Hybrid work drives demand for SASE, zero-trust networking
Date of creation: March 31, 2024, 12:44 p.m. From SITE: https://www.computerweekly.com Original page link
Original page content IT leaders are “drowning in complexity” as they battle to manage hybrid workforces, cloud adoption and the ever-evolving threat landscape, with more than four in five saying hybrid work is driving demand for secure access service edge (SASE), software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) and zero-trust networking, which are rapidly becoming essential tools for navigating the realities of the new complex work environment, according to research from Aryaka. The service provider’s 2024 secure network transformation report surveyed 202 IT, security and network leaders across North America, EMEA and Asia. Revealing the industry's changing landscape, it found five key trends emerging, which are: Networking and security are converging and IT leaders realise the benefits; SD-WAN and SASE have reached maturity and are viable solutions; Demand for cloud services and AI will drive SD-WAN and SASE adoption; "Hybrid everything" is the future with a hybrid workforce and hybrid app deployments; Zero-trust and application-level security continue to be critical to support "hybrid everything". The report found the rise of hybrid work arrangements, coupled with hybrid infrastructure and security deployments, was fuelling the need for adaptable and secure network solutions. Noting the 81% of companies which said that hybrid work was driving demand for SASE and zero-trust networking, Aryaka said this highlighted the critical role these technologies play in connecting a complex, hybrid world. SASE and SD-WAN are no longer seen as niche solutions, said the report. As many as 84% of respondents believed SASE was either mature or somewhat mature, with 91% saying the same about SD-WAN. Such recognition, observed Aryaka, positions SASE and SD-WAN as trusted, complementary tools for modern network security strategies. In addition, 70% of respondents indicated that they see value in converging SASE and SD-WAN solutions. The primary benefits for doing so were multi-pronged - 34% wanted more robust network operations and security; 24% wanted less operational burden; and 19% wanted vendor consolidation. Zero-trust networking was seen as becoming a cornerstone of hybrid-work security. The report revealed that as more organisations embrace hybrid work, securing access points becomes paramount. Almost two-thirds (64%) of survey respondents considered zero-trust security a crucial component of SASE for hybrid-work deployments. The report also confirmed the continued momentum from enterprises moving away from expensive legacy multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) services. Three-quarters of respondents were planning to eliminate MPLS, either in the immediate future or in the next two-to-three years. Moreover, and significantly, a tenth of respondents had already eliminated MPLS completely. Examining future technologies, the report warned that the exponential growth of cloud-based applications and services, including artificial intelligence (AI), was placing a notable strain on traditional network architectures. Aryaka stressed that such modern applications require secure, high-performance connections that can dynamically adapt to changing traffic patterns. The report found that 67% of respondents see managed services and SASE playing a greater role in managing these complex environments. "Our report shows that the IT and network security landscape is undergoing a major transformation driven by the rise of hybrid work models and the ever-increasing adoption of AI and cloud-based applications and services," said Aryaka chief revenue officer Pete Harteveld. Read more about SASE and SD-WAN Satellite firm neXat looks to enhance critical communications with SD-WAN: Business connectivity provider looks to improve communications in key vertical through software-defined wide area network integrating configuration, monitoring and control into a single user platform. SD-WAN deployments feed SASE network and security convergence: Enterprise Strategy Group's Bob Laliberte discusses the latest findings in his newly released report and why SD-WAN's direct cloud connectivity feeds SASE business initiatives. Aryaka advances network, security convergence with SASE as a service: Cloud-based software-defined networking and security services provider claims to transform global secure networking with unified secure access service edge solution. | Aryaka report finds five key trends with 70% of CISOs seeking secure access service edge and software-defined WAN convergence for simplified infrastructure management
Date of avatar: March 31, 2024, 6:45 p.m.
Tags: secure network solutions, sd-wan, convergence, managing, zero-trust networking, sase, it leaders, maturity, hybrid workforces, complexity
Content: # Part 1: The Complexity of Managing Hybrid Workforces and the Need for Secure Network Solutions IT leaders are facing significant challenges as they navigate the complexities of managing hybrid workforces, cloud adoption, and evolving cybersecurity threats. According to a recent report from Aryaka, more than four in five IT leaders are turning to secure access service edge (SASE), software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN), and zero-trust networking to address these challenges. The report, which surveyed 202 IT, security, and network leaders across North America, EMEA, and Asia, highlights the changing landscape of the industry and identifies five key trends. # Part 2: Convergence of Networking and Security, and the Maturity of SD-WAN and SASE The report reveals that networking and security are converging, and IT leaders are recognizing the benefits of this convergence. SD-WAN and SASE have reached maturity and are now considered viable solutions for navigating the complexities of the new work environment. The demand for cloud services and AI is driving the adoption of SD-WAN and SASE. Additionally, the future is predicted to be "hybrid everything," with a focus on hybrid workforces and hybrid app deployments. Zero-trust and application-level security continue to be critical in supporting this hybrid environment. # Part 3: The Role of SASE, SD-WAN, and Zero-Trust Networking in Secure Network Solutions The rise of hybrid work arrangements, coupled with hybrid infrastructure and security deployments, is fueling the need for adaptable and secure network solutions. The report emphasizes the critical role of SASE and zero-trust networking in connecting a complex, hybrid world. SASE and SD-WAN are no longer considered niche solutions, with a majority of respondents recognizing their maturity. The convergence of SASE and SD-WAN is seen as beneficial, providing robust network operations and security, reducing operational burden, and enabling vendor consolidation. Zero-trust networking is becoming a cornerstone of hybrid-work security, with an increasing number of organizations considering it crucial for SASE deployments. The report also highlights the shift away from legacy MPLS services, with three-quarters of respondents planning to eliminate MPLS in the near future. Finally, the exponential growth of cloud-based applications and AI is placing strain on traditional network architectures, driving the need for secure, high-performance connections that can adapt to changing traffic patterns. Managed services and SASE are expected to play a greater role in managing these complex environments.
Date of avatar: March 31, 2024, 12:56 p.m.
Tags: artificial intelligence ai, hybrid workforces, access points security, secure access service edge sase, cloud adoption, cloud services, it leaders, hybrid everything, hybrid work arrangements, software-defined wide area networking sd-wan, threat landscape, networking and security convergence, sase maturity, cloud-based applications., zero-trust networking, sd-wan maturity, adaptable network solutions, mpls elimination, complexity, zero-trust security
Content: IT leaders are facing overwhelming complexity as they navigate the challenges of managing hybrid workforces, cloud adoption, and an ever-changing threat landscape. According to a recent report from Aryaka, more than four in five IT leaders believe that hybrid work is driving the need for secure access service edge (SASE), software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN), and zero-trust networking. The report, which surveyed 202 IT, security, and network leaders across North America, EMEA, and Asia, identified five key trends in the industry. First, networking and security are converging, and IT leaders are recognizing the benefits of this convergence. Second, SD-WAN and SASE have reached maturity and are now seen as viable solutions. Third, the demand for cloud services and artificial intelligence (AI) will drive the adoption of SD-WAN and SASE. Fourth, the future is "hybrid everything," with a hybrid workforce and hybrid app deployments becoming the norm. And finally, zero-trust and application-level security are crucial in supporting this hybrid environment. The rise of hybrid work arrangements, coupled with hybrid infrastructure and security deployments, has created a demand for adaptable and secure network solutions. The report highlights that 81% of companies see hybrid work driving the need for SASE and zero-trust networking, underscoring the critical role these technologies play in connecting a complex, hybrid world. SASE and SD-WAN are no longer niche solutions, according to the report. A majority of respondents (84%) believe that SASE is either mature or somewhat mature, and 91% say the same about SD-WAN. This recognition positions SASE and SD-WAN as trusted tools for modern network security strategies. In fact, 70% of respondents see value in converging SASE and SD-WAN solutions, citing benefits such as more robust network operations and security, reduced operational burden, and vendor consolidation. Zero-trust networking is emerging as a cornerstone of hybrid-work security. As more organizations embrace hybrid work, securing access points becomes paramount. The report found that 64% of respondents consider zero-trust security a crucial component of SASE for hybrid-work deployments. The report also confirms the ongoing trend of enterprises moving away from expensive legacy MPLS services. Three-quarters of respondents plan to eliminate MPLS in the near future, with a tenth of respondents having already done so. Looking ahead, the report emphasizes the strain that cloud-based applications and services, including AI, are placing on traditional
Date of avatar: March 31, 2024, 12:55 p.m.
Tags: converging solutions, software-defined wide area networking sd-wan, cloud adoption, maturity of sd-wan and sase, zero-trust networking, zero-trust and application-level security, cloud services and ai, evolving security threats, networking and security convergence, hybrid workforces, it leaders, hybrid workforce and app deployments, network security strategies, secure network solutions., secure access service edge sase
Content: IT leaders are facing increasing complexity in managing hybrid workforces, cloud adoption, and evolving security threats. A report from Aryaka reveals that hybrid work is driving demand for secure access service edge (SASE), software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN), and zero-trust networking. The report highlights five key trends: networking and security convergence, maturity of SD-WAN and SASE, cloud services and AI driving adoption of SD-WAN and SASE, the future of a hybrid workforce and app deployments, and the critical role of zero-trust and application-level security. The report also shows that SASE and SD-WAN are now seen as trusted tools for network security strategies, with 70% of respondents seeing value in converging the two solutions. Additionally, zero-trust networking is becoming crucial for securing hybrid work environments. The report emphasizes the need for adaptable and secure network solutions in the face of hybrid work arrangements and deployments.