Secure access service

The rise of the secure access service edge

A growing number of organizations are turning to secure access service edge (SASE) technologies to support their work-from-anywhere employees and improve network security. The SASE framework is an emerging model for wide area networking (WAN) that delivers network and security functions as cloud-based services. By implementing identity-centric security and moving capabilities to the edge, SASE technologies allow remote users to securely access network resources while improving the performance of cloud applications.

Spectrum Enterprise Cloud Security offers a comprehensive secure access service edge solution that simplifies SASE deployment and management. Powered by Cisco, Cloud Security is a managed service offering that helps IT teams to improve management of security policy and eliminate the need for capital investment, while significantly reducing the burden of managing a highly distributed network.

Benefits of SASE technology

The secure access service edge approach to networking and network security offers significant advantages as IT teams seek to solve several key challenges.

Secure access for remote workers
Accelerated by the global events of 2020, the trend toward remote work means IT teams must ensure that workers can securely access corporate networks and cloud-based SaaS applications from anywhere, on any device. By supporting identity-based Zero Trust Network Access, SASE technologies enable users to securely access online resources regardless of location and device.

Enhanced security
As networks have expanded far beyond the traditional corporate perimeter, they are more difficult than ever to protect from cyberattacks and vulnerability exploits. SASE solutions employ a variety of proven technologies as services at the edge to filter URLs, monitor web traffic, prevent data loss, block unauthorized user behavior and ensure that the right people have access to the right applications, data and resources.

Improved performance for cloud applications
Whether they’re working in the office or remotely, workers rely heavily on cloud-based applications. As the network becomes more distributed, the performance of cloud applications can be degraded by the latency introduced when traffic from remote locations must be backhauled to a central data center for security inspection and filtering. By moving security functions to the edge, organizations can eliminate latency and enhance the performance of SaaS-based applications.

Reduced TCO
SASE providers help IT teams lower the total cost of ownership by providing a cloud-based platform for managing all SASE technologies from a single portal.

For IT teams, the many benefits of secure access service edge solutions may be mitigated by the time and resources required to deploy, manage and maintain a collection of complex technologies. That’s why, when considering SASE cybersecurity solutions, savvy IT teams can turn to Spectrum Enterprise.

Secure access service edge solutions from Spectrum Enterprise

Spectrum Enterprise Cloud Security simplifies deployment and management of secure access service edge technology for organizations and their IT teams. As a managed services offering, Cloud Security allows IT teams to rely on a single vendor and trusted partner with a team of engineers and specialists who can provide as much implementation assistance and ongoing support as needed. This Spectrum Enterprise solution helps IT departments maximize budgets by eliminating capital expense and facilitates adherence to strict regulatory requirements while reducing the burden on IT staff.

With secure access service edge solutions from Spectrum Enterprise, organizations can:

• Secure the hybrid workforce. Multifactor authentication and/or endpoint-initiated Zero Trust Network Access allows users to easily and securely access a controlled selection of internal and cloud applications.
• Defend against sophisticated security threats. Cloud Security provides detailed insight into malicious domains, URLs and IPs, along with real-time context on sophisticated threats such as botnets, trojans, phishing attacks and malware.
• Provide direct access to cloud applications. With Spectrum Enterprise, remote workers have a more secure, streamlined and efficient way to directly access the internet and cloud-based SaaS applications without relying on corporate data centers.
• Improve application performance. Cloud Security eliminates the need to backhaul remote and branch office traffic to a central data center, reducing latency and improving application performance.
• Streamlined management of SASE solutions. With Cloud Security, IT teams can easily configure, manage and monitor users, services and devices across the network from single cloud-based portal.

Features of Cloud Security

Offered in partnership with Cisco, Spectrum Enterprise Cloud Security is available in two major configurations.

Cloud Security Cisco Secure Connect Now
This Spectrum Enterprise solution enables IT teams to deliver secure access to remote users while mitigating sophisticated threats. This offering includes:

• A Secure Web Gateway (SWG)
• Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB)
• Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)
• Firewall as a Service (FWaaS)
• Secure malware Analytics
• DNS layer security
• Inline data loss prevention

Cloud Security Cisco Secure Connect Now enables users to access cloud applications directly and securely, while IT teams can leverage a single portal to monitor and manage end-user access and security.

Cloud Security Cisco Duo
This configuration features Multifactor Authentication (MFA) technology to enable secure remote access without an endpoint VPN. Organizations can confirm user identities and determine level of trust while implementing single sign-on to critical business applications. Cloud Security Cisco Duo enforces per-app security policies based on authorized network, end user location, group, or security health of end-user devices. IT teams can monitor the health of end-user devices, including device posture, and gain greater visibility to who is on the network.

Why Spectrum Enterprise?

Spectrum Enterprise is a trusted partner to the country’s largest companies and communication service providers. With scalable fiber technology solutions built on a wholly owned private fiber network, we help our customers realize their boldest ambitions. Our team of experts works closely with our customers to ensure business success by delivering solutions designed to meet technology needs for today and evolving to meet requirements for tomorrow.

In addition to secure access service edge technologies, we offer solutions for:

• Networking. Our award-winning LAN services provide reliable connectivity to every business location, while managed network services and managed wireless services deliver the performance, security and control that businesses need.
• TV. Our solutions enhance customer satisfaction and build brand loyalty by offering HDTV technologies that entertain, inform and engage viewers with popular channels, features and programming.
• Voice. Unified communications services and reliable voice trunking enable teams to collaborate how they want and work-from-anywhere employees to stay connected.
  

FAQs

What is secure access service edge?
Secure access service edge (SASE) is a cloud-based IT model for managing networks and network security in highly distributed IT ecosystems. SASE bundles software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) with identity-centric security functions and provides them as a cloud-based service to users, applications and devices at the edge. By making security functions available as services throughout the network, secure access service edge solutions enable work-from-anywhere employees to securely connect to network resources while protecting the organization from sophisticated cyber threats.

What is security service edge?
Security service edge is the term for 4 of the 5 core SASE components. These include Secure Web Gateway (SWG), Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB), Firewall as a Service (FWaaS) and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA). The 5th core component, SD-WAN, provides easier management of sprawling networks that have expanded far beyond the traditional network perimeter.