VMware wants to expand the scope of its secure access service edge (SASE) platform in a way that centers on a broad ecosystem of services running at the edge rather than just remote access and security.

“I think a lot of people are thinking of this somewhat narrowly and saying… ‘you have SD-WAN connected to cloud security and you have a SASE.’ We're not thinking of it that way,” said Sanjay Uppal, SVP and GM of service provider and edge at VMware. “The critical part of this is actually the service edge.”

Uppal is referring to the point of presence (PoP) on which much of the SASE security stack runs. His argument is that as applications and workloads transition to the edge and edge-first apps are developed, there is an opportunity to run those same apps, or at least some part of them, within the SASE PoP too.

“We are finding that a lot of these applications now are either moving out to the edge, or they are natively being built at the edge,” he said. “We're actually opening it up and saying: ‘Bring whatever apps you want. You can run it on this platform.’”

This idea is further entangled in the deployment of technologies like multi-access edge compute, which is a platform for running distributed applications across 5G networks.

“They’re modernizing the network and there’s going to be $1 trillion spend in the [radio access network] in the next half decade or so,” said Uppal. “But what do you put on top of the modernization? How do you make money? You monetize by putting services on top… and SASE is a prime example of the kind of service you put on top.”

By combining SASE functionality with MEC, VMware claims it will be able to secure and optimize the performance of communications with low latency and error-sensitive applications like industrial IoT, robotics, or drones.

VMware isn’t the only SASE vendor eyeing a SASE-edge crossover. Cloudflare, a company that has only recently entered the SASE fray, has steadily opened its expansive edge network to developers to run workloads close to their destination.

Likewise, Gartner analyst Neil MacDonald recently said he sees edge compute as one of the great opportunities for SASE vendors in the future.

VMware also announced the availability of its SASE security service, which it calls Cloud Web Security.

The offering is part of the company’s broader SASE offering, which includes its VeloCloud SD-WAN as well as zero-trust network access and secure web gateway functionality. Cloud security, however, has been a sticking point for the company, which has until now relied on an integration with Zscaler for that part of the security stack.

Cloud Web Security is built on the back of technologies obtained through a tight collaboration with Menlo Security that was first announced in late 2019. The platform includes SSL proxy with decryption, enabling greater visibility into web traffic, as well as a URL filter, which can be used to control access to certain file types or websites.

The service is delivered through VMware’s global network of 150 PoPs, and as traffic passes through the PoP, it is inspected for known virus signatures and day-zero malware attacks.

“Between our SD-WAN, and our remote access, as well as the Cloud Web Security you get a single pass architecture,” Uppal said.

The offering is tied directly into its broader SASE offering, allowing IT teams to apply networking and security policies from a unified management console.

“Instead of putting up a next-gen firewall on your campus, if you're an enterprise, you simply go to a set of services that VMware is providing from its PoPs… and both secure your network traffic, as well as optimize it,” he said. “It's highly performant, and it's got a full set of capabilities that we are bringing to bear under one management plane, one control plane.”

Finally, VMware is investing in helping its channel partners adapt to a SASE world. The company' Ready, Set, Go program for SASE aims to help channel partners bring VMware’s converged networking and security capabilities to market faster.

The program also provides guidance on the technology, architecture, operations, sales, support, and technical training.

“We get people ready from a business standpoint, and then we tell them how to make money, and we help them with lead generation, and customer service creation. And once they land their first customer, then we help them with the marketing and the expansion,” Uppal said.

The world is quickly transitioning to one where enterprises don’t want to own the infrastructure let alone manage the complexity, he explained. “What SASE does is just simply expands the opportunity for service providers” to address those desires.