4 Minute read
The way we work has changed forever. Hybrid work isn’t a trend anymore it’s the new ‘business as usual’ for UK businesses, with up to 65% of UK enterprises still operating in a hybrid model. That flexibility is fantastic for productivity and talent retention, but it brings a very real challenge to IT and security teams: how do you ensure secure, reliable access for a workforce that could be anywhere on any given day?
The Legacy VPN is Showing Its Age
For years, virtual private networks (VPNs) were the default solution for remote access. But the truth is, they were never designed for today’s scale or speed. They’re hard to scale, often introduce performance bottlenecks, and provide a broad attack surface when compromised. Most importantly, they assume a trusted network inside the perimeter. A concept that simply doesn’t align with modern cyber threats.
When workers are connecting from homes, cafes, co-working spaces, or mobile networks, your perimeter is everywhere, and that requires a new approach.
SASE: Secure Access at Scale
Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) is a framework that brings networking and security together in a cloud-native model. For the hybrid workforce, it means:
- Consistent access and security policies, regardless of where users connect from.
- Performance optimisation, using local points of presence to route traffic more efficiently.
- Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), which verifies identity and context before granting access.
- Scalable bandwidth, removing the need for backhauling traffic through centralised VPN concentrators.
SASE isn’t just a replacement for VPN it’s the evolution of cybersecurity.
Real Impact for a Real Business.
We’re seeing UK organisations move from traditional VPN setups to SASE-based remote access in as little as six weeks.
The results? Faster logins, fewer helpdesk tickets, and drastically reduced risk exposure. One organisation reported that secure access times dropped from 90 seconds to under 10 seconds after deploying a SASE-based solution.
But beyond performance, it’s the visibility and control that has won the hearts of the IT department. With SASE, you can see what apps your users are accessing, apply policies in real-time, and respond to threats before they escalate.
Looking Ahead
Remote and hybrid work is here to stay. That means secure access can’t be a patchwork of legacy tools anymore. It must be seamless, scalable, and secure by design.
If you’re still relying on traditional VPNs to support your remote workforce, it’s time to rethink.
SASE offers a path forward that matches the agility and resilience that modern businesses demand.
In our recent article, we explored how to build the business case for SASE. While the technology is powerful, getting buy-in from the boardroom is critical to making it a reality.
