{"id":108401,"date":"2020-03-27T12:00:19","date_gmt":"2020-03-27T19:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.paloaltonetworks.com\/blog\/?p=108401"},"modified":"2021-09-12T22:56:50","modified_gmt":"2021-09-13T05:56:50","slug":"cloud-connectivity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.paloaltonetworks.com\/blog\/2020\/03\/cloud-connectivity\/","title":{"rendered":"Secure Connectivity Is the Only Connectivity"},"content":{"rendered":"

The mobile workforce has been growing over the years, but recent events, like COVID-19, have led to a sudden increase in remote workers, with many companies not prepared or able to quickly adopt technologies to securely enable the transition.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For companies seeking to <\/span>securely connect and scale remote workforces<\/span><\/a> \u2013 either temporarily or for the long haul \u2013 one option to consider is a cloud-based service. A <\/span>Secure Access Service Edge<\/span><\/a> (SASE) provides a fundamental solution for this need, as it combines networking services and security services delivered from a single cloud platform.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Remote Working Evolves<\/b><\/h4>\n

Years ago, working with technology and protecting users was relatively simple. Users commuted into an office where they used stationary desktop computers to access company resources via local area networks. As time went on, users were able to gain some mobility with laptops and occasionally connected to corporate resources with <\/span>virtual private networks (VPNs)<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Even before its recent rise, remote work was becoming more popular.<\/span> The <\/span>2019 State of Remote Work Report<\/span><\/i><\/a> revealed that 42% of remote workers plan to work remotely more frequently than they currently do in the next 5 years, and that more than half of on-site workers want to start working remotely. Not only are users becoming more mobile, they are using multiple devices, such as laptops, tablets and smartphones, in order to be productive. Additionally, applications have been moving out of the data center to the cloud, adding to the complexity.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

SASE: Providing Connectivity with Security<\/b><\/h4>\n

Traditional VPN technologies can still be used to apply some level of security and access but are not ideal for the rapidly changing environment and increasing performance expectations of users. The need for direct to internet connectivity from anywhere on any device, securely, has led to the adoption of technologies like Software Defined Perimeter (SDP) and <\/span>Zero Trust Network Access<\/span><\/a> (ZTNA). ZTNA is a fundamental component of a <\/span>SASE solution<\/span><\/a> to implement the \u201cnever trust, always verify\u201d philosophy and authenticate access to the cloud, restrict access and minimize data loss. ZTNA provides users access to organizational resources located in public or private clouds while the company has complete inspection and security over the data being accessed. However, ZTNA products based on an SDP can lack content inspection capabilities needed for consistent protection.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some vendors blur the lines between the two technologies, but you should ask a few questions before adopting a solution, especially if rapidly deploying to previously unmanaged or unknown devices:<\/span><\/p>\n