VMware Adds New Edge to its SASE Capabilities

Legacy networking and security approaches lack the automation, cloud-scale, and intrinsic security needed to connect and protect apps, data, and users across a globally distributed supply chain. Thus, there is an urgent need for converging cloud networking, cloud security, and zero-trust network access with best in class web security to deliver flexibility, agility, and scalability for enterprises of all sizes. In response to this, VMware announced its Future Ready Workforce solutions that not only provide exceptional workforce experiences and end-to-end Zero Trust security controls but also simplified management.

VMware’s Future Ready Workforce solutions combine its Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), digital workspace, and endpoint security capabilities to help IT teams manage and optimize more secure access to any app, on any cloud, and from any device while providing a simple, high performant, and a safer user experience for the distributed workforce.

SASE: An Emerging Solution for Unified Network and Security in the Cloud

The SASE platform offered by VMware is a cloud-first offering that delivers application quality assurance, intrinsic security, and operational simplicity that is ideal for organizations that are supporting a work from anywhere workforce. At the core, it provides the following features:

• Comprehensive SD-WAN – VMware has been positioned as a leader in the Gartner 2020 Magic Quadrant for WAN Edge Infrastructure. Its global SD-WAN network has expanded to more than 2,700 cloud service nodes across 130 points of presence (POPs). The new VMware Edge Network Intelligence gives IT teams added visibility and telemetry into the end-user experience as applications are accessed from anywhere, and application traffic traverses many different networks. The Dell EMC SD-WAN Solution powered by VMware now also includes a built-in LTE to support mobile clinics / temporary sites as well as higher reliability for work from home.
• Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) – VMware Secure Access is a ZTNA service that combines VMware Workspace ONE and VMware SD-WAN into a single, cloud-hosted offering that enables more secure, optimized, and high-performance access for remote and mobile users.
• Cloud & Web Security – VMware is partnering with leading companies to provide customers flexibility and choice in meeting their cloud and web security requirements.
  • The new VMware Cloud Web Security service will integrate Menlo Security’s secure web gateway (SWG), cloud access service broker (CASB), Data Loss Prevention, sandbox, and remote browser isolation capabilities natively into the VMware SASE solution. VMware Cloud Web Security will be offered to businesses of all sizes as a ready to use solution.
  • VMware and Zscaler announced an expanded strategic relationship to enable enterprises to combine VMware SD-WAN and VMware Secure Access with Zscaler Internet Access into a best of breed SASE solution.
• Integrated Next-Gen Firewall as a Service – The VMware NSX Firewall is a Layer 7 firewall that will be integrated into the VMware SASE Platform for cloud-delivered firewall as a service in both single-tenanted and multi-tenanted deployment options. This will complement the firewall capabilities of the existing VMware SD-WAN solution today.

Rajiv Ramaswami, Chief Operating Officer, Products and Cloud Services, VMware said, “Organizations are navigating one of the most significant disruptions of our generation. These challenges will accelerate a shift to cloud-centric strategies, like SASE, that address the requirements of enabling people to work from anywhere. The VMware Future Ready Workforce solutions help businesses enable their people to work from anywhere with intrinsic security, delightful end-user experiences, and lower operational complexity.”

A Vision for the Future of Work

The pandemic has likely changed the future of work forever. According to VMware research, 42% of global employees surveyed said the ability to work remotely is a prerequisite to their job, not just a perk. 90% said that it is the responsibility of the employer to ensure employees have appropriate access to digital tools to enable remote work. However, enabling a distributed workforce is fraught with challenges ranging from remote employee on-boarding, visibility and compliance, security, employee safety, and more.

To address these challenges, VMware Workspace Security has unified the endpoint management and endpoint security platform enabling its customers the power to leverage the potential of big data and provide comprehensive endpoint visibility as well as actionable insights in conjunction with data-driven prevention technology through a single dashboard. VMware’s new Workspace ONE and Workspace Security offerings are also introduced to better secure work-related devices that are easy to deploy, manage, and scale including:

• VMware Workspace Security Remote – Combines unified endpoint management (UEM), endpoint security, and remote IT support into an integrated solution. It enables broader compliance and help to operationalize security updates. Workspace Security Remote brings the two teams, technologies, and consoles closer together to enhance overall device health, provide Zero Trust access, and efficiently automate threat response.
• VMware Workspace Security VDI – This new age solution goes beyond legacy solutions. It integrates Carbon Black technology directly into the VMware vSphere Hypervisor and VMtools to deliver an agentless approach with improved anti-tamper capabilities, audit, and remediation, and uses behavioral detection to protect against ransomware and file-less malware.

VMware Workspace Security Remote and VMware Workspace Security VDI have already been made available. However, VMware Edge Network Intelligence is expected to be available latest by October 30, 2020. VMware Cloud Web Security is expected to be available in VMware’s Fiscal Q1 FY22, and NSX Firewall as a Service for the VMware SASE Platform is expected to be available in FY22.