Palo Alto Networks has bolted together its SD-WAN and security technologies to offer an integrated, cloud-based, secure-access service edge (SASE) offering aimed at simplifying distributed enterprises.
Called Prisma SASE, the package brings together the company’s core Prisma Access package of cloud-based, next-generation security gateways with its Prisma SD-WAN technology it got when it bought CloudGenix for $420 million last year.
Prisma SASE gives customers an integrated bundle that supports everything from secure access control, advanced threat protection, and user-behavior monitoring to zero-trust network access support, a secure web gateway, a cloud-access security broker, firewall-as-a-service (FWaaS), and SD-WAN technology.
The idea is to offer a single cloud-based solution to secure all applications used by customers’ employees regardless of location—remote, mobile, or in the office, said Anand Oswal, senior vice president of products, Firewall as a Platform at Palo Alto Networks.
In addition to the core features of Prisma SASE, Palo Alto is adding a new Prisma SD-WAN appliance—the ION 1200—that can use 5G networks to link branch offices for networking and backup communications as well as connect ATM kiosks. It can utilize any carrier’s 5G network, and can fall back to 4G/LTE if 5G is unavailable, Oswal said.
The device can employ two SIM cards for active-active 5G interfaces that provide carrier redundancy for business-critical use cases. “We are seeing increased interest in using 5G as a primary WAN connection as a result of this new capability,” Oswal said.
Copyright © 2021 IDG Communications, Inc.
