The transition to Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) architecture in enterprise networks is gaining momentum, with many organizations already utilizing components like software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) and cloud-delivered security services. However, bringing these components together into a unified architecture poses a significant challenge for IT professionals.
According to a recent study by Enterprise Management Associates (EMA), only 26% of IT professionals found the transition from SD-WAN to SASE to be “very easy.” With SD-WAN, network engineers typically spent months building site-to-site and site-to-cloud tunnels over the WAN underlay. In contrast, with SASE, they need to redirect all tunnels to various cloud security points of presence (PoPs) while managing change and policy management across both SD-WAN and cloud security technologies.
One of the major operational pain points of SASE highlighted in the study is the management of security policies and controls. Over 39% of IT professionals surveyed struggled significantly with this aspect of SASE. The complexity arises from the multivendor nature of most SASE deployments and the challenges of integrating different components acquired through mergers to create a comprehensive SASE product.
Visibility into the health and performance of SASE PoPs emerged as a significant challenge, with companies struggling to monitor traffic between PoPs and cloud infrastructure. Monitoring encrypted traffic and ensuring efficient routing through global PoPs are essential but demanding tasks for network operations teams.
Managing integrations between different SASE components, minimizing SASE PoP latency, and updating tools for visibility and integration have also been identified as key pain points by the study. Integration across different layers and ensuring optimal traffic routing are essential for a successful SASE deployment.
To address these operational challenges, EMA recommends opting for a single-vendor SASE option, considering managed SASE services, and updating tools for enhanced visibility and integration. Choosing a single-vendor solution can simplify management complexities, while managed services abstract away many operational challenges associated with SASE deployment.
Updating tools for better visibility and integration can help network operations teams monitor and troubleshoot SASE effectively. By adopting new network monitoring tools and integrating traditional tools with SASE products, organizations can improve observability and address performance issues proactively.
In conclusion, while SASE adoption is on the rise, organizations must navigate operational challenges effectively by selecting the right technology, partnering with the right provider, and modernizing their toolset for optimal observability. By addressing these key operational pain points, enterprises can maximize the benefits of SASE architecture in their network infrastructure.