GEC NEWS WIREA10 Networks revealed a new Cloud Access Proxy (CAP) solution that provides secure access to software as a service (SaaS) applications, such as Microsoft Office 365, optimizing branch offices with better performance, stronger security and an enhanced user experience. Additionally, the solution provides full visibility into SaaS applications for improved security. The CAP solution is comprised of three components: the new A10 Networks Thunder 840 CAP appliance for the branch office, higher-performance Thunder Convergent Firewall (CFW) platforms for the headquarters, and the new centralized CAP Visibility and Analytics solution, which provides centralized insights into outbound application traffic and SaaS application usage. Together, the CAP solution ensures that access to SaaS applications and data is accelerated and secured while maintaining full, centralized visibility across sanctioned and unsanctioned applications.
Traditionally, enterprise networks were designed to provide users with access to applications and services hosted locally within their data centers. To secure user access to the internet and to protect them from cyber threats, a large central security stack was typically hosted to inspect traffic going in and out of the network. As organizations grew and expanded into multiple branch offices, they were forced into a hub-and-spoke deployment model where all branch office traffic was routed back to the central security stack for policy enforcement and inspection.
With the increased adoption of SaaS applications, as well as the rapid move towards multi-cloud deployments, enterprise networks are changing with the consolidation of WAN edge infrastructure and migration from MPLS. Maintaining the security and user experience is increasingly challenging in this environment.
“Traditional enterprise networks are not optimized for SaaS application traffic and the security provided by the SaaS vendor is not adequate in addressing today’s cyber threats and increasing use of shadow IT,” said Yasir Liaqatullah, vice president of product management at A10 Networks. “A10 Networks’ Cloud Access Proxy is designed specifically to help organizations optimize the performance and security of their SaaS application traffic.”
The rapid increase in SaaS usage makes the Cloud Access Proxy solution perfect for deployment in small to medium enterprises and verticals like education, legal, finance and manufacturing.
