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Welcome to Perimeter Perspective, the podcast where we explore the strategies, challenges, and innovations shaping the future of cybersecurity and IT management. Hosted by the experts at Next Perimeter, this show dives into zero trust principles, cloud-first solutions, and the evolving role of technology in modern businesses. Whether you’re an IT leader, business owner, or tech enthusiast, Perimeter Perspective offers actionable insights and engaging discussions to help you secure your digital landscape and thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Welcome to Perimeter Perspective, the show where we explore the evolving world of cybersecurity, IT management, and the strategies that modern businesses need to stay secure and thrive in the digital age. I'm Michael Moore, your host for this episode and one of the many voices behind the insights and stories from Next Perimeter, a cloud first cybersecurity and IT services firm dedicated to protecting businesses and digital identities. Today, we're talking about network as a service, what the IT world calls Secure Access Service Edge or SASE for short. But let's keep it simple. Network as a Service really describes what this solution does.
Michael Moore:It delivers secure and scalable networks that adapt to your business needs. Joining me today is Alyssa Birchfield, a marketing operations manager, who's looking to get a better handle on network as a service and how it can transform mid market businesses. Alyssa, welcome to the show.
Alyssa Birchfield:Thanks, Michael. I'm really excited to be here. Like many people in my role, I've definitely seen how challenging it can be to balance growth with the need for secure, reliable IT infrastructure. I'm here to learn more and hopefully bring some actionable insights to the table.
Michael Moore:Well, we're thrilled to have you. Today, we're breaking down why network as a service is a game changer for mid market business, how it eliminates headaches like legacy VPNs, how it integrates tools like SIEM, MDR, and EDR into a unified, simplified solution. Let's get started. First, let's address the elephant in the room, legacy VPNs. These have been the go to solution for secure remote access for years, but let's face it, they weren't built for today's hybrid workforce or modern security threats.
Michael Moore:VPNs connect users to a central point, your office network, but that model quickly falls apart when your team is spread across cities, states, or even continents. Worse, VPNs are on demand. Users have to remember to turn them on, leaving dangerous gaps in security when they don't.
Alyssa Birchfield:Right. As someone who manages a lot of marketing tools day to day, I can see how a scattered workforce and a patchwork solution like VPNs would create a lot of vulnerabilities. So what makes network as a service different?
Michael Moore:That's a great question. With network as a service, security isn't on demand. It's always on. Every connection, whether it's your internal tools, Cloud applications, or sensitive customer data, is routed through a secure Cloud based architecture. It's seamless, and more importantly, it's built on a Zero Trust model.
Alyssa Birchfield:Yeah. Zero trust is something I hear a lot about working here at Xperimeter. But how does it actually work? I mean, what does zero trust really mean in practice for businesses?
Michael Moore:Great point, Alyssa. Zero trust means that no user or device is automatically trusted, even if they're inside your network. Instead, every connection is verified. Think of it as a never trust, always verify approach. For example, if a remote worker logs into your system from their home office, the system checks their identity, the security of their device, and their location before granting access.
Michael Moore:Even then, they only get access to what they're authorized to see. It's like giving someone a key to a single hotel room rather than the entire building.
Alyssa Birchfield:Yeah, that's super fascinating. It sounds like it significantly reduces risks, which for businesses that handle sensitive data, that's super important. Are there any additional security measures that come with this approach?
Michael Moore:Absolutely. Network as a service solutions often include encryption for all data in transit, secure web gateways to block malicious websites, and traffic inspections to detect and stop threats in real time. The combination of these layers ensures that the business is protected from multiple lengths.
Alyssa Birchfield:Michael, can you paint a picture of what this might look like in action for a business?
Michael Moore:Absolutely. Let's say you're an IT manager at a mid sized business that handles sensitive financial or healthcare data. To meet compliance requirements, let's say you recently invested in a $150,000 on premise firewall. It's a hefty upfront cost, but the real challenge comes with the annual renewals that can price up to about $30,000 That includes security services, patches, and support. Now, the firewall does its job, but it's static.
Michael Moore:It's only protecting what's inside your office network. If you've got remote workers or Cloud based applications, you're left patching together VPNs and additional tools just to extend that protection.
Alyssa Birchfield:I can see how that would create a lot of operational headaches to say the least, and the costs just keep piling up every year.
Michael Moore:Exactly. This is where network as a service changes the game. Instead of relying on expensive hardware that needs constant renewals, a network as a service solution gives you Cloud delivered security. It's always up to date, adapts to your team wherever they're working, and removes the need for those annual maintenance fees. With this approach, remote workers, Cloud services, and office locations all operate under the same consistent security policies.
Michael Moore:And because everything is centralized in the Cloud, IT staff don't have to manage patches, updates, or complex integrations.
Alyssa Birchfield:That's such a great example. I think it really shows how a cloud first solution like this can not only simplify operations, but also deliver significant cost savings over time too.
Michael Moore:Now let's talk about another challenge many businesses face, SIEM solutions. SIEM or Security Information and Event Management is a critical tool for monitoring network activity and identifying threats. But many companies find that SIEM doesn't always integrate well with other parts of their infrastructure.
Alyssa Birchfield:Yeah, that makes sense. When you're using tools from multiple vendors, things don't always play nicely together. But what happens when a threat is detected? How does network as a service make the actual response faster?
Michael Moore:Great question, Alyssa. With a unified platform like Network as a Service, SIEM works in tandem with tools like Endpoint Detection and Response, EDR, and Managed Detection and Response, MDR. When a threat is detected, the system automatically correlates the data from across your network, cloud services, and endpoints to assess the risk. Then it can take action, like isolating the affected device or blocking the malicious traffic without requiring manual intervention.
Alyssa Birchfield:Yeah, that's really powerful. So instead of spending time figuring out what's happening, IT teams can actually focus on solving the problem faster?
Michael Moore:Exactly. And for listeners who want to dig deeper into how SIEM fits into this model, check out our integrations page. It's packed with insights into how we bring together the pieces of your infrastructure, making them work seamlessly instead of fighting each other.
Alyssa Birchfield:Let me ask this. For companies that are already using advanced security tools, how does network as a service fit into all of it? Do they have to completely replace their existing solutions?
Michael Moore:Another great question, Alyssa. One of the best things about network as a service is that it's highly flexible. If a company has already invested in specific tools, the platform is designed to integrate seamlessly with them. Instead of replacing those tools, it works alongside them to enhance their capabilities by bringing everything into a centralized system. This allows businesses to maximize their existing investments while simplifying management.
Michael Moore:For listeners who want to see how this works in practice, again, check out our integrations page packed with insights on how we bring together different tools to create a cohesive, secure IT environment.
Alyssa Birchfield:That flexibility is so huge, especially for businesses that have already spent a lot of time on their IT infrastructure.
Michael Moore:It really is. Whether you're starting from scratch or building on what you already have, Network as a Service simplifies operations, strengthens security, and positions your business for future growth. So to recap, Network as a Service solves some of the biggest challenges for mid market IT leaders. It replaces legacy VPNs with always on security. It integrates SIEM, MDR, EDR, and antivirus into a single unified platform.
Michael Moore:And it gives your business the tools to scale securely without adding unnecessary complexity or costs. For those of you who want to learn more, head to our website to download the IT Leader's Guide to Network as a Simplify, Scale, Secure. It's a free resource packed with actionable insights and next steps for your team.
Alyssa Birchfield:While you're there, check out our integrations page to see how we connect all these pieces of your IT strategy from your network to your endpoints and everything in between.
Michael Moore:Thanks for tuning into this episode of Perimeter Perspective. If you found this useful and want to keep up with the latest in cybersecurity and IT, don't forget to subscribe on your favorite podcast platform. For more resources, episode updates, and to download the IT Leader's Guide to Network as a Service, visit our website at nextperimeter.com. Have a question or topic you'd like us to cover? Reach out on social media or email us at perspectivenextperimeter dot com.
Michael Moore:Until next time. Stay secure, stay informed, and remember, the perimeter isn't just a boundary. It's your foundation for growth. See you soon.