Hybrid SASE solution FireCloud Internet Access

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With FireCloud Internet Access, WatchGuard Technologies presents the first product in a new family of hybrid Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solutions. These solutions specifically address the needs of enterprises and WatchGuard partners with hybrid IT structures.

Thanks to FireCloud, consistent protection can be established for the entire IT sphere and security can be ensured even beyond the traditional perimeter with almost identical configuration – and without additional effort.

Hybrid solutions for on-premises & cloud

Hybrid IT security environments, in which the use of cloud or firewall-as-a-service products is increasingly important alongside traditional on-premises firewalls, are now part of everyday life for many companies. However, providers of SASE solutions often overlook the importance of seamless processes with regard to the integrated on-premises structures. This prevents the true added value of a SASE solution from being fully realized. A lack of integration results in isolated systems that must be managed separately, leading to unnecessary complexity and additional burden.

It's precisely in scenarios like these that WatchGuard's new "FireCloud Internet Access" offering truly shines. It's fully integrated into WatchGuard Cloud and features the same consistent policy management that users are accustomed to with all other Firebox appliances. The seamless combination of Firewall-as-a-Service (FWaaS) and Secure Web Gateway (SWG) ensures robust protection without added complexity. This enables WatchGuard, especially Managed Service Providers (MSPs), to offer their customers a high-quality SASE solution that adapts flexibly to any environment. The solution is based on the WatchGuard Unified Security Platform architecture, which effectively unifies the worlds of identity, network, and endpoint security—including unified management and a common installation framework for WatchGuard endpoints.

Decentralized and distributed work environments

"FireCloud Internet Access provides real security for the real challenges facing businesses today. With the proliferation of decentralized and distributed work environments and the shift of enterprises to the cloud, not only is the range of threats increasing, but the locations of the endpoints that need to be protected are also diverse," said Andrew Young, Chief Product Officer at WatchGuard. "With existing solutions, security teams often struggle to manage their network security in concert with SASE implementations. Vulnerabilities are easily created, not to mention the complex administration. To overcome these limitations, we've developed a new hybrid SASE approach that starts with FireCloud Internet Access."

• The FireCloud Internet Access difference: Designed with hybrid cloud/on-premises environments in mind, the solution promises easy deployment, flexible and scalable licensing and pricing, and integration with the WatchGuard Threat Detection and Response platform. The benefits at a glance:
• Designed for hybrid environments: WatchGuard's SASE architecture is one of the few solutions specifically engineered to deliver value and benefits in hybrid environments. For lean IT teams or MSPs, this approach means simpler management, consistent security controls, and lower costs than other SASE offerings.
• Easy deployment: Administrators can configure and enforce security policies through a single interface. The use of consistent policy structures and terminology simplifies administration. Security settings are automatically applied to all WatchGuard-hosted points of presence (PoPs) worldwide, ensuring consistent policy enforcement regardless of the user's location. FireCloud clients are deployed via the WatchGuard Cloud, making them easy to deploy and manage.
• Flexible and scalable: WatchGuard's flexible pricing with FlexPay supports Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) businesses as they build and grow. Because it's a firewall-as-a-service offering, performance isn't affected by the number of users—additional licenses can easily be added as customers grow.

Complete Secure Access Service Edge solution

Andrew Young Chief Product Officer at WatchGuard Technologies (Image: WatchGuard).

WatchGuard is committed to providing a complete SASE solution that meets the needs of its partners and their customers. Over time, the capabilities of WatchGuard's FireCloud family, which ensure secure connectivity to private applications, SD-WAN, ZTNA, and CASB, will be gradually expanded and rolled out. As part of this, FireCloud customers will also benefit from the upcoming integration with the ThreatSync+ software-as-a-service (SaaS) offering for sovereign threat detection and response. The client will also become part of the WatchGuard Universal Agent, which will be available soon, providing even easier device management. As always, WatchGuard works closely with its partners, who best understand their customers' specific SASE requirements.

"SASE is the future of secure connectivity, combining network and security functions into a cloud-native service. With FireCloud Internet Access and its overall approach to a hybrid SASE architecture, WatchGuard underscores its strong focus on delivering powerful cybersecurity solutions specifically designed for MSPs," said Jannik Hindriks, Commercial Managing Director at ICT GmbH. "FireCloud Internet Access is an affordable and effective solution that protects customer networks and employees while also offering the same robust security functionality as Firebox. This provides us as a company with critical efficiencies in our day-to-day operations."

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