Every organization’s network is different and no two cloud journeys are the same. Each organization has different regulatory requirements, risk tolerance, security needs and business demands. While the cloud is where many organizations have set their sights for the next few years, dependence on hardware will not completely disappear.
Let’s be real here. Organizations have invested considerably in building corporate data centers and likely won’t be moving 100 percent of their data or apps to the cloud any time soon. Most organizations will likely employ a hybrid option with a portion of on-premises workloads and supporting devices staying in the data center, especially for larger enterprises with highly sensitive and custom applications.
Transitioning to a SASE architecture is a journey and requires every organization to take a thoughtful approach to remain secure. This journey encompasses how an organization chooses to design, build and maintain the network architecture to optimize user experience, services and data. Before setting out on their SASE journey, organizations should think about where they want to go, review key considerations and establish milestones.
Where to Start?
The first thing to consider is the team. Most IT operations teams are already tasked with keeping their on-premises network running securely. As each organization continues to move some services to the cloud, they will still need to keep supporting the data center, but there will also be a need to support a SASE architecture. Will the same team support both, or will a new team be brought in to support this expanded architecture?
In addition to finding the proper team setup for supporting this new architecture, this transition also presents the perfect opportunity to look at the organization’s existing capabilities. What is working well? What isn’t? Is this the time to add a new capability vs. migrate an existing capability that is no longer doing the job as effectively as would like? What can go to the cloud? What needs to stay in the data center?
While SASE can effectively address most capabilities through a cloud-native delivery, there are many operational decision points along the way that will ensure business continuity and help maintain the operational sanity of the business. Also, for those applications that will remain in the on-premises data center, operational benefits will arise from common policy models, common workflow processes, and a well-documented operational response plan for the team for any incidents that may occur.
While there are many paths to SASE, the best approach is to assess where the organization is starting from and try to eliminate or avoid surprises where possible. SASE has the potential to be an organizational gamechanger. Organizations should ensure preparedness by engaging with IT operations teams early in the process and getting them invested in this project to ensure the success of this transition.
Join our next Juniper Data Center Masterclass on Wednesday, June 16th at 9 am PST for a discussion on SASE and the data center. We’ll look at how to prepare the operations teams and what key considerations organizations need to keep in mind on the journey to a SASE architecture.
