide the solutions that the networking and cybersecurity market demands. The benefits of working with a single vendor who has done all the integration work with its products are significant. MSSPs and their customers can be assured that the connection between SD-WAN and SASE has been well thought out and fully integrated.

When an MSSP chooses a SASE vendor to partner with, it must not forget to consider the costs it will take to manage and maintain the solution. Also, there's a great need for a simple on-demand licensing approach that allows an organization to procure services in a much easier fashion while giving them the flexibility to turn it on and use different form factors of the solution. The promise of SASE can only be fully realized if there's also a simplification of how it is procured and how much it costs.

Why MSSPs Should Consider Fortinet Unified SASE

Many SASE vendors now supply a set of services, and some of these services cross over into the services MSSPs provide. This challenges an MSSP to ensure they're partnering with a vendor complementary to their services strategy and what they're offering their customers.

There is another often overlooked key consideration for MSSPs when forming a partnership with a SASE vendor. Because all SASE solutions are inherently multi-tenant, it is important that the solution not allow for one customer's data to co-mingle with another customer's data. A SASE vendor must ensure its solution complies with standard data regulations and segregation requirements.

MSSPs should prioritize a vendor capable of meeting the above mentioned capabilities and providing a single-vendor SASE platform like Fortinet Unified SASE. Unlike other SASE solutions, Fortinet Unified SASE is a solution that has all its security and networking technologies supplied internally. This means all the SASE components are controlled and unified within one management console and a common data protection policy across use cases. Fortinet Unified SASE provides a common set of security applications independent of the device, application, or user.

Conclusion

SASE is valuable because it helps reduce costs and consolidate solution sprawl, all without sacrificing security. With SASE, remote, on-site, and hybrid users are all protected by a unified set of security profiles, regardless of location. The future of SASE is bright as solutions such as Fortinet Unified SASE open up a world of benefits to MSSPs and their customers.