Let's be honest: working with children in the background or from a local coffee shop is becoming increasingly common. Whether you're in the office or working remotely, 24/7 data protection is essential. The days of relying on a basic VPN login over Wi-Fi are behind us. Enter SASE, which offers a range of advanced security features for when you’re working away from the office. This guide will help organizations and individuals understand SASE and its benefits in comparison to VPN, allowing them to determine what’s the right security solution for their business needs.
Virtual Private Network (VPN):
Pros:
- Growth Potential: Businesses naturally go through growing phases and with that comes more security threats. Old and new employees can enjoy the ease of installing the application by downloading VPN client to each of their devices.
- Lower Maintenance Expenses: Utilizing a third-party VPN can lower expenses and maintenance for network infrastructure and servers. This allows you to focus on your work while specialized VPN providers take care of the rest.
- Device Protection: Data is sent and received through secure, encrypted tunnels, reducing the risk of data theft. Additionally, a VPN masks your real IP address by routing your internet traffic through a VPN server, making it appear as though your data is coming from the VPN server’s IP address instead of your own.
Cons:
- Some VPNs are insecure: While free VPNs are commonly used, they have significant drawbacks. They typically have smaller infrastructure, leading to slower and more congested servers. Additionally, your data is often sold to third parties, resulting in unwanted ads. Some free VPNs also use outdated or weak encryption protocols, making them vulnerable to modern attacks.
- Security Risks: VPNs themselves can have vulnerabilities, such as weaknesses in encryption protocols or susceptibility to leaks. Relying on a third-party provider introduces risks if the provider has poor security practices or logging policies.
- Performance: VPN performance can be heavily influenced by the server you connect to. If the server is congested or far from your location, it can significantly impact speed and latency. SASE is generally better equipped to handle these issues due to its distributed and optimized network infrastructure. SASE platforms aim to provide more reliable performance by leveraging a global network of edge locations and dynamic traffic management.
Secure Access Service Edge (SASE):
Pros:
- Consistent Data Protection: SASE provides encryption across the network to ensure consistent security policies and reduce vulnerabilities. Data is encrypted while it moves across the network, and SASE incorporates secure web gateway (SWG) functionalities. It also implements Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) principles to ensure the authentication of users is required upon accessing applications and resources. This consistent monitoring of data across all edge locations eliminates inconsistencies within policies, security blind spots, and shadow IT.
- Visibility Across Hybrid Environments: Its universal nature enables connectivity between data centers, main offices, branch locations, and remote sites to support distributed workforces and diverse access points. In essence, SASE streamlines and integrates the management of network and security functions, providing complete oversight and control of the IT environment from a single platform.
- Cloud-Native Approach: SASE takes the load off your bandwidth and can handle varying amounts of traffic and user connections without requiring significant changes to the infrastructure. This increases scalability and flexibility within growing businesses. Adapting and changing to your business needs is automatically accomplished due to the cloud-native nature of SASE.
Cons:
- Complexity: Limited features in certain areas such as device troubleshooting, network monitoring, and automated configurations. VPNs may not provide detailed diagnostic information about device performance or connectivity issues, making it harder to pinpoint and resolve problems quickly.
- Training Requirements: Professional training programs, certifications, or workshops can be expensive, adding to the overall cost of implementing SASE. SASE integrates diverse networking and security functions into a single platform, which can be complex and challenging for staff unfamiliar with advanced networking and security concepts.
- Sophisticated Troubleshooting/Reliance on VPN: The integration of multiple services means that a problem in one area can affect others, complicating the troubleshooting process. VPNs and SASE operate on fundamentally different architectures. VPNs are typically point-to-point solutions that create secure tunnels between users and specific resources, while SASE integrates networking and security functions into a cloud-native platform.
Overall
SASE is an upgrade from traditional VPNs because it integrates networking and security functions into a unified, cloud-based platform. This provides enhanced scalability, better visibility, and more consistent security. Unlike VPNs, which focus solely on secure data tunnels, SASE integrates advanced features like SD-WAN and zero trust access for a more comprehensive solution. SASE’s cloud-based framework connects remote and hybrid users to cloud gateways, providing a flexible, high-performance network that adapts to changing business needs and threats.
At Skyriver IT, Our experts are ready to guide you through the process in a straightforward manner that supports your business goals. Give us a call today!
