A common question to understand the difference between SASE and SSE is will SSE replace SASE?
While the SASE functionality components are/have been implemented by service providers and enterprises, the 2021-introduced Security service edge (SSE) by Gartner, to enforce security policy, using the cloud-centric approach, let’s try to understand Security Service Edge (SSE) and SASE and the two are compared to each other.
For the starters, let us brush up on our understanding that SASE has two main components:
- Security Service Edge
- Access
In this blog post, we’ll look at the difference between SASE and SSE to help you decide which option is right for you.
Gartner Security Service Edge: An Introduction
Connectivity and network architectures to support workers anywhere and anytime after Covid has undergone a sea change. To keep up with the constantly changing digital landscape’s demands, organizations must consider a cloud-based approach to cybersecurity. This shift is necessary when employees work remotely, applications are delivered as software as a service (SaaS), and data is stored in the Cloud.
By taking a cloud-based approach to cybersecurity, organizations can keep their data and applications secure while providing employees with the flexibility to work from anywhere.
In the last two years, there has been a noticeable increase in remote and hybrid workforce, and it will not slow down anytime soon. With Gen Z remote workers entering the workforce, companies will have to adapt and bring disparaged data center and cloud components under a single policy and security management umbrella.
- Security is undergoing a massive transformation from a data-centric approach to a Security Service Edge (SSE)
- SSE converges several cloud-managed security services into a single control point
And before we delve into
- What is SASE?
- What is SSE?
- What is the difference between SASE and SSE?
- Is SSE to replace SASE?
The direct answer is NO.
However, Secures Access to the web and Cloud-delivered security services are one of essential aspects of Protecting edge environments and standalone users
secure connectivity to users through cloud-based services, and SASE is a great way to converge networking and security capabilities into one unified platform to manage business policy, configuration, and monitoring.
However, choosing between SASE and SSE can be a challenging decision, especially when many could find an overlap.
What is SASE?
SASE, or secure access service edge, is a cloud-based security architecture framework that moves away from a traditional on-premise Data Center and combines software-defined networking with network security functions to streamline threat prevention and security management.
SASE is a comprehensive, cloud-delivered platform that enables you to securely connect users to applications and data, no matter where they are.
SASE: A Security and Networking Architecture
SASE, as a Gartner category, was introduced in 2019 to converge network and security network and security functions in the Cloud on a single intrinsic platform.
SASE Cloud Architecture Detailed View
It was instrumental in how a traditional ‘hub-and-spoke’ infrastructure, owing to the need for a hybrid cloud structure, was to adjust with the requirement of adding network and security through a global network of local PoPs.
SASE Cloud Architecture Detailed View
A SASE Cloud architecture provides secure Access to digital resources from any location, at any time, and from any device. This includes cloud applications, the internet, and private applications. SASE capabilities ensure that sensitive data is protected no matter the user’s location.
An actual SASE architecture framework adoption helps in the following:
- Building and managing a software-defined vast area network (SD-WAN) networks
- Enforcing Zero trust network access (ZTNA) to applications, workloads, and endpoints for remote and hybrid environments.
- Secure web gateway (SWG) filters malicious traffic, behavior activity, etc.
- Having a set of security features, thanks to Cloud-based firewalls (FWaaS) to safeguard cloud infrastructure and applications
- Securing confidential data through access control by a cloud access security broker, or CASB
What is Security Service Edge(SSE) in Cyber Security?
Gartner describes Security Service Edge (SSE) as the security stack of services within a SASE architecture.
Security Service Edge (SSE): The Security Capabilities Needed to achieve SASE
Security Services Edge (SSE) is a comprehensive network security service that provides secure Access to the web, cloud services, and private applications and protection against advanced and cloud-enabled threats.
Introduced by Gartner in 2021, SSE can be seen as the security-as-a-service component of the SASE architecture framework as a cloud-based service with or without on-premises or agent-based components.
