In a strategic move to expand its digital experience monitoring (DEM) capabilities, Netskope, a leading Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) provider, has recently acquired Kadiska. Netskope aims to provide networking and infrastructure professionals with enhanced visibility across their SD-WAN, secure service edge, and cloud environments, thereby solidifying its all-in-one SASE platform. This article delves into the implications of this acquisition and explores the growing adoption of SASE as a network architecture.
Understanding SASE and its growing adoption
Coined by Gartner in 2019, SASE refers to a network architecture that combines Software-Defined Wide Area Networking (SD-WAN) with a suite of security services. These services can include encryption, multifactor authentication, data leak prevention, Firewall-as-a-Service (FWaaS), secure Web gateway (SWG), and zero-trust network access (ZTNA). By integrating these services into a unified cloud solution, SASE offers organizations a comprehensive approach to network security. Gartner predicts that by 2025, one-third of new SASE deployments will be based on a single-vendor SASE offering, marking a significant increase from the current 10% in 2022.
Netskope’s all-in-one SASE platform
Netskope has been at the forefront of providing organizations with a complete Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solution. The acquisition of Kadiska further advances Netskope’s efforts to deliver comprehensive and integrated services to its customers. By incorporating Kadiska’s Digital Experience Monitoring (DEM) capabilities, Netskope aims to enhance the visibility and control of networking and infrastructure professionals within their diverse IT landscapes. This integrated SASE platform ensures a streamlined approach to securing and optimizing network infrastructure.
The importance of network monitoring in SASE
As organizations increasingly recognize the need to align network security with performance optimization, the integration of network monitoring capabilities within SASE platforms becomes crucial. Kadiska’s network visualization capabilities facilitate mapping packet flows and workflows, which is particularly beneficial for networking and infrastructure personnel. By enabling enhanced visibility, SASE providers like Netskope empower professionals to identify and resolve security and performance issues proactively.
The Future of SASE and Network Security
Gartner forecasts that by 2025, approximately 80% of enterprises will have adopted a strategy to unify web, cloud services, and private application access using a SASE/Security Service Edge (SSE) architecture – a significant rise from the previous 20% in 2020. This rapid adoption highlights the growing demand for integrated security and networking solutions. Consequently, security vendors are acquiring network monitoring capabilities, while networking vendors are seeking to bolster their security capabilities. The convergence of security and networking disciplines is driven by the need for a holistic and unified approach to address the challenges of dispersed data, users, cloud infrastructure, and applications.
Implications and Benefits for Organizations
The acquisition of Kadiska by Netskope has several implications for organizations. First and foremost, it addresses blind spots by providing comprehensive visibility and control across diverse IT environments. This empowers organizations to better manage their network infrastructure, detect anomalies, and proactively address security and performance issues. Furthermore, the integration of these capabilities into a single-vendor SASE platform simplifies the procurement and management process, enabling organizations to streamline their security and networking operations.
The acquisition of Kadiska by Netskope signifies an important step towards bolstering the capabilities of its SASE platform. This move aligns with the projected rise in SASE adoption outlined by Gartner, indicating the significant impact SASE will have on the future of network security architectures. As organizations increasingly recognize the value of unifying security and networking functions, the integration of network monitoring capabilities becomes paramount. Netskope’s acquisition of Kadiska not only enhances its DEM capabilities but also strengthens its all-in-one SASE platform, providing networking and infrastructure professionals with a comprehensive solution that addresses their evolving security and performance requirements. While the exact timeline for product integration remains undisclosed, it is evident that both technology disciplines are adapting to the new world of dispersed data, users, cloud infrastructure, and applications, ensuring organizations have the necessary tools to control and optimize their experience and security.