Secure access service edge, or SASE as it's commonly known, has become a critical part of any company's security posture. It consolidates and integrates SD-WAN and security service edge (SSE) for comprehensive security across all edges, on-premises and in the cloud. And because it protects the entire network, it's a massive undertaking to understand and deploy.

Given this complexity, it can be hard for partners to identify and approach potential customers.

The upcoming Fortinet SASE Summit will cover all things SASE. Partners learn how to make the biggest impact with new and existing customers and better understand how selling Unified SASE can fit into their own business success.

Ahead of the summit, I'll outline the key Fortinet Unified SASE benefits that every partner should know.

1) Flexible SASE Journey

Because SASE is such a comprehensive solution, customers usually don't build and deploy an entire SASE solution at once. They typically start by addressing a problem within their environment like replacing VPN access for their remote workforce, securing internet and SaaS applications, or implementing zero trust.

Partners benefit from Fortinet Unified SASE because it includes all SASE use cases and capabilities. This means partners can help customers architect a SASE journey that works for them, while investing in one vendor.

Fortinet is also committed to SASE innovation, releasing monthly Unified SASE updates, so partners can keep their customers ahead of the curve.

"Because Fortinet Unified SASE is so comprehensive, it's easy to approach potential and existing customers.  Fortinet gives clients the solution they need today and solves for tomorrow's SASE journey without throwing out yesterday's investments. Fortinet provides the flexibility needed to expand your customer base and increase your stickiness with existing customers by enhancing their security posture."

- Robert Short, President of Liquid Networx

2) Vendor Consolidation

Until recently, companies needed to purchase different security and networking solutions from various specialized vendors. This led to inefficient, expensive vendor sprawl for customers and partners alike. Fortinet sets itself apart because it converges networking and security under a unified operating system and management tool.

Fortinet Unified SASE is a truly integrated solution, not disparate offerings stitched together as many vendors offer. Partners can offer customers a solution they can deploy and manage from a single pane of glass.

"Fortinet's clear differentiator is the deep integration of all SASE technologies under the same operating system and platform. This ensures customers have the right technologies in the right places for the right reasons without completely disrupting their organizational architecture, displacing their IT team, or giving up internal security measures. And as a partner, it means we are optimizing our sales and engineering processes with one vendor."

- Robert Short, President of Liquid Networx

3) Simplified Licensing

Product licensing can be convoluted and time-consuming, even when working with a single vendor. Fortinet offers simplified licensing to make it easy for partners to offer their customers a straightforward way to obtain and renew SASE products and services. This saves customers time and money while keeping partner operations simple.

4) Industry-Leading Secure Networking

There's a common misconception that companies must work with a variety of specialized vendors to get the best, most secure products. Fortinet partners can help customers create a comprehensive SASE deployment that spans their entire environment and enjoy industry-leading networking and security.

Fortinet is the only vendor recognized in five separate Gartner? Magic Quadrant? reports: SSE, SD-WAN, Single-Vendor SASE, Network Firewall, and Enterprise Wired and Wireless LAN Infrastructure. And our products are trusted by hundreds of thousands of customers around the world.

Partners can learn more at the Fortinet Unified SASE Summit

Fortinet is hosting a Unified SASE Summit on October 10, "SASE Meets AI: Transform a Secure Hybrid World." Partners who attend will get an exclusive look at the future of SASE and how it's reshaping security for the hybrid workforce, with insights from Fortinet customers, Google Cloud, and Gartner experts.

Register now and get up to speed on the many benefits of Fortinet Unified SASE.

Magic Quadrant for SD-WAN - Published   30 September 2024--Jonathan Forest, Naresh Singh, Andrew Lerner, Karen Brown

Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Wired and Wireless LAN Infrastructure -Published 06 March 2024 --Tim Zimmerman, Christian Canales, Nauman Raja, Mike Leibovitz

Magic Quadrant for Network Firewalls - Published 19 December 2022 --Rajpreet Kaur, Adam Hils, Thomas Lintemuth

Magic Quadrant for Security Service Edge, Charlie Winckless, Thomas Lintemuth, Dale Koeppen, Published 15 April 2024

Magic Quadrant for Single-Vendor SASE - Published 3 July 2024 --Andrew Lerner, Jonathan Forest, Neil MacDonald, Nat Smith, Charlie Winckless

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