While more companies are now adopting public cloud and employee-owned mobile devices, these technologies introduce a wealth of new risks. As a result, the traditional security perimeter that once protected users is now redundant.
The challenge for IT leaders
According to a whitepaper from Zscaler, the shift towards cloud and mobility has meant that it is now time for security to evolve. As well as moving protections closer to the user, enterprises must focus on "convenience, flexibility, and reliability."
In order to accelerate business initiatives and bridge the gap between business needs and IT capabilities, IT leaders must choose the correct technology. First of all, it should solve the IT skills shortage by allowing companies to make the most of their internal talent.
The technology should also deliver a "superior user experience" for employees and stakeholders. In addition to this, it should be agile and adaptive to "empower a dynamically changing business."
Moreover, the technology must reduce the risks that threaten productivity, IP, and a company's reputation. Finally, it should accelerate the adoption of new, enabling technologies within the company.
It is evident that identifying the technologies that will overcome these challenges is important. However, IT leaders must also balance accelerating the adoption of new technologies while ensuring the protection of valuable data.
The value of the software defined perimeter
The software defined perimeter (SDP) could be the answer to the aforementioned challenges. At present, SDPs protect networks and assets from external threats and also enable "business initiatives via the secure adoption of modern technologies, with stronger security and no change to the current environment."
For example, solving the IT skills shortage is much easier with SDPs. In fact, its inherent simplicity makes it "easy to implement without the need to hire new specialists", which maximises the productivity of IT staff.
SDPs also provide a superior user experience as it allows users to access applications seamlessly. Regardless of whether an application is running in a cloud or data centre, SDPs deliver a streamlined cloud-like user experience.
Moreover, SDPs offer a level of agility and scale that far surpasses legacy technologies. "By leveraging the internet and cloud to provide users with access to applications", SDPs provide an agile and scalable experience.
While security is often a barrier to cloud adoption, SDPs offer "secure, policy-based remote access" to applications. Through checking both device posture and identity, only authorised users are able to access an application.
Finally, SDPs accelerate the adoption of cloud and mobility across a global user base. By using software to reduce complexity, SDPs can reduce the implementation time from months and years to mere hours.
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