Classy SASE, Kyndryl Edges Closer To Palo Alto Networks
Technology infrastructure services company Kyndryl has launched end-to-end secure access service edge (SASE) services as a market offering that supports Palo Alto Networks Prisma SASE services. Powered by Palo Alto’s own-brand Precision AI toolset (a set of copilots and secure-AI-by-design reference architectures and tools) the new offering hopes to address the core rationale for SASE’s rise in popularity today.
SASE is of course a cloud-native architecture that combines networking and security as a service functions into a single cloud-delivered service at the network edge. Interest in SASE may be said to be increasing because traditional network security architectures are somewhat misaligned with IT stack topographies where so many applications (and indeed users) now operate remotely.
As the need for tougher edge computing is reinforced, SASE promises to provide technologies such as firewalls, secure web gateways and zero-trust network access to remote devices, users and data workloads regardless of their physical location.
The SASE model is designed to simplify management and reduce complexity as it transforms the edge compute perimeter into a consistent set of cloud-based capabilities that can be deployed as and when… and, where they’re needed.
SASE Made Simple
As Palo Alto Networks reminds us, “[SASE] enables an organization to support dispersed remote and hybrid users automatically by connecting them to nearby cloud gateways as opposed to backhauling traffic to corporate data centers. It also provides consistent secure access to all applications while maintaining full visibility and inspection of traffic across all ports and protocols.”
Kyndryl’s new SASE services support Palo Alto Networks Prisma SASE, which integrates network and security into a unified cloud-delivered service. Both companies point to the fact that Prisma SASE provides organizations with granular control over user authentication and authorization to enable secure access to business applications, as well as edge and IoT technologies.
“To mitigate operational risk, business leaders need to prioritize upgrading IT infrastructure and enhancing cybersecurity measures, as research shows that nearly half of the world’s mission-critical business technology is out-of-date or nearing end-of-life,” said Paul Savill, global practice leader of network and edge computing at Kyndryl. “As AI becomes a key focus for many organizations, our new SASE services for Palo Alto Networks’ AI-powered Prisma SASE solution, will enable businesses to transform securely by adopting a true zero-trust approach to protect against cyber threats in real-time.”
Are You Infrastructure-Ready?
Kyndryl used its marketplace “readiness report” last year to align survey questions that might help amplify the need for supporting IT services at this level. While almost all businesses questioned identify technology modernization as a high priority, around a third report their IT infrastructure is prepared to manage future risks. Whether you buy the (arguably usually fairly contrived) nature of tech industry surveys or not, it’s for sure that enterprises do face a complex and highly distributed IT environment that is increasingly difficult to secure.
“Implementing a SASE approach is one of the biggest network and security initiatives for an organization to take on, requiring significant transformation,” said Kristy Friedrichs, chief partnerships officer, Palo Alto Networks. “These organizations need a solution that helps them scale at the speed of their business, especially with a hybrid workforce and an ever-expanding threat landscape.”
Both Savill and Friedrichs highlight the work carried out to combine Palo Alto Prisma SASE as an AI-powered SASE solution with Kyndryl’s new SASE services. The pair underline the news that Kyndryl’s experts, accredited with network security certifications from Palo Alto Networks, are fully equipped to help customers migrate from their on-prem environments to a flexible SASE solution.
As a part of its own network modernization transformation since becoming an independent company, Kyndryl has shifted from an on-premises network architecture with 54 data centers to cloud-first, SASE-based, zero-trust security principles using select services from its technology partners, including Prisma SASE from Palo Alto Networks.
Simplified Security Posture
The company says that this simplified security posture currently supports Kyndryl’s global hybrid workforce, enabling employees to securely access business-critical applications across any devices, and has resulted in lower IT operational spending.
Kyndryl says it uses a collaborative approach to build and discuss requirements for a customer’s network modernization requirements, including the transition from security service edge (SSE) or SD-WAN services to Palo Alto Networks Prisma SASE. This is followed by a design and deployment of the customer’s Prisma SASE environment, which includes testing, configuring, migration of existing users and services and training for self-managed services.
Kyndryl’s new SASE services expand on its alliance partnership with Palo Alto Networks that already offers customers Prisma Access (SSE), next-generation firewall (NGFW), private 5G and OT security, as well as security operations as a platform (SOaaP), with Palo Alto Networks Cortex XSOAR technology.
