Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)

Secure Access Service Edge platforms unify network connectivity and security controls in a cloud-delivered edge service. Instead of backhauling traffic to a central data centre, SASE routes user and site traffic through distributed points of presence (PoPs) that act as policy enforcement points. Those PoPs provide secure web gateway (SWG), cloud access security broker (CASB), zero-trust network access (ZTNA), firewall-as-a-service (FWaaS), and often DNS protection or data loss prevention (DLP).

Traditional architectures rely on VPNs and hub-and-spoke networks that assume users are on the corporate network and applications live in a few data centres. SASE is designed for distributed users and SaaS. Access is applied per application, based on identity, device posture, and context, and enforced as close to the user or branch as possible, rather than within the private network.

For leadership, SASE offers a way to simplify the edge: fewer appliances to manage, a single policy plane across web, SaaS, and private apps, and clearer visibility into who is accessing what from where.

7 Common Requirements in This Category

Technical buyers typically look for:

1. Service Coverage and Consolidation

A cohesive set of services across SWG, CASB, ZTNA, FWaaS, and SD-WAN, with a clear roadmap for add-ons such as DNS security and DLP. A single policy model rather than loosely coupled point products.

2. Global PoP Footprint and Performance

Points of presence close to major user locations, good peering with SaaS and cloud providers, and predictable latency. Options for client agents, branch connectors, and traffic steering that work for both users and sites.

3. Identity, Device, and Context Integration

Tight integration with identity providers, endpoint security, and device management. Support for posture checks, step-up authentication, and context-aware policies based on user, group, device, location, and risk.

4. Policy Model and Application Access

Fine-grained, application-level policies for private and SaaS apps. Micro-segmentation and least-privilege access, with the ability to replace broad network-level VPN access using ZTNA-based models.

5. Visibility, Logging, and Analytics

Unified logs across all SASE services and real-time visibility into users, applications, and traffic. Export into SIEM or data platforms, plus analytics that help security and networking teams understand usage, risk, and performance.

6. Migration and Coexistence

Support for phased rollout alongside existing VPN and MPLS. Flexible tunnelling options, traffic steering rules and patterns for migrating users, branches and applications without a big-bang cutover.

7. Resilience, Compliance, and Operations

High availability by design, clear SLAs, and documented failure behaviours. Data residency controls, relevant compliance attestations, and role-based administration so operations teams can manage day-to-day changes safely.

With Cybermatch, Secure Access Service Edge vendors are evaluated against these criteria, enabling security and networking teams to determine which platforms best align with their topology, identity stack, and consolidation goals before committing to a rollout.

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Cato Networks

Cato SASE Cloud connects branches, data centers, cloud resources, and roaming users to a unified cloud platform that delivers both networking and security as one service. Traffic from any edge is sent to the nearest Cato PoP where a full… Read More →

Adaptiv Networks

Network Protect is Adaptiv’s full-featured cloud-based SASE offering. It layers deep content inspection, firewall-as-a-service, and secure web gateway capabilities on top of the company’s SD-WAN foundation. Traffic from branch sites and users is sent to Network Protect, where AI-driven threat… Read More →

SecureTrust

Within ZTX, the SASE component delivers secure access service edge as part of a broader zero trust strategy. It combines WAN security, secure web gateway, zero trust access, and other network security controls with integrated telemetry streaming into the rest… Read More →

Bowtie Security

Bowtie’s Sovereign SASE solution deploys SASE components such as zero trust access, secure web access, firewalling, and centralized policy control entirely inside the customer’s environment, whether on-premises or in private cloud. Traffic does not traverse a shared vendor cloud; security… Read More →

Twingate

The Twingate SASE positioning centers on delivering secure, identity- and context-aware access to private resources without exposing networks or relying on IP-based access lists. Clients authenticate via SSO, and traffic to protected resources is routed through Twingate connectors that enforce… Read More →

NordLayer

NordLayer’s SASE offering blends secure remote access, site-to-site connectivity, DNS and web filtering, and zero-trust access controls into one service. Organizations deploy lightweight agents or gateways and define workspace-based access policies that segment resources by roles and groups. NordLayer adds… Read More →

iboss

The iboss Zero Trust SASE Platform unifies SWG, CASB, ZTNA, DLP, malware defense, and SD-WAN capabilities in a single cloud-based service. User traffic is steered to iboss cloud gateways where content inspection, web filtering, CASB controls, and threat detection are… Read More →

Versa Networks

Versa Unified SASE consolidates SD-WAN, NGFW, SWG, CASB, ZTNA, and advanced analytics into a single platform that can be delivered as cloud service, customer-premises software, or in a blended architecture. Enterprises connect branches, remote users, and cloud workloads to Versa,… Read More →

Open Systems

The Open Systems SASE Experience combines security service edge and SD-WAN as a managed service. It provides secure access for users and sites to the internet and SaaS while replacing legacy VPNs with zero trust access. Customers connect locations and… Read More →