Top Features to Look for in Secure Connectivity as a Service Provider
Secure connectivity as a service offers true end-to-end security. Instead of backhauling data and applications to centralized servers for security inspection, cloud-based SASE uses unified threat prevention to enforce policies directly at the network and application edge. It also offers limitless scalability when delivered as a managed service, which reduces deployment times from weeks to hours.
Scalability
The scalability that secures connectivity as service providers provide allows businesses to handle traffic increases without deploying and maintaining additional hardware. As a result, they save on operational costs while maintaining an always-available solution that provides maximum performance and security. The ability to scale a network can be compared to how retail department stores hire seasonal workers before the holidays to help with the shopping rush. Scalability gives businesses the flexibility to add more resources if there is a sudden increase in traffic and decrease them when demand goes down. A cloud architecture model like SASE (secure access service edge) combines SD-WAN, content delivery, internet access, CASB functionality, and VPN replacement into a single cloud-based solution that simplifies WAN deployments and improves performance and security. SASE solutions also support zero-trust policies, allowing employees, customers, and partners to connect to the network via simple, standard protocols without requiring a VPN. These features allow companies to expand their networks and handle increasing traffic and new devices without compromising application performance or workflows. Choosing a secure connection solution with a centralized management platform can save IT teams from paying for hardware, software, and security upgrades whenever the technology requires an upgrade. This also enables IT to avoid the need for costly upgrades that can be disruptive to business operations.
End-to-End Visibility
Consumers today expect transparency and visibility throughout the supply chain. They want to know where their shipment is at all times, how long it will take to arrive, and who their contact is in case of a problem. Visibility is also critical for businesses, as they need to be able to provide customers with this information to manage expectations and deliver on their promises. Visibility improves responsiveness, allowing companies to anticipate better and mitigate supply chain disruptions. This can improve strategic sourcing and simplify concurrent process optimization. In addition, it can enable better inventory management through better demand forecasting and more accurate safety stock and turnover rate optimization. Visibility enables IoT resiliency, with the ability to monitor and troubleshoot connectivity across various sites, providers, and devices. This can be important for various industries, including utilities, transportation networks, and manufacturing facilities, where network performance is critical to operational continuity.
Enhanced Security
With data, applications, and devices increasingly moving outside the network perimeter, security must be a core part of connectivity services. CSPs that offer SASE deliver advanced features, such as cloud-secure web gateways, DNS, unified threat protection, and more. With security integrated as a unified service, enterprises can avoid the risk of hardware investments and siloed solutions that leave gaps.
As a result, SASE addresses emerging threats and reduces the attack surface. This enables organizations to protect mobile workers, branch offices, and remote users without creating additional entry points for attacks (such as VPNs and demilitarized zones). Consumers are aware of the risks of cyberattacks, such as identity theft and credit card fraud, and expect their communications service providers to provide security. Seventy-eight percent of consumers believe that the companies they use should take steps to safeguard their personal and sensitive information.
Reliability
Network reliability is a key factor to consider when building a network pipeline. An unreliable network can cost your business significant productivity, revenue, trust, and reputation losses.
While many organizations focus on monitoring network availability, it’s important to look at availability and reliability together to assess infrastructure performance. Network reliability highlights how well the network can run to support functional processes, whereas network availability measures how quickly and efficiently the infrastructure is accessible. Reducing application latency and providing secure cloud and remote connectivity remain top business priorities as networks evolve. In a world where consumers expect 247, 365 network access to their favorite apps without interruptions or errors, reliable connections are crucial. This is where secure connectivity as a service provider comes in.
Flexibility
Many businesses are turning to connectivity as a service (CaaS) to offload the day-to-day network management tasks to an expert third party. With a CaaS model, companies can get all the functionality of an enterprise network at a predictable monthly price, including equipment, management, support, and automatic upgrades. This allows businesses to move from capital expenses (CapEx) to operational costs (OpEx), so they only pay for their needs. CaaS also helps reduce WAN, cloud, and edge access costs. Traditional network configurations such as VPNs and multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) connections can drain bandwidth, cause performance and productivity issues, and be difficult to scale for remote and mobile workers. CaaS solutions can replace these costly, complex, and restrictive networks with a single global network fabric that supports secure cloud and edge connectivity, lowering both CAPex and OpEx costs.