More Fabric than Fence

Extending security wherever you do business

Cisco delivers security as software distributed to global points of presence (PoPs) throughout the Internet. This hybrid architecture runs everywhere you do business today – in the public cloud, in our hosted data center for private cloud and soon to be available in on-premises campuses and branches. It’s optimized for connectivity, so all these disparate connections are executed in single pass with very low latency for high performance. This ensures a great experience for users across any device capable of accessing enterprise applications – including mobile devices.

Cisco built its SSE architecture just like the hyperscalers. We use the most modern and performant tech such as Vector Packet Processing (VPP), QUIC, and MASQUE – allowing our architecture to scale to cloud speeds. While other vendors have taken a bolted-on approach, Cisco’s solution addresses the unique requirements enterprises face when adopting zero trust.

Cisco's Universal ZTNA Changes the Game for Users and Administrators

Easily provide secure access without impacting the user experience

Cisco's Universal ZTNA provides secure application access for users without slowing them down. When their day begins, users start by logging into their computer – from home, the road or the office. They complete a phishing-resistant passwordless push, and Duo enables access to all applications they need. From there, that user will not need to use their phone again to do an interactive authentication. Instead, a single client manages the endpoint and application access behind the scenes. The user can safely open their email. They can safely browse the internet. And they can securely access private applications – either with Secure Application Access or through VPNaaS if an application is not compatible with the modern protocol.

The best part? No action is required by the user. They simply log in and get to work and all the protection happens behind the scenes. Whether they’re at the office, at home or on the road, their experience accessing their apps remains the same – responsive, fast and intuitive. 

For the administrator, provisioning new users for Cisco Secure Access is simple. Whether they’re enabling remote employee access or a third-party contractor at the office, the process is straightforward and can been done across a distributed enterprise in a few hours. Implementing strong, phishing-resistant MFA that dynamically adjusts access to risk is also far faster and easier to set up with Cisco Duo than alternatives.

Next steps on your zero trust journey

A strong workplace security strategy means protecting users at moments of vulnerability, including their inbox, credentials, and access to applications and devices, as well as protection for devices that cannot have an agent, like cameras, printers, or unmanaged devices. Cisco’s User Protection Suite includes Universal ZTNA, as well as protection for email and endpoints to provide this holistic, layered approach.