SECURE NETWORK ACCESS

Greg ShieldsMay 3, 2023 3 minute read

Universal ZTNA for Enterprise: Advance Innovation, Reduce OpEx and Simplify Security

Universal Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) is proactively being deployed across complex enterprise infrastructure for good reasons ... expediting digital transformation, reducing IT expenditures, alleviating network security complexity and shrinking attack surfaces. Ultimately, the right universal ZTNA solution ensures flexibility, control and extensibility for sophisticated organizations with multifaceted environments, high security requirements and intricate network topologies​.

Whether it's cloud migration, moving to a high-velocity DevOps environment or shifting toward serverless, universal ZTNA delivers adaptive network connectivity and access. This means that all users, including third parties, have the same secure connection experience regardless of location, which helps drive enterprise innovation and speed to market.

Significant operational cost savings is another compelling advantage of universal ZTNA. By using its adaptive, fine-grained policy model to overlay existing infrastructure, organizations can begin their Zero Trust journey without a pricey rip-and-replace tech refresh. Notably, universal ZTNA also has been proven to reduce wide area network (WAN) expenses, particularly with respect to eliminating MPLS circuits then enabling traffic over a café-style WiFi network. In fact by deploying Appgate SDP, our comprehensive universal ZTNA solution, one of our large global customers recently removed MPLS from 600 sites, reducing connectivity costs by 67% as highlighted in the 2023 Nemertes Real Economic Value Report. Better yet? It’s an OpEx reduction.

Zero Trust Network Access ZTNA - Universal ZTNA - Zero Trust Security - ZTNA Security Solution


More ZTNA benefits: flexible architecture, reduced attack surface, better network visibility

Universal ZTNA also provides more flexibility in terms of network topology and deployment architectures. Legacy solutions like VPNs perpetuate a perimeter-centric model where there is one entry point to the corporate network and users rely on WANs and VPN tunnels to access resources distributed across the enterprise. This model becomes even more complicated when accessing resources in the cloud. However, universal ZTNA eliminates complexity with a unified security model that can be implemented across on-premises, cloud and hybrid environments. This approach provides a consistent security posture across the organization and can eliminate the need for multiple secure access solutions. For example, as also reported by Nemertes, an international IT services customer reduced the number of tools needed to manage remote access from three to one by deploying our universal ZTNA solution.

Another advantage of ZTNA is that it reduces the attack surface of the network. By implementing a Zero Trust approach, organizations limit access to only those who require it. This ensures that if an attacker gains access to the network, they are unable to move laterally and escalate privileges, as they would not have the necessary credentials to do so. This approach also ensures that sensitive data is protected because only those who require access are granted it.

Finally, universal Zero Trust Network Access provides better visibility into network activity. With traditional security models, effective network monitoring can be challenging. However, with universal ZTNA, organizations can automate access policies and monitoring to ensure compliance with organizational policies. This approach provides better visibility, allowing organizations to detect and respond to cyberthreats more effectively as 83% of Nemertes study respondents reported a significant reduction in security incidents after deploying Appgate SDP.

With benefits like adaptive, contextual access, flexible architecture and reduced overhead, universal ZTNA allows organizations to safely and quickly benefit from new technologies, use security as a competitive advantage and reduce operational costs.

Appgate SDP: Zero Trust access designed differently for a reason

Enterprise security isn't easy—networks are elaborate, applications and requirements constantly change, and business demands often conflict with compliance and security needs.

Appgate SDP, the industry’s most comprehensive universal Zero Trust access solution, was designed to give you the flexibility and network control to secure your whole environment, on your terms without compromise. And it can be configured to meet your exacting security and compliance requirements regardless of network topology or complexity. The five pillars that underpin Appgate SDP’s system design are:

  • Cloaked infrastructure
  • Identity-centric
  • Dynamic and continuous
  • Microperimeters
  • Progammable and adaptable

These pillars ensure that enterprise customers can deploy adaptive and effective secure user-to-resource and resource-to-resource access built on the least privilege principle of Zero Trust security.

Additional ZTNA resources

Analyst report: 2023 Nemertes Real Economic Value of Appgate SDP
Blog: Zero Trust Network Topology and Why it Matters
About Appgate SDP
Blog: The Operational and Business Benefits of Appgate’s Zero Trust Platform

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