Secure Access Service Edge for a Cloud-First, Zero-Trust WAN
SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) converges SD-WAN (Software-Defined WAN) with cloud-delivered security so users, devices, and workloads connect securely and optimally from anywhere—branch, home, or on the move. Instead of hair-pinning traffic through legacy hubs and VPN concentrators, SASE evaluates identity, device posture, context, and data sensitivity at the nearest cloud edge and enforces Zero-Trust policy per session.
Where SASE fits in the SolveForce model:
🌐 Connectivity (Grammar) → Connectivity • 🔀 Control → SD-WAN • ☁️ Cloud (Syntax) → Cloud
🔒 Security (Semantics) → Cybersecurity • 🧠 Decision Layer → SolveForce AI
🖧 Fabric → Networks & Data Centers
🎯 Outcomes (Why SASE)
- Any-to-any, securely — users and apps meet at the closest cloud security PoP, not a far hub.
- Per-app Zero Trust — ZTNA (Zero Trust Network Access) replaces flat VPN; every session is authenticated and authorized. → ZTNA
- Better experience — application-aware path selection (via SD-WAN) + local cloud inspection = lower latency and fewer bottlenecks. → SD-WAN
- Unified policy — one console for web gateway (SWG), CASB (Cloud Access Security Broker), FWaaS (Firewall as a Service), DLP, and ZTNA. → DLP
- Provable control — identity, device posture, and data policy logged to SIEM/SOAR with auditable SLOs. → SIEM / SOAR
🧱 What Makes Up SASE (Spelled Out)
- SD-WAN Transport — centralized policy, app-aware steering, dual/multi-path resilience. → SD-WAN
- SWG (Secure Web Gateway) — URL/SSL inspection, malware blocking, content policy.
- CASB (Cloud Access Security Broker) — SaaS discovery/control, session security, shadow-IT governance.
- FWaaS (Firewall as a Service) — L3–L7 inspection from the cloud edge; geo/IP lists, app control.
- ZTNA (Zero Trust Network Access) — per-app, per-session identity and posture enforcement; replaces full-tunnel VPN. → ZTNA
- DLP (Data Loss Prevention) — inline and out-of-band inspection for sensitive data (PII/PHI/PAN). → DLP
- Identity & Posture — IAM/SSO/MFA (Identity & Access Management / Single Sign-On / Multi-Factor Auth), device health via EDR/MDM/UEM. → IAM / SSO / MFA • EDR / MDR / XDR • MDM / UEM
Some vendors market the security half as SSE (Security Service Edge); SolveForce designs SASE holistically with SD-WAN + SSE so transport and security decisions remain in sync.
🧭 When SASE Is the Right Move (and When to Pair It)
Choose SASE when you need:
- Hybrid/remote work at scale without scaling legacy VPN concentrators.
- Direct-to-cloud SaaS/IaaS with consistent inspection (no hair-pinning).
- Per-session Zero Trust for third parties/contractors and BYOD.
- Unified policy & logging across web, SaaS, private apps, and data.
Pair SASE with:
- Direct cloud on-ramps (AWS Direct Connect, Azure ExpressRoute, Google Interconnect) for deterministic latency to VPC/VNet workloads. → Direct Connect
- MPLS where strict L3VPN/QoS contracts are required, with SASE providing Internet/SaaS security. → MPLS
🧠 Policy Model (Identity → Device → App → Data → Context)
SASE evaluates who, what, and where before allowing which access:
- Identity — user group/role via IAM/SSO/MFA. → IAM / SSO / MFA
- Device posture — EDR/UEM status, OS version, disk encryption, jailbreak/root checks. → EDR / MDR / XDR • MDM / UEM
- Application — sanctioned SaaS, private apps, or general web; app risk score.
- Data sensitivity — inline DLP policies (PII/PHI/PAN), file fingerprinting, watermarking. → DLP
- Context — geolocation, ASN, time, session risk, real-time behavior.
Decision: grant least-privilege access to one app (ZTNA), apply SWG/CASB/FWaaS rules, or deny/isolate (e.g., Remote Browser Isolation, read-only).
🧱 Reference Architecture
- Edges/PoPs — users hit the nearest cloud security PoP; private apps published via ZTNA connectors (outbound-only).
- Underlays — fiber DIA, fixed wireless, LTE/5G, satellite, MPLS—steered by SD-WAN SLOs. → Connectivity • SD-WAN
- Hubs — optional regional hubs near cloud regions for private on-ramps. → Networks & Data Centers • Direct Connect
- Control Plane — centralized SASE console for policy, identity integration, and logging out to SIEM/SOAR. → SIEM / SOAR
📐 SLO Guardrails (User Experience You Can Measure)
| Metric | Target (Regional) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PoP attach latency | ≤ 20–40 ms to nearest PoP | Varies by geography/provider density |
| SaaS round-trip (key apps) | ≤ 80–120 ms typical | Class-C SLO from branch/home |
| SSL inspection throughput | Sized to avoid added queuing | Allocate per-site/user concurrency |
| ZTNA session setup | ≤ 1–3 s to first byte | Cache policy and pre-auth where safe |
| Availability | ≥ 99.95–99.99% (edge fabric) | Dual PoPs/sites for critical users |
Measure with synthetics (SaaS/API checks), controller stats, and RUM for real browsers. → NOC Services
🔒 Data & Threat Controls (Concrete Examples)
- SWG — decrypt/inspect TLS where policy permits; enforce acceptable-use and file rules.
- CASB — Session control on SaaS (download blocked for unmanaged devices; watermark on view).
- FWaaS — L3–L7 policy: geo/IP allowlists, app control, IPS/IDS, DNS filtering.
- ZTNA — per-app access with device posture; admin apps require PAM elevation. → PAM
- DLP — redact SSNs/PCI; quarantine or encrypt; route to review queue. → DLP
- Email Front Door — pair with Email Security + DMARC/SPF/DKIM at MX/edge. → Email Security • Email Authentication
🧭 Design Patterns (By Outcome)
A) Hybrid Work Everywhere
- ZTNA for private apps; SWG for web; CASB for SaaS; device posture required for write-access.
- SD-WAN local breakout for SaaS; identity-based policy cloud-wide.
B) Cloud-First Branches
- SD-WAN edges in branches; SASE PoP for inspection; private on-ramp at regional hubs for low-jitter VPC/VNet access. → Direct Connect
C) Third-Party Access (Contractors/Partners)
- No network-level VPN. Publish apps via ZTNA; restrict to read-only or RBI; session recording on privileged paths.
D) High-Reg / PHI/PCI
- DLP controls at edge; tokenization server-side; ZTNA with PAM for admin access; immutable logging to SIEM.
🧰 Migration Guide (VPN → ZTNA, SWG, CASB)
- Inventory & classify apps (private/SaaS/web); map users & device types.
- Identity backbone — ensure SSO/MFA and group structure; enroll devices into EDR/UEM. → IAM / SSO / MFA • EDR / MDR / XDR • MDM / UEM
- Pilot ZTNA on one app group; add SWG policy; stage CASB session control for sanctioned SaaS.
- Rollout in rings: exec IT → pilot BU → broad; keep VPN as tertiary during transition.
- Decommission legacy full-tunnel VPN concentrators once coverage is proven.
🔭 Observability & Evidence
- Per-app SLOs — attach latency, session setup time, CASB actions, DLP events.
- Experience telemetry — RUM for key user journeys; API synthetics from branches/home.
- Security analytics — SWG/ZTNA/CASB/FWaaS logs → SIEM/SOAR; incident playbooks for auto-contain. → SIEM / SOAR
- Change audits — who changed what policy, when; rollback points and approvals.
💵 Commercial Notes (What Drives Cost)
- User count / concurrency (named vs. active).
- Feature bundles (SWG/CASB/FWaaS/ZNTA/DLP) and log retention tiers.
- PoP coverage in your geographies; private on-ramp requirements.
- SD-WAN edges (hardware/virtual) and underlay mix (fiber, 5G, satellite).
- Support tier and incident SLAs.
We’ll model TCO vs. legacy VPN + scattered security tools; SASE consolidation often reduces total cost while improving user experience.
✅ Pre-Engagement Checklist
- 👥 Users & devices — managed vs. BYOD; OS mix; EDR/UEM readiness.
- 🔐 Identity — SSO/MFA groups; HR-driven lifecycle; PAM for admins.
- 🧭 Apps — private app inventory; sanctioned SaaS; risky/unsanctioned SaaS list.
- 📦 Data — what needs DLP/tokenization; legal/geo constraints.
- 🌐 Underlays — per-site transports and SLOs; SD-WAN presence.
- 📈 SLOs — attach latency, session setup, availability; reporting cadence.
🔄 Where SASE Fits (Recursive View)
1) Grammar — underlays & paths managed by Connectivity / SD-WAN
2) Syntax — delivery patterns aligned to Cloud (local breakout, hubs, on-ramps)
3) Semantics — per-session truth via ZTNA/SWG/CASB/DLP → Cybersecurity
4) Pragmatics — telemetry informs SolveForce AI for prediction/auto-tuning
5) Foundation — shared terms enforced by Primacy of Language
6) Map — indexed and cross-linked in SolveForce Codex and Knowledge Hub
📞 Design a SASE You Can Prove
Related pages:
SD-WAN • ZTNA • DLP • IAM / SSO / MFA • EDR / MDR / XDR • MDM / UEM • Cybersecurity • Direct Connect • Connectivity • Knowledge Hub