By Amit Bareket
Security Services Edge (SSE) is a holistic network security services approach that unifies multiple cloud-based security services that were previously consumed separately. SSE unifies these into a single platform, including a single management platform, a single agent, and a single network-as-a-service, simplifying management and lowering maintenance costs. With SSE organizations can connect to a single secure cloud network-as-a-service where they gain access to both physical and cloud resources.
In the hands of IT, SSE enables more holistic and agile networking, including work-from-home and work-from-office employees, connecting multiple office networks, and creating a unified multilayered defense against cyberattacks that keeps users and resources—both on-prem and on-cloud—fully secure.
What makes SSE innovative and disruptive is the idea that as a combination of unified and streamlined security tools that are completely cloud-based, it can enhance the overall productivity, security posture, and bottom line of any organization. This is especially true for today’s offices that are empty or partially empty due to Covid and the new world of work, or what we call the “Decentralized Workplace.”
You might think that SSE sounds a lot like SASE, a.k.a. the Secure Access Service Edge that Gartner first described in 2019. Indeed it is.
SSE is the network security side of the Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) model and includes critical cloud-based security services such as Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), Firewall as a Service (FWaaS), Secure Web Gateway (SWG), and Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB), and more. But SASE’s WAN-related, non-security services are included in the WAN Edge Services subcategory. Services like SD-WAN, WAN Optimization, QoS, Routing and more.
This architecture—and the new division into Security Edge and WAN services—enables organizations to better adapt to the cloud, embrace mobility, protect against security threats, and deliver a superior user experience.
It also helps IT professionals better understand the offerings of the various vendors in the SASE arena. Some vendors—like Perimeter 81—offer expertise in cloud networking and secure access, while others have a track record of WAN services and hardware.
With today’s modern workforce comprising unprecedented numbers of remote and hybrid employees, more and more resources are moving to the cloud. According to Perimeter 81’s State of Cybersecurity Report, a mere 8% have their computing resources fully or mostly on-prem, while 47% are mostly or entirely on the cloud.
Due to the software-defined nature of its architecture, SSE lets IT set up and manage networks effortlessly from afar and create custom user-focused access policies based on device, role, and other granular qualifiers. Plus, SSE includes monitoring and logging utilities and total network visibility and access control from a centralized admin panel with no hardware or intense management required.
Eighty-seven percent of companies plan to have remote or hybrid employees even after Covid. Hybrid and remote work is now considered an essential element of effective business operation due to greater agility, employee satisfaction and productivity, and reduced costs.
So the critical question is not what a site or organization’s security profile is, but rather what is the security profile of a given employee inside or outside the office, no matter their location.
And because SSE integrates easily with cloud-based and local resources, IT can integrate sophisticated security ideas into every corner of the network, creating a more scalable security apparatus that can be instantly deployed to new departments and employees.
Perimeter 81’s Cybersecurity Experience Platform (CSX) is the first platform to streamline SSE with its groundbreaking ease-of-use and radically simple UI that is based on five principles: Instant Deployment, Unified Management, Full Visibility, Integrated Security and Unwavering Support.
The CSX Platform allows companies to secure their hybrid cloud and on-prem network with:
But Perimeter 81 isn’t just about features or simplicity. It’s about delivering an unparalleled experience—an unparalleled cybersecurity experience for our customers. It’s features and ease of use and customer service that’s beyond compare.
But those aren’t just my words. In their Q3/2021 ZTNA New WaveTM, Forrester said, “Perimeter 81 reference customers are among the most enthusiastic of those included in this evaluation. They extol the vendor relationship, support and dedication to improving the product quickly.”
If you’re ready for SSE, we’re ready to help.
