Gartner predicts ZTNA to take over from VPN
Virtual Private Network (VPN) technology has long been the go-to solution for secure remote access to corporate networks. However, with the evolving threat landscape and the need for more robust security measures, VPNs are gradually being replaced by a more advanced and efficient approach known as Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA). According to Gartner, a leading research and advisory company, ZTNA is set to revolutionize the way organizations provide secure access to their resources.
THE CHALLENGES
VPNs have been widely adopted for years due to their ability to establish a secure connection between a user and a corporate network over the public internet. However, their design and architecture have inherent limitations that pose challenges in today's dynamic and cloud-centric environments.
Frozen Video
And broken audio leads to ineffective conferences
Negative QoX
End customers are unhappy leading to business impact
Impact to Collaboration
Teamwork degrades leading to business degradation
What are the underlying issues that are negatively the hybrid workers user experience?
Latency
Latency is the time taken for data packets to travel from source to destination. A higher latency network is common for remote users because of “best effort” consumer-grade ISP connections and Wi-Fi. Latency degrades application performance.
Jitter
Jitter is the variation in the delay of data packets from source to destination. If the jitter becomes too great, the packets arrive out of order, and the video or voice becomes jumbled. This severely impacts audio and video calls and makes communication extremely painful.
Packet Loss
Dropped and missing packets are a fact of life. Packet loss forces applications to backoff their speed and makes them appear very slow. Unfortunately, packet loss is very common with home WiFi and roaming user public networks.
Security
Many security solutions have failed to consider the user's quality of experience. The solutions route traffic through a data center or a PoP that may be far from the user. This means that security solutions for hybrid workers exacerbate the poor quality of experience.
The Rise of Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)
Gartner emphasizes the limitations of traditional VPNs and the advantages of ZTNA. According to their report:
VPNs were designed for a different era and are no longer adequate in addressing today’s security challenges. Organizations need to adopt a Zero Trust mindset and leverage ZTNA to secure their networks and applications effectively.
Most organizations adopting ZTNA services are looking beyond VPN approaches due to the spike in remote working, combined with unmanaged device usage.ZTNA offers granular access controls and a more dynamic security model that verifies each user and device attempting to access the network, reducing the attack surface and enhancing overall security posture.
ZTNA: The Future of Secure Access
Cloudbrink: High-Performance ZTNA Solution
Among the emerging ZTNA providers, Cloudbrink stands out as a leader in delivering high-performance Zero Trust Network Access solutions. Here’s why:
Robust Security: Cloudbrink employs advanced encryption, authentication mechanisms, and comprehensive access controls to ensure that only authorized users and devices can access resources.
Scalability: With Cloudbrink, organizations can easily scale their ZTNA infrastructure to accommodate growing remote workforces and changing business needs. Each user can simultaneously have and use a 1Gb connection – no limits on prem or in the data center.
Seamless User Experience: Cloudbrink prioritizes user experience by providing fast and reliable connections, eliminating the latency often associated with traditional VPNs and other ZTNA solutions.
Centralized Management: Cloudbrink’s intuitive management console allows administrators to efficiently manage access policies, monitor user activity, and respond to security incidents effectively.
Automated Moving Target Defense: Cloudbrink’s use of automated rotating certificates and hundreds of temporal PoPs makes it hard for attackers to gain a foothold.
Goodbye VPN
The days of relying solely on VPN technology for secure network access are coming to an end. ZTNA represents the future of secure remote access, offering enhanced security, granular access controls, and a more dynamic approach to network protection. As recognized by Gartner, organizations need to adopt a Zero Trust mindset and embrace ZTNA for a more robust security posture. When it comes to high-performance ZTNA solutions, Cloudbrink stands out as a trusted partner, providing the necessary features and capabilities to ensure secure and seamless access to network resources.