SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) is a network architecture that unifies network and security solutions into a cloud-based service to enhance accessibility, efficiency, and cybersecurity. The concept of SASE was introduced in Gartner's 2019 report 'The Future of Network Security Is in the Cloud'. The concept emerged from organizations' increasing demand for reliable access across transforming network approaches.

In 2019, when the term Secure Access Service Edge, or SASE, was first coined, it was to define a useful way of setting up the network and security infrastructure to satisfy a cloud-first future with services at the edge. Since then, SASE has been long on hype and discussion, but short on actual, practical advice. What does SASE mean for your digital transformation strategy?

The global pandemic further accelerated a trend toward remote work that was already underway, even in federal, state, and local agencies that previously resisted it. But as agencies continue to offer telework options to employees, they must also rethink their security stack to better mitigate the cybersecurity risks that remote work catalyzes. Traditional, perimeter-based approaches to security will no longer work in a cloud-first environment where data can, and is, accessed from just about anywhere.