Legacy approaches to enterprise networking and security are struggling to keep up these days. Cloud and mobile have turned how we access apps and data upside down. On-premises networks just aren't cutting it for performance and security as we adopt SaaS and IaaS left and right. Not to mention, networks designed around an HQ office location make supporting permanent remote work way harder than it needs to be.

You could say we're cramming square pegs through round holes trying to bend old-school models into modern demands. What we need is networking and security reimagined for the cloud era.

That's where the concept of convergence comes in - bringing together different connectivity, access, and security functions into unified cloud platforms. One architectural approach gaining traction in this space is Secure Access Service Edge (SASE).

While specifics around SASE remain ambiguous, the core principles are well-aligned to address the gaps hampering organizations: the ability to connect anyone to anything securely, from any location, on any device, via the cloud. Critical networking and security functions—like SD-WAN connectivity, zero-trust access, firewalling, data security, and more—are delivered through flexible, cloud-based platforms. 

The strategic end goal is straightforward: simplify network and security operations while accelerating cloud transformation and remote work enablement. But how exactly does converged networking and security achieve this? What are the core use cases and capabilities to evaluate? Let’s explore further...

The Starting Point: Your Network and Security Today

Let's first level-set on the state of enterprise networking and security today. You may currently have some or all of the following in place:

• A branch office network - routers, switches, Wi-Fi access points, etc.- to connect on-prem users is centralized managed.
  
  

• Expanded network capabilities to remote locations - SD-WAN or other connectivity to link home workers and satellite sites.
  
  

• Private data center connectivity - Dedicated MPLS lines, VPNs, or other direct links to your legacy data center environments for resource access.
  
  

• Public cloud connectivity over the internet - Using the public internet to access IaaS providers like AWS and Azure, SaaS apps like Office365, etc.
  
  

• A broad mix of security functions - firewalls, secure web gateways, VPNs, endpoint protection, identity management, etc.- from different vendors is hard to manage together.

Most large enterprises today have this: legacy hardware-defined networks connecting branches and private data centers, complemented by Cloud overlay for flexibility.

The risks and drawbacks of this model are clear:

• Static, clunky connectivity that inhibits remote work

• Poor cloud and Internet app performance

• Security gaps and lack of cohesive visibility

Since global circumstances have permanently dispersed workforces, solving these limitations is urgent. Your network and security architecture needs a re-invention for the cloud.

What is Converged Networking + Security Really All About?

Convergence refers to collapsing separate network and security services into unified cloud platforms to simplify concepts like SASE. Instead of maintaining access infrastructure yourself, platforms converge and deliver it globally on demand.

Specifically, convergence aims to provide:

• Software-defined connectivity - Dynamic site-to-site connectivity, linking branches, data centers, cloud environments, and internet destinations in a flexible network fabric.
  
  

• Integrated network security capabilities—Zero-trust access, firewalling, data protection, etc., are native to connectivity for all locations and resources.
  
  

• Low-latency, highly reliable access everywhere - Leveraging cloud scale and availability to improve service performance and uptime.
  
  

• Centralized management - Converged platforms utilize single policy controllers and dashboards to enable consistent controls across network and security.

For end users, this means fast, secure, and reliable access to any app from anywhere on one network. For IT teams, this means radically simplified operations and overhead. There is no longer a need to own and manage legacy routers and middleboxes. Instead, wide-area networking and security shift to flexible platforms in the cloud.

Why Network and Security Convergence Matters Now

Beyond eliminating the hassles of today's fragmented approaches, converged networking/security addresses three crucial strategic issues:

1. Accelerating your cloud and SaaS adoption

Migrating business apps and workloads to the cloud is a top priority for most IT leaders. You want to leverage cloud advantages like elasticity, ubiquity, and resiliency. However, performance and security issues still hinder cloud progress. Converging networking and security in the cloud removes these barriers through:

• Consistent low-latency connectivity to cloud environments.

• Built-in data security and access controls for IaaS and SaaS.

• Cloud-scale availability and anti-DDoS to keep apps always online.

With integrated, high-performance cloud access, you can confidently accelerate moving key systems and data to Azure, AWS, GCP, Salesforce, Workday, or other SaaS platforms.

2. Enabling permanent work from anywhere

With workforces becoming more distributed long-term, employees need reliable access from literally any location. Home offices, shared workspaces, airports, coffee shops—people need to connect securely to business apps wherever they happen to be.

Supporting this with legacy networks strains IT resources and leaves gaping security holes. Converging networking/security in the cloud makes enablement far more feasible through:

• The software-defined global private backbone to connect sites. There is no more need for MPLS lines from providers.

• Native identity-based access controls instead of clunky VPNs into the office.

• Reduce surface area by moving access gateways to cloud rather than patching on-prem gear.

With converged platforms, you get one flexible global network that provides performant access with context-based security everywhere.

3. Radically simplifying operations

Lastly, converged networking/security promises to drastically streamline IT management overhead. We no longer manage fragmented pieces like routers, SD-WAN boxes, firewalls, web proxies, IDS/IPS, and more security tools.

Instead, converged platforms handle all these functions natively centrally orchestrated through a single dashboard. This drives:

• Massive consolidation of time and effort managing access infrastructure.

• Built-in automation for provisioning sites, applying policies, managing capacity, etc.

• Greater visibility via unified analytics, events, logging, and flows in one place.

The operational efficiencies are incredibly compelling, allowing you to manage global heterogeneous access environments more easily.

Key Capabilities to Look For

We've covered the strategic "why" of converged networking and security. Now, what should you look for in emerging SASE-aligned solutions? Here are four must-have capabilities to enable transformation:

1. Global Private Backbone

The foundation for convergence is a cloud-native global private backbone that connects locations, clouds, and internet destinations. This software-defined mesh should link all sites and resources using optimal paths over a self-healing fabric.

Prioritizing access to private apps and resources higher than internet traffic is key. As is dynamic traffic steering around incidents and congestion via built-in SD-WAN.

2. Zero Trust Network Access

Access to resources across the network fabric should utilize adaptive identity-based access controls using Zero Trust principles. This means:

• All users must authenticate to access any resource on the network

• Fine-grained per-session/per-app authorization and policies

• Continuous security inspection of traffic to quickly detect anomalies

This removes the concept of an internal "trusted" network. Access permissions adapt based on user context, such as roles, device posture, behavior, and more.

3. Cloud-delivered Security Services

In addition to zero trust access, converged platforms should embed core network security capabilities like:

• Next-gen Cloud Firewalling

• Cloud Access Security Brokers

• Intrusion Detection and Prevention

• Malware Protection

• Browser Isolation

• Data Loss Prevention

Delivering these as cloud services integrated with connectivity massives increases efficacy through global scale.

4. Unified Management

Converged networking/security relies on unified management, monitoring, and analytics via a single pane of glass. This should include:

• Centralized orchestration of all infrastructure and policies

• AI/ML-powered security analytics

• Holistic visibility into traffic flows

• Automated anomaly detection

• Event management and logging from one console

Drastically reducing tool sprawl and data silos accelerates troubleshooting, monitoring, and optimization.

Final Word

In summary, converging networking and network security in the cloud fixes the fragmentation that complicates access and security today. It lays the foundation for hybrid work environments and cloud adoption while massively enhancing IT's ability to manage access infrastructure efficiently.

Measure tangible metrics like improved cloud app performance, reduced network outages, faster deployment of sites or policy changes, and eased security overhead. Get hands-on, prove value for your organization, and start simplifying.