Streamline SASE Operations with Skope AI-powered Cloud Orchestrator

This is the third blog in our series, where we embark on a journey of Branch Transformation with the Next Gen SASE Branch solution. Built on the Netskope One SASE platform, the Next Gen SASE Branch solution combines its three layers–Context-aware SASE Fabric, Zero Trust Hybrid Security, and a SkopeAI-powered Cloud Orchestrator–into a unified cloud offering. The three layers are defined below:

• Context-aware SASE Fabric, powered by the Netskope Zero Trust Engine enables granular security and connectivity policies based on the contextual risk associated with user identity, device posture, applications and data. Read more

• Zero Trust Hybrid Security provides cloud-based SWG, CASB, ZTNA, DLP, threat protection and more alongside on-premises NGFW, IPS/IDS and device intelligence. Read more

• SkopeAI-powered cloud orchestrator delivers advanced features such as WAN insights with integrated DEM, zero trust device access, container-based service deployment, as well as SASE policy configuration and management. Read more in this Blog.

This blog focuses on the “SkopeAI-powered Cloud Orchestrator,” the management tenet of the Next Gen SASE Branch solution that offers unified management and AI-powered operations in a single-vendor SASE environment.

Legacy SD-WAN and point products pile on the pain, forcing network ops to juggle a web of consoles and hindering efficiency and driving up cost of operations. Some of the key pain points include:

• A thick stack of branch appliances is inhibiting branch transformation, as reported by 38% of IT professionals who are concerned about the expanding branch stack leading to a multitude of networking and security management consoles. Separate management consoles for SD-WAN, remote access, wireless WAN, multi-cloud, SWG, CASB, ZTNA, firewall, DLP, and digital experience management (DEM) create data silos, hindering rapid issue resolution. 
• Legacy SD-WANs are a burden on IT teams because they lack the capability to proactively manage network issues, reacting only after problems have already affected users, leading to downtime and degraded user experiences. These systems typically operate in isolation, requiring separate manual configurations and slow rollouts. Help desks are swamped and financially burdened, a staggering 65% report drowning in support requests due to fragmented systems and manual truck rolls.
• Network operations teams recognize the need for SASE-integrated DEM. Gartner predicts a surge in (DEM by I&O leaders (60% by 2026, up from 20% in 2021). But legacy SD-WANs lack built-in DEM, hindering proactive user experience optimization. Adding another DEM tool creates complexity, not solutions.

Taming the tangle of SD-WAN and security tools is a struggle. But a new dawn is here. The Next Gen SASE Branch offers a unified platform, streamlining SASE operations with the SkopeAI Cloud Orchestrator. This frees IT teams from tedious tasks, empowering them to focus on strategic initiatives.

The Six Essentials: Redefining Next Gen SASE Branch Operations

Netskope One SASE console that unifies management of SSE & SD-WAN across your enterprise 

1. One console, total network control: Unifying SD-WAN and SSE management
   Tired of networking and security feeling like a juggling act? Ditch the multiple products and inconsistent policies. Imagine a single, cloud-based console that puts total network control at your fingertips. The unified platform simplifies IT’s life, enabling seamless SD-WAN and SSE management and monitoring.
   
2. Gain foresight with ML-powered network insights
   Imagine a network that anticipates and remediates problems before they impact users. ML-insights make this a reality by continuously monitoring user experience (SLE data) to identify performance anomalies and forecast SLA violations. With WAN-wide analytics, it can also proactively identify and fix policy violations across your entire network.  
   
3. One-click to SASE: Zero-touch provisioning for your network
   Imagine effortlessly scaling SASE services to support tens of thousands of users across branch offices and remote locations. Zero-touch provisioning makes it a breeze. Simply power on your Netskope One Gateway or Client, and new sites, users, and cloud environments are up and running in minutes.
   
4. Zero trust device access for faster resolutions
   Imagine a world where providing Day 2 support by fixing device issues remotely becomes effortless. Here’s the magic: This technology eliminates the need for expensive truck rolls, granting secure access based on zero-trust principles to any remote device within your branches–phones, ATMs, servers. Regardless of the protocol (HTTP, RDP, SSH, or VNC), secure access is ensured, speeding up troubleshooting.
   
5. Unveiling network bottlenecks: WAN insights with built-in Digital Experience Management
   Struggling to keep your applications performing as expected? Natively integrated Proactive DEM capabilities provide end-to-end performance monitoring with hop-by-hop analysis across first-mile, mid-mile, and even with the application itself. The result? IT teams can accurately identify the root cause of issues so they can remediate them to optimize application performance.
   
6. Extensibility and open integrations: Endless possibilities with container services
   The Netskope unified SASE gateway runs lightweight containerized services offering agility and scalability for businesses of all sizes. This platform boasts a one-click deployment catalog that includes Netskope One SASE platform services like Proactive DEM, as well as partner containers, such as Microsoft Azure IoT Edge and custom containers tailoring to your specific needs.

A brighter management future for the modern Next Gen SASE Branch 

The SkopeAI-powered Cloud Orchestrator, third tenet of the Next Gen SASE Branch solution, offers cloud-native, four-tier, multi-tenant unified management to configure Borderless SD-WAN and Intelligent SSE capabilities through a single console, simplifying configuration and monitoring across the entire network and security infrastructure. The Netskope One platform combines AI-powered operations and built-in DEM to streamline your IT resources and operations. Our platform quickly identifies and resolves performance issues, optimizes your infrastructure for peak efficiency, and reduces downtime. This enables you to deliver a seamless experience and consistent policy to your users everywhere.

The result? A more efficient, streamlined and future-proof branch network that empowers your business to thrive in today’s dynamic digital landscape with Netskope One SASE platform.
In case you missed our previous two blogs, covering the other tenets of the Next Gen SASE Solution, you can click the respective links to learn more: Context-Aware SASE Fabric and Zero-Trust Hybrid Security .

Start your Next Gen SASE Branch journey with Netskope today!