GigaOm Key Criteria for Evaluating Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Solutionsv2.0

1. Executive Summary

Secure access service edge (SASE) is a cloud-based architecture converging networking and security functions into a unified, scalable solution to address the challenges posed by the increasing adoption of cloud services, remote work, and the need for robust security in a distributed environment.

Key components and capabilities

SASE integrates several critical technologies:

• SD-WAN for optimized network performance and routing
• Cloud access security broker (CASB) for cloud application security
• Secure web gateway (SWG) for web filtering and threat protection
• Zero trust network access (ZTNA) for identity-based access control
• Firewall-as-a-service (FWaaS) for network security

These components work together to provide comprehensive security and networking capabilities, including traffic optimization, threat prevention, data protection, and secure access control.

Essential Benefits
SASE’s architecture supports identity-driven secure access and globally distributed network connectivity through numerous points of presence, offering advantages for modern enterprises:

• Improved security posture: By consolidating security functions and applying consistent policies across all edges, SASE enhances overall security and reduces the attack surface.
• Enhanced performance: SASE optimizes data routing and reduces latency, improving network efficiency and user experience.
• Simplified management: The unified framework reduces complexity and administrative overhead, allowing IT teams to focus on strategic initiatives.
• Cost efficiency: By eliminating the need for multiple point solutions and hardware appliances, SASE can significantly reduce the total cost of ownership.
• Scalability and flexibility: SASE adapts seamlessly to changing organizational needs, supporting business growth and agility.

The integration of these components enables organizations to apply security measures dynamically, based on user identity and context, rather than relying solely on traditional perimeter-based defenses.

Why SASE is Essential
The adoption of SASE is driven by the growing need for secure remote access solutions in an increasingly cloud-centric world. As organizations transition to remote work environments and adopt multicloud strategies, SASE provides a scalable, flexible, and cost-effective way to manage networking and security needs. In today’s digital landscape, SASE has become crucial for several reasons:

• Remote work support: SASE enables secure and efficient access for distributed workforces, addressing the needs of hybrid work environments.
• Cloud adoption: SASE provides a seamless and secure way for organizations migrating to the cloud to connect users to cloud-based applications and services.
• Threat landscape: SASE delivers a more comprehensive and agile approach to security as the cybersecurity threat landscape evolves.
• Digital transformation: SASE supports digital transformation initiatives with a flexible, scalable infrastructure that adapts to new technologies and business models.

By focusing on entities such as users rather than fixed perimeters, SASE enhances security by ensuring that access requests are authenticated and authorized continuously.

Evolution of SASE
Organizations are moving toward single-vendor SASE solutions to simplify management and reduce complexity. This trend is driving investments in developing fully integrated SASE platforms with unified policy engines to meet these emerging challenges and opportunities:

• AI integration: SASE solutions are increasingly incorporating AI-powered threat intelligence and automation to enhance security and streamline operations.
• Expanded capabilities: Providers are adding features like digital experience monitoring (DEM) and OT/IoT security to address a broader range of use cases.
• Convergence with zero trust: SASE is aligning more closely with zero-trust principles for identity-based access control and continuous authentication.
• Multicloud support: SASE solutions are evolving to better support multicloud environments, providing consistent security and networking across diverse cloud platforms.
• Edge computing integration: As edge computing grows, SASE is adapting to secure and optimize these distributed computing environments.

SASE represents a paradigm shift in the way organizations approach networking and security. It enables businesses to securely connect users, devices, and applications across distributed environments by providing a unified, cloud-native solution. As the technology matures, it is poised to become an essential component of modern enterprise IT infrastructure, offering enhanced security, improved performance, and greater operational efficiency in an increasingly complex digital landscape.

Business Imperative
In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, deploying a SASE solution is essential for organizations that aim to enhance business agility, accelerate digital transformation, optimize operations, and strengthen their security posture. Converging connectivity and security, SASE offers significant benefits, including improved performance, increased operational efficiency, a more robust security stance, and reduced capital expenditure. Consolidating multiple network and security functions into a single cloud-native platform enables organizations to move faster, enhance security, and reduce costs, making it a strategic imperative for CxOs to drive their businesses forward.

Sector Adoption Score
To help executives and decision-makers assess the potential impact and value of deploying a SASE solution, this GigaOm Key Criteria report provides a structured assessment of the sector across five factors: benefit, maturity, urgency, impact, and effort. By scoring each factor based on how strongly it compels or deters adopting a SASE solution, we provide an overall Sector Adoption Score (Figure 1) of 4.6 out of 5, with 5 indicating the strongest possible recommendation. This indicates that a SASE solution is a very credible candidate for deployment and worthy of thoughtful consideration.

The following sector brief section explains the factors contributing to the Sector Adoption Score for SASE in more detail.

Figure 1. Sector Adoption Score for SASE

This is the second year that GigaOm has reported on the SASE space in the context of our Key Criteria and Radar reports. This report builds on our previous analysis and considers how the market has evolved over the last year.

This GigaOm Key Criteria report highlights the capabilities (table stakes, key features, and emerging features) and nonfunctional requirements (business criteria) for selecting an effective SASE solution. The companion GigaOm Radar report identifies vendors and products that excel in those decision criteria. Together, these reports provide an overview of the market, identify leading SASE offerings, and help decision-makers evaluate these solutions to make a more informed investment decision.