Aryaka Adds SWG and FWaaS to Security Suite

Aryaka Networks, a software-defined wide-area networking (SD-WAN) managed services provider that has been steadily moving up the security stack with new services, this week announced an expansion of its zero trust network access (ZTNA) and security portfolio with the addition of secure web gateway (SWG) and firewall-as-a-service (FWaaS).

Aryaka says the integration of SWG and FWaaS will help customers enforce security policies across offices and remote users with unified control while delivering incredible application performance and stability. ZTNA features and services have been growing in popularity with the explosion of hybrid and remote work, as outlined in our recent ZTNA Trends and Leaders report. The move also highlights the increased integration of secure access service edge (SASE) with cloud-based network services.

Yes, it's a lot of acronyms! But it's important, because the trend toward SASE and network convergence means that network managed service providers need to bring as many security acronyms to the party as possible. Network security services such as SWG and FWaaS have been popularized by cloud-based operators such as Zscaler, while at the same time vendors of SD-WAN and SASE platforms such as Aryaka, HPE Aruba, VMware VeloCloud, and Versa Networks have been steadily increasing their security features, including SWG.

Cloud Infrastructure Play

Aryaka is unique in the SASE market by operating its portfolio of SASE services as well as enterprise networking backbone services using both Layer 2 and Layer 3 networking. It is looking to differentiate itself from other cloud network providers, most of which rely on Internet Protocol (IP) Transit with the Internet, by offering quality of service using its own network backbone. For example, last year Aryaka acquired SASE provider Secucloud and introduced a new routed, private Layer 3 network service.

Dave Ginsburg, VP of product and solutions marketing, recently told me that Aryaka will continue to see its network as a differentiation from competitors by providing a private, layer 2 circuits to customers.

"Layer 2 wins and we have traction in the retail segment. Customers like knowing exactly what the network can deliver."

In the networking business, they call this the "middle mile." It is increasingly important as customers look for fast, reliable connections to cloud points of presence (PoPs) or remote branches.

Aryaka's cited key partners as embracing the technology.

"One of the best parts of working with Aryaka is their incredible focus on the customer," said Drew Lydecker, president of AVANT, in an Aryaka statement. "How they integrated Secure Web Gateway into their unified SASE solution speaks volumes to their commitment to simplifying and securing IT operations for the modern enterprise."

Full SWG and Security Stack

Aryaka's new SWG targets site-to-Internet and users-to-Internet traffic, protecting users and customers from web and Internet-based attacks. That, along with the new FWaaS, provides the following benefits, according to the company:

• Improved patch and update readiness
• Reduced operational complexity
• Correlated view across events
• Reduced vendor portfolio
• Reduced total cost of ownership (TCO)
• Increased capital efficiency

Richard Delisser, SVP of Cloud and Infrastructure Technology at World Fuel, a longtime Aryaka customer, said: "World Fuel is a cloud first company, so we're 100% behind Aryaka's Zero-Trust WAN roadmap to converge network and security into one Unified SASE offering. Combined with Aryaka's cloud-managed services delivery, it provides us with the ability to innovate securely at the pace of a startup."

Aryaka's expansion is one to watch as SASE and cloud-based security services are one of the hottest markets in enterprise technology. The addition of SWG and FWaaS give Aryaka a broader security portfolio to compete with cloud-based services such as Cloudflare and Zscaler, only with private network guarantees.

Aryaka is a private company that has been featured on the Futuriom 40 list of top private companies in cloud infrastructure.