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The following is derived from the new book, Modern SD-WAN for SASE for Dummies, Netskope Special Edition. Click here to get your complimentary copy.
For decades, computer networking has powered our businesses, our communities, and our lives. As computing and the digital world have evolved, enterprise networking has struggled to keep up. Local area networks (LANs) gave way to MPLS WANs and MPLS WANs gave way to SD-WANs. Out with the old, in with the new.
Traditional SD-WAN has reached a breaking point!
We have already entered a new era of networking, driven by enterprises becoming borderless, in which users, devices, sites, and clouds are all connected in numerous ways. This is shaping a networking landscape characterized by extensive many-to-many connectivity. As the enterprise became borderless, the perimeter transformed and expanded beyond branches to include micro branches, coffee shops, users’ remote locations, internet of things (IoT) devices, and multiple cloud environments. The common requirement here is that all these things need to be secured and optimized—security can’t be sacrificed for network performance, or vice versa.
Network architects started deploying multiple point products for security and connectivity to address these newly emerged edges or perimeters. But this approach led to a network full of disparate and disjointed technologies that were forced to work together. A fragmented architecture can’t consistently apply security or quality of experience (QoE) policies across all users, devices, sites, and multiple clouds. The result often proved overly complicated from both an end-user and IT Ops perspective. SD-WAN has, itself, reached a major turning point (some might even say breaking point) because it can’t handle a many-to-many world.
Netskope One SD-WAN is the Modern SD-WAN for SASE
The goal of the Borderless SD-WAN is to allow any person, site, device or cloud to have secure, and optimized connectivity and accelerate the path to SASE adoption. Borderless SD-WAN provides the versatility to meet various enterprise deployment requirements. For instance, within the realms of computing, networking, and security, six distinct scenarios are currently challenging conventional SD-WAN and demanding a fresh approach. Borderless SD-WAN provides:
1. Secure SD-WAN: Traditional SD-WAN augmented expensive MPLS with high-bandwidth, low-cost internet links and delivered the same level of performance over commodity broadband links with application-aware visibility and control. The evolving enterprise now needs zero trust-enabled, context-aware SD-WAN to provide fast, reliable, and secure access to any user, device (IT/IoT/OT), and application at any location, with full visibility, and the right set of controls for 85k+ cloud, web, and SaaS apps. This is possible using contextual policies that include understanding applications, application risks, users, user risks, devices, and device risks, all of which make network operations more intelligent and more secure.
2. Micro branch: A micro branch may have only a few users or devices, but their needs for connectivity, QoS, and security equal those of a conventional branch office. Netskope One SD-WAN provides lightweight software that resides on a compact secure access service edge (SASE) gateway, a hardware device that converges capabilities, such as SD-WAN, 5G Wi-Fi, routing, AppFW, IDS/IPS, Publisher, and additional edge compute powered custom and partner services with app-store-like ease of operations in an all-in-one fashion, all operated from one console and governed by one policy. Moreover, organizations can effortlessly achieve comprehensive security seamlessly through one-click integration with Netskope One Security Service Edge (SSE).
3. Endpoint SD-WAN: Secure and high-performance remote access is often achieved through an SD-WAN device combined with virtual private network (VPN) software clients. The dual dependence on an SD-WAN device and VPN also means companies must juggle multiple vendors, devices, and cost centers, which is unscalable. SD-WAN capabilities running on a laptop can significantly improve the user’s experience even in places where internet links are not reliable. Network operators gain full visibility into all applications and links being used, aiding in troubleshooting. Netskope Private Access seamlessly converges SD-WAN and ZTNA into a single unified SASE client, completely replacing remote access VPNs while enhancing security and optimizing application access.
4. Wireless WAN: To overcome long broadband installation lead times, complex network configurations, and hard-to-connect legacy equipment, Netskope delivers a secure, high-performance, cloud-managed Wireless WAN. This flexible architecture enables rapid connectivity for kiosks, ATM machines, SOHO locations, pop-up stores, factory branches, and remote sites of any size—anywhere in the world. With centralized cloud management and built-in security, Netskope Wireless WAN is easy to deploy, simple to operate, and designed to scale as business needs evolve.
5. Multi-cloud networking: Companies are looking for a networking solution that provides secure connectivity to multi-cloud environments. However, this often results in multiple point products—one for multi-cloud connectivity and another inserting security —leading to more complexity. Netskope One SD-WAN offers a multi-cloud networking solution to enable policy-driven app to app communication, automation, and a unified dashboard for streamlined management. It provides visibility and control of inter-cloud connections and offers one-click connectivity from multi-cloud environments to Netskope One SSE, enhancing security. This holistic approach addresses the complexities of multi-cloud networking, eliminating the need for multiple point products and simplifying operations.
6. IoT security: Discover and autonomously categorize both managed and unmanaged IP-connected devices within the network using Device Intelligence, which runs as an on-demand service concurrently with SD-WAN on the Netskope One Gateway. Device Intelligence uses AI/ML-driven IoT/OT device discovery and risk assessment to dynamically inform SSE, SD-WAN, and SD-LAN policies, enabling real-time security decisions. For example, if a video camera with a low risk score of 50 initiates abnormal SSH activity, its score can jump to 95—triggering an SD-LAN policy update to dynamically microsegment the device across existing switches and access points, isolating it and preventing lateral movement of threats.
Unlocking the Future of Networking and Security with Netskope One SASE
Build a powerful single-vendor SASE architecture with the seamless integration of Netskope One SD-WAN with Netskope One SSE. Netskope One SASE is powered by the NewEdge network, which converges networking and security at scale. It offers extensive global coverage across 70+ regions and low-latency on-ramps, ensuring optimal connectivity for cloud, web, SaaS, and private applications. Simplify your network and security with this seamless single-vendor architecture.
To read more about these six scenarios—and how Netskope One SD-WAN can help overcome the challenges they present, visit the Netskope One Converged Access page and download your copy of Modern SD-WAN for SASE For Dummies, Netskope Special Edition.
We are also excited to launch the Netskope One SD-WAN and the Netskope One SD-WAN Advanced workshops, which cover advanced features and deployment scenarios.
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