In recent years, the concept of secure access service edge (SASE) has emerged as a framework to address the dual challenge of securing data across hybrid networks while ensuring seamless user experiences. However, SASE frameworks, technologies, and use cases aren't the same for every organization.

While many initially associated SASE only with VPN replacement, it's crucial to understand that this is just one of many potential applications today. The reality is that there is often still some confusion among organizations about the different components of a unified SASE approach.

“SASE means a lot of things; it is a framework, which has many use cases and many ways to deploy,” Nirav Shah, VP of products and solutions at Fortinet, said. “Because SASE is a framework that includes so many different components, it all boils down to how an organization can deploy this in the simplest way possible.” SASE in the enterprise IT journey SASE is more than just a buzzword; it's a comprehensive approach that combines networking and security capabilities.

“At its core, SASE includes SD-WAN and cloud-delivered security service edge (SSE),” Shah explained.

For organizations yet to embark on their SASE journey, Fortinet sees several common entry points:

• Point product consolidation:  Many organizations have different point products for cloud access security broker (CASB), legacy proxy, VPN, and zero-trust network access (ZTNA). A key focus for those organizations is how to reduce the number of point products. Consolidation with SASE will help to reduce complexity and lower costs.
• Building on an SD-WAN foundation: For some organizations the starting point is with a foundation of SD-WAN and then expanding it with SSE.
• VPN replacement: SASE is also widely deployed by organizations as replacement for legacy, inflexible VPN solutions as well.

Moving towards a unified SASE approach While combining SD-WAN and SSE is at the heart of SASE, organizations need more than just those elements.

Shah explained that Fortinet's vision for unified SASE centers on simplification and integration. The approach involves providing all SASE capabilities through a single, unified console. This integration is not merely superficial, it's an integration that has occurred over many years and is bolstered with a unified policy on top.

Unified SASE provides many benefits. It enables AI-powered security which can be applied consistently across the SASE framework. Unified SASE also brings simplicity, ease of management, and a consistent networking experience across the entire infrastructure. Integrated threat intelligence brings further benefits, delivering best of breed security to prevent known and unknown threats.

“What unified SASE means to us is that a vendor needs to provide all the capabilities in a single console,” Shah said. “So if a user wants to configure SASE services they don't need to go to three or four consoles, there is a one unified console that we provide with FortiSASE that can allow users to configure capabilities from a single console.”

The unified approach goes even further than the console. Shah added that beyond just a single console, Unified SASE has a single operating system, analytics engine and a unified endpoint agent.

Unified SASE use cases The unified SASE model that Fortinet is advancing with its technology can support a wide range of use cases.

Some key scenarios include:

• SD-WAN deployment: Ensuring optimal user experience for branch and campus locations.
• Secure remote access: Providing secure internet access for remote users through cloud-delivered security services.
• ZTNA: Enabling secure private access to applications in the cloud or data centers.
• SaaS security: Implementing DLP and CASB functionality with both inline and API for secure SaaS access.
• Wireless integration: Connecting access points directly to the security service edge for flexible deployment options.

While providing capabilities is important, what really matters to most end users is the actual experience. That's where Digital Experience Monitoring comes into play. In addition to the connectivity and security capabilities that the unified SASE approach provides, Fortinet has also integrated Digital Experience Monitoring to help ensure that user experience meets the goals and targets of the organization.

The metrics that matter for unified SASE In networking, uptime has long been a cornerstone metric, while security is always concerned about limiting risk.

The key metrics that matter for a unified SASE deployment include:

Cost savings: Shah noted that a large mining company was able to reduce costs by 70% by standardizing on Fortinet's unified SASE solution instead of using multiple vendors for different components.

Reduced network disruptions and trouble tickets: Organizations want to see a reduction in the number of network disruptions and trouble tickets from employees, as this allows the IT team to focus on more strategic initiatives.

Improved user productivity and experience: Ensuring seamless application access and performance for remote workers is a key metric, as it directly impacts employee productivity.

Improved security visibility and risk reduction: The unified platform provides better visibility into security incidents and threats, with consistent security posture across all users, allowing for faster detection and mitigation.

How to choose the right SASE solution There are many different SASE technologies available in the market today. When evaluating SASE technologies, organizations should consider several key factors:

1. Organic integration and unified policy: SASE frameworks have many different components and as such it's critical to understand how a vendor integrates them all.
2. Strong security and threat intelligence: Successful SASE deployments required strong security and threat intelligence that benefit from an AI-powered approach. Check out if your SASE vendor of interest is developing security features organically or leveraging OEM.
3. Unified agent: Having a unified policy is great; having a unified agent for SASE that combines SSE, Digital Experience Monitoring, Endpoint protection and more is even better.
4. Platform approach: Organizations need to look at SASE in the context of a platform that will typically include hybrid infrastructure deployment requirements. Companies have offices, factories, cloud and remote workforces and they need to choose a vendor who can provide consistent security and innovation across the network.

Unified SASE isn't merely about consolidating tools or simplifying management; it's about fundamentally reimagining how organizations can achieve seamless, secure connectivity in an increasingly distributed world.

As modern organizations stand at the crossroads of digital transformation and evolving security paradigms, unified SASE emerges not just as a technological solution, but as a strategic imperative for forward-thinking enterprises.