August 13, 2024 at 10:01AM
Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) and Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) have both proven their value over the past five years, with ZTNA focusing on granular access control and continuous authentication, while SASE offers a converged networking and security architecture. They are more complementary than competing, with SASE filling the gaps for ZTNA by addressing broader network and security functions.
From the meeting notes, the key takeaways are as follows:
1. Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) and Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) have proven their value over the past five years and are not just passing trends.
2. While there has been a recurring debate over how ZTNA and SASE compare and which is superior, it is suggested that they should be viewed as complementary rather than competing models, leading to a broader understanding of ZTNA – UZTNA.
3. ZTNA challenges the traditional perimeter-based approach to network security, whereas SASE is a converged networking and security architecture that combines network functions with security services within a single cloud-based platform.
4. SASE fills the gaps for ZTNA by addressing the hybrid work paradigm and protecting the network and resources once access is granted, thereby ensuring comprehensive threat prevention and detection.
5. SASE provides ZTNA with real-time contextual awareness, rich networking insights, and the latest threat intelligence needed to enforce continuous authentication, while also optimizing traffic routing and application performance.
6. ZTNA and UZTNA can fit seamlessly into existing IT infrastructures, while SASE offers a path to address secure access, reducing appliance sprawl, minimizing feature bloat, and cutting down on operational costs and complexity.
7. ZTNA and SASE should be viewed as complementary allies rather than competing assets.
These takeaways highlight the synergies between ZTNA/UZTNA and SASE and emphasize the importance of understanding how they complement each other in order to make informed decisions about network and security strategies.