A secure SD-WAN is as the name suggests: A Software-Defined Wide Area Network that is protected across the multiple branch locations it covers.
Now, an SD-WAN is typically designed to include embedded security via capabilities such as native encryption support and segmentation on the application level. However, not all SD-WAN solutions are created equal and the level of out-of-the-box security that each solution comes with may not necessarily be sufficient, especially when juxtaposed with threats that are growing not only in number but also in sophistication.
There are, of course, several ways to enhance the security of your SD-WAN, like using third-party Software-as-a-Service cybersecurity and deploying a security vendor for on-prem, appliance-based protection.
But there is a better way to secure your SD-WAN, and that is to integrate protection into the network itself. In doing so, your SD-WAN will get encompassing security right on the branch and on every potential attack vector—and within minutes after deployment.
This is the promise of the Fortinet Secure SD-WAN, which unifies the WAN edge under a single operating system. It is a modern, encompassing approach to WAN security from Fortinet, recently named a Leader in the 2021 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for WAN Edge Infrastructure. Fortinet Secure SD-WAN combines a next-generation firewall with advanced SD-WAN networking capabilities that provide consistent security enforcement across flexible perimeters.
The Fortinet Secure SD-WAN has four components, namely, FortiGate, FortiOS, Fabric Management Centre and FortiGuard Security Services.
FortiGate enables industry-leading networking and security capabilities that include intrusion prevention, SSL inspection, web filtering and even sandboxing. It also features next-generation firewalls, which for the 12th time have earned Fortinet the honour of being named a Leader in the 2021 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Network Firewalls. FortiOS, on the other hand, unifies the operating system to deliver a security-driven strategy that secures and accelerates both the network and user experience while ensuring continued innovation and enhancement.
The Fabric Management Centre, meanwhile, allows centralised management, deployment and automation, thus saving time and ensuring quick response and end-to-end visibility. Finally, FortiGuard Security Services coordinates real-time detection and prevention of both known and unknown threats, thereby allowing an organisation to stay ahead.
Needless to say, a secure SD-WAN is vital to your organisation’s digitalisation efforts since traditional router-centric Wide Area Networks are becoming outdated in this era of digital transformation and cloud migration. That’s because conventional routers are not designed with the cloud in mind, as they would normally require the backhauling of all traffic into a hub or on-prem data centre, thereby delaying application performance, lowering productivity and compromising user experience.
The SD-WAN has obviously solved these problems but not without expanding the attack surface for cybercriminals and leaving the network at risk of viral worms, Trojans, malware, APTs, ransomware and other similar threats.
This is why you need a secure SD-WAN, so your organisation can reap its many benefits, like enhancing productivity, making your enterprise business app-aware, reducing WAN operations by as much as 40% and keeping threats from compromising your network.
Click here to find out more about Fortinet Secure SD-WAN and its benefits or to request a free product demo.
