What is Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)?

SASE defines how networking and security are delivered together in environments where users, applications, and data are distributed. Instead of treating connectivity and security separately, it brings both into a single model to manage traffic and access consistently.

SASE is a framework defined by Gartner that combines network connectivity and security into a cloud-delivered model for enterprises managing users, branches, cloud applications, and data centre environments.

SASE services are commonly delivered through distributed Points of Presence (PoPs), which bring security enforcement closer to users, applications, and traffic paths.

It is typically built from core components such as SD-WAN, ZTNA, SWG, CASB, and cloud-delivered firewall capabilities (often referred to as NGFW or FWaaS). Additional capabilities such as DLP may be included within the security layer.

SD-WAN handles how network traffic is routed across different connections based on application needs and network conditions.

The other components, ZTNA, SWG, CASB, and cloud firewall capabilities, are used to secure access, control user activity, and enforce policies across internet, cloud, and private applications.

SASE is used when organisations need consistent access control, better visibility, and unified policy enforcement across distributed environments.

When these networking and security components operate together under a single policy framework, it is referred to as SASE.

 

   

SASE is built on a set of core components, commonly including SD-WAN, ZTNA, SWG, CASB, and cloud firewall capabilities such as NGFW or FWaaS.

These components define how traffic moves, how access is secured, and how policies are enforced across users, applications, and environments. Each component plays a specific role, but they are designed to work together as part of a unified architecture rather than as separate tools.

SD-WAN — Software-Defined Wide Area Network

What it does: Manages how traffic moves across networks.
How it works: Routes traffic based on application priority and network conditions.
Why it’s important: Ensures consistent performance across branches, cloud, and data centres.

ZTNA — Zero Trust Network Access

What it does: Controls access to applications.
How it works: Grants access based on identity and policy instead of network location.
Why it’s important: Reduces risk from broad or unrestricted access.

SWG — Secure Web Gateway

What it does: Secures internet traffic.
How it works: Inspects and filters web activity based on defined policies.
Why it’s important: Protects users from malicious or unauthorised web access.

CASB — Cloud Access Security Broker

What it does: Manages SaaS application usage.
How it works: Monitors and controls user activity across cloud platforms.
Why it’s important: Improves visibility and reduces data risk in SaaS environments.

FwaaS - Firewall-as-a-Service

What it does: Provides firewall protection delivered from the cloud.
How it works: Applies network-level security controls across users and traffic flows.
Why it’s important: Enables consistent protection across distributed environments.

Who should consider SASE?

SASE is relevant for organisations where users, applications, and data are no longer within a single network boundary.
As access patterns change, both connectivity and security need to adapt to support distributed environments.

It is typically used by:

• IT and network teams managing connectivity across sites

• Security teams responsible for access control and policies

• Organisations where users access applications from different locations

• Enterprises operating across data centres and multiple regions

While SASE is often adopted by large enterprises, it can also apply to smaller organisations with distributed users or growing cloud usage.

 

 

Where SASE applies and Use Cases

SASE applies across environments where traffic does not follow a single path and access needs to be controlled consistently.
It helps organisations manage connectivity and security across users, applications, and infrastructure.

Where SASE applies

SASE applies wherever users access applications and data, not just within a single network boundary.

This includes:

• Branch office networks

• Remote and hybrid users

• Internet-bound traffic

• SaaS and cloud applications

• Data centre and cloud connectivity

Common SASE Use Cases

SASE becomes relevant when traffic, access, and policy enforcement are no longer aligned.

Common situations include:

• Users access SaaS directly while branch traffic is routed through data centres, creating inconsistent policy enforcement and gaps in access control.

• Traffic between branches, cloud, and internet follows different paths, causing application performance to vary and making issues harder to isolate.

• VPN access provides broad network entry, increasing risk and limiting control over application-level access.

• Security policies are applied differently across locations, leading to inconsistent enforcement and potential exposure.

• Multiple providers handle different parts of the network, making it difficult to identify where issues are occurring.

Why organisations adopt SASE?

Organisations adopt SASE when existing networking and security approaches no longer provide consistent control or visibility.
As environments become distributed, gaps appear between how traffic flows and how security is enforced.

Operational challenges SASE helps address

This typically includes:

• No single view of traffic across networks, providers, and environments, making troubleshooting slow and uncertain.

• Policies applied differently across branches, users, and cloud platforms, creating gaps in access control.

• Difficulty tracing issues across internet, cloud, and internal paths, leading to longer resolution times.

• Dependency on multiple tools that do not operate together, increasing operational complexity.

Key benefits of SASE

SASE helps bring connectivity and security under a single model.

This allows organisations to:

• Apply consistent access policies across users and environments.

• Improve visibility across traffic paths and application access.

• Reduce dependency on separate networking and security tools.

• Manage access and performance more predictably across locations.

SASE architecture and how it works in practice

SASE architecture defines how networking and security functions operate together rather than separately.
It ensures that traffic routing, inspection, and access control are handled consistently, regardless of where users or applications are located.

What SASE Architecture means

SASE architecture combines networking and security functions into a cloud-delivered model where traffic routing, inspection, and access control are handled together.

How traffic and access are managed

Traffic does not follow a single path in modern environments. It moves between users, branches, cloud platforms, and data centres.

SASE manages this by:

• Routing traffic based on application needs and network conditions.

• Inspecting traffic regardless of where the user is located.

• Enforcing access policies based on identity and context.

This ensures that traffic is handled consistently, even when it takes different paths across networks.

Choosing a SASE provider and how Orixcom supports SASE

Selecting a SASE provider is not only about security features. It also depends on how connectivity, cloud access, and policy enforcement are delivered together.
Organisations need to evaluate both the architecture and how it aligns with their existing environment.

What to look for in a SASE provider

Organisations should evaluate:

• How connectivity and security are integrated across environments.

• Coverage across users, regions, and cloud platforms.

• Consistency of policy enforcement across all traffic paths.

• Visibility into applications, users, and network behaviour.

• Alignment with existing network and infrastructure.

Explore our blog to learn the key factors for choosing the right SASE solution provider for your business.

Common SASE comparisons

SASE vs SSE
SASE includes both networking and security.
SSE focuses on the security layer of SASE, commonly including services such as ZTNA, SWG, CASB, and additional capabilities like DLP.

ZTNA vs VPN
ZTNA provides access to specific applications.
VPN provides access to the entire network.
In many SASE environments, ZTNA is used as a more controlled replacement for traditional VPN access because it supports application-level access instead of broad network access.

Firewall vs SASE
A firewall focuses on controlling traffic at the network level.
SASE combines firewall capabilities with access control, web security, and cloud application visibility.

SWG vs FWaaS
SWG focuses on web traffic.
FWaaS applies broader network-level security controls.

CASB vs DLP
CASB controls SaaS usage.
DLP is a security capability used to protect sensitive data from unauthorised sharing or transfer.

SASE vs SD-WAN
SD-WAN is one component of SASE.
SASE includes SD-WAN along with multiple security services delivered together.

Explore the relationship between SD‑WAN, SASE, and Zero Trust in our blog SD-WAN with ZTNA: Building Zero Trust on a SASE Framework

How Orixcom supports SASE in partnership with Cisco

SASE implementation depends not only on security services but also on how traffic moves across networks.

In environments where users, applications, and data are distributed, connectivity plays a critical role in how policies are applied and enforced. This becomes critical in environments where traffic moves across multiple networks and data centres, and consistency depends on both connectivity and security working together.

As a trusted Cisco Managed Security Services Partner, Orixcom delivers SASE using Cisco’s technolody and architecture while aligning it with enterprise connectivity, cloud access, and data centre environments.

By combining connectivity and security within a unified model, organisations can apply consistent policies, improve visibility across traffic paths, and manage secure access across users, applications, and locations.