What is Secure Access Service Edge?

Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) is a term coined by Gartner to describe cybersecurity solutions that provide converged network and security features into a single, cloud-delivered service model. As workforces, applications, and data are now so often operating and residing outside traditional corporate perimeters, the advantages of SASE are becoming increasingly attractive to operations of all sizes. 

SASE integrates several critical networking and security functions—including secure web gateways (SWG), software defined wide area networking  (SDWAN), firewall as a service (FWaaS), and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)—into a unified cloud-based service. This convergence allows organizations to securely connect users, devices, and applications from any location, enhancing security while simplifying network management.

Buildings are becoming more connected than ever. OT systems like HVAC, lighting, elevators, access control, and building automation now rely on networked connectivity, cloud services, and remote access to operate efficiently across portfolios. But legacy security models were never built to handle this level of exposure, and they leave building systems vulnerable to growing cyber risks.

SASE provides the modern security framework these environments need by addressing several critical shifts:

• Remote and Distributed Building Operations
  Engineers, vendors, and integrators now support systems across many sites, often from remote locations. Legacy VPNs and jump hosts create broad, risky access paths that are hard to manage and easy to exploit. Most buildings have 4 or more remote access tools installed.

• Enabling secure, role-based access without exposing networks. This matters because third-party remote access is involved in nearly 50% of OT cybersecurity incident, according to Censinet, which highlights the urgent need to control how vendors and service partners interact with connected systems.

• Cloud-Based OT Applications
  From analytics dashboards to predictive maintenance platforms, more OT tools run in the cloud. Routing traffic back through central corporate networks creates latency, increases cost, and complicates access. SASE allows secure, direct connections between OT systems and cloud services without sacrificing control. This trend is only accelerating as virtually all modern building systems rely on cloud-based applications for monitoring, analytics, or automation, which makes direct, secure cloud connectivity a must-have.

• Limitations of Traditional Network Security
  Building systems were historically air-gapped or hidden behind perimeter firewalls. But now, exposure to the internet, unmanaged vendor tunnels, and IoT devices have broken that perimeter. Traditional tools like VPNs no longer provide sufficient segmentation, visibility, or policy enforcement. In fact, over 70% of OT environments experienced at least one intrusion attempt last year, often exploiting exposed remote access paths or legacy equipment, according to Deloitte.

• The Need for Simpler, Unified Management
  OT teams often operate with limited IT support. SASE simplifies operations by consolidating access control, visibility, and security policies into a single cloud-managed platform. This makes scaling securely across large property portfolios easier.

SASE isn’t just an evolution in cybersecurity. It is a critical enabler for modern, resilient, and efficient building operations. As buildings become smarter, more connected, and more reliant on digital services, SASE provides the secure foundation to move forward with confidence.

SASE unifies several core technologies. Each plays a vital role in securing and optimizing modern, distributed networks. Together, they form a single, cloud-delivered framework that supports both IT and OT environments.

Software-Defined Wide Area Networking (SD-WAN)

What it is:
SD-WAN is a networking technology that intelligently routes traffic across multiple WAN connections (like MPLS, broadband, or LTE) based on real-time conditions. It improves performance and resilience compared to traditional static routing.

How it works:
SD-WAN uses software-defined policies to prioritize critical traffic, automatically rerouting packets across the best available link. This ensures continuous connectivity and optimal bandwidth use, even during network congestion or failure.

Why it’s important for an OT SASE:
SD-WAN is the foundation of SASE’s connectivity layer. It allows SASE to extend secure, optimized connections across distributed sites—such as multiple buildings, campuses, or remote facilities without complex, hardware-heavy networking.
For OT environments, SD-WAN ensures that building automation systems, cloud dashboards, and vendor applications remain responsive and available across geographically dispersed assets.

Secure Web Gateway (SWG)

What it is:
An SWG protects users and devices from malicious websites, downloads, and applications by inspecting and filtering all outbound web traffic.

How it works:
It evaluates every web request—blocking unsafe sites, scanning for malware, and enforcing company or compliance policies. Modern SWGs often include SSL/TLS inspection to secure encrypted web traffic.

Why it’s important for an OT SASE:
Within SASE, the SWG is the first line of defense for all outbound traffic, whether from a user, device, or OT system accessing cloud services.
For example, when a building analytics platform or IoT sensor connects to an external API, the SWG ensures that connection is clean and compliant, which prevents malware from spreading into critical OT networks.

Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB)

What it is:
A CASB is a security layer that governs how users and systems access cloud applications and data. It acts as a policy enforcement point between cloud service users and cloud providers.

How it works:
CASB tools monitor and control cloud traffic, ensuring data is stored, shared, and accessed according to enterprise security policies. They detect shadow IT, prevent data leakage, and enforce encryption for sensitive content.

Why it’s important for an OT SASE:
As organizations adopt cloud-based OT platforms for energy optimization, predictive maintenance, or vendor management, CASB ensures those apps remain secure. It applies consistent access policies, audits data movement, and prevents misconfigurations that could expose sensitive operational data to the public cloud.

Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)

What it is:
ZTNA enforces the principle of “never trust, always verify.” It grants users and devices access only to specific applications or systems, rather than entire networks.

How it works:
Each access request is authenticated and authorized in real time, based on user identity, device posture, and contextual factors like location or behavior. Unlike a VPN, ZTNA doesn’t create an open network tunnel. It builds a direct, secure connection only to the resource required.

Why it’s important for an OT SASE:
ZTNA is the core of SASE’s Zero-Trust architecture. In OT environments, this means engineers, vendors, and building automation systems can only reach the systems they’re approved for, such as HVAC controls or lighting management, while all other access remains blocked.
It eliminates lateral movement and ensures every session is logged, encrypted, and governed by policy.

Firewall-as-a-Service (FWaaS)

What it is:
FWaaS delivers traditional firewall capabilities—like packet inspection, access control, and threat blocking—from the cloud rather than on-prem appliances.

How it works:
It filters and monitors traffic between networks, inspecting packets for policy violations, malware, and intrusion attempts. FWaaS scales automatically and applies the same rules across all sites and users, without the need for distributed firewall hardware.

Why it’s important for an OT SASE:
In the SASE model, FWaaS enforces consistent perimeter protection no matter where the “perimeter” is, whether on-site, remote, or cloud-based.
For building networks, FWaaS protects operational devices (e.g., controllers, gateways, or vendor-connected assets) from unauthorized access, while ensuring compliance with corporate or regulatory security standards.

Bringing It All Together

These five components form the backbone of SASE—combining network optimization, cloud protection, and Zero-Trust principles into one cohesive platform.
For organizations operating distributed OT environments, this convergence means one thing: secure, reliable, and simplified connectivity across every building, system, and cloud service.

As cybersecurity architectures evolve, many organizations struggle to distinguish between overlapping solutions like SD-WAN, SSE, and ZTNA. Below is a clear breakdown of how SASE compares to each—and why it often becomes the natural next step for OT environments managing connected systems across multiple buildings or remote sites.

SASE vs. SD-WAN

SD-WAN focuses on optimizing WAN connectivity between sites, offering application-aware routing and better performance over traditional MPLS. However, on its own, SD-WAN lacks built-in security features like identity verification, encryption, or traffic inspection.

SASE incorporates SD-WAN but adds a full Zero-Trust security stack—including ZTNA, firewall-as-a-service (FWaaS), and traffic inspection. This allows organizations to optimize and secure their distributed environments from a single platform.

OT Example:
A real estate operator uses SD-WAN to connect hundreds of properties—but without security layered in, third-party contractors connecting over that network could access internal systems too broadly. By adopting SASE, the operator can optimize bandwidth and ensure that each vendor only accesses specific building systems (like HVAC or elevator diagnostics), with session-level controls and encrypted tunnels.

SASE vs. SSE (Security Service Edge)

SSE delivers cloud-based security services like secure web gateways (SWG), cloud access security brokers (CASB), and ZTNA, but does not include the networking stack. It’s essentially the security half of SASE.

SASE includes SSE’s full security stack and pairs it with SD-WAN to form a complete convergence of security and networking, which is ideal for managing access and connectivity across hybrid IT/OT environments.

OT Example:
A facilities management team adopts SSE to secure access to their cloud-based building automation platform but still relies on legacy networking infrastructure to connect their sites. Upgrading to full SASE allows them to secure both cloud-based analytics dashboards and on-prem building control systems using one unified framework, which eliminates the need to patch together point tools.

SASE vs. ZTNA

ZTNA is a core security component of SASE. It grants least-privilege, identity-based access to applications—replacing broad, implicit trust with specific, policy-governed sessions.

SASE incorporates ZTNA and layers it with SD-WAN, CASB, FWaaS, and other security functions to allow organizations to enforce Zero-Trust principles across the full access lifecycle, not just at the moment of authentication.

OT Example:
A building engineer logs in to update a lighting system remotely. With ZTNA alone, access can be restricted to just the lighting app. But with SASE, the engineer’s session is isolated, encrypted, logged, and monitored end-to-end, whether they’re accessing from a mobile device or through a cloud-hosted vendor portal. This full lifecycle control ensures that even trusted users never exceed their role-specific boundaries.

Traditional Networking and Security Models

Historically, enterprise networks were built on the assumption that most resources, users, and applications were located within a central data center. This led to the development of perimeter-based security, where all network traffic was funneled through a central hub for inspection before reaching its destination.

Drawbacks of Traditional Models:

• Inefficiency: As enterprises adopted cloud services and remote work became prevalent, routing traffic back to a central data center (backhauling) introduced latency and degraded user experience.
• Complexity: The traditional model requires multiple disparate solutions to manage networking and security, resulting in complexity and a lack of unified visibility.
• Limited Scalability: Traditional security appliances, such as firewalls and VPNs, are not designed to scale easily with the needs of modern, cloud-centric enterprises.

Advantages of SASE Over Traditional Approaches:

Reduced Latency and Improved Performance: By integrating networking and security services in the cloud, SASE eliminates the need for backhauling traffic to a central data center. This reduces latency, improves application performance, and enhances user experience.

Scalability and Flexibility: SASE is inherently scalable, built on cloud-native architectures. Organizations can easily scale their networking and security services as their needs evolve without significant infrastructure investments.

Simplified Management: SASE’s centralized management model reduces the complexity of managing multiple point solutions. IT teams gain unified visibility and control over the entire network, streamlining operations and improving security posture.

Enhanced Security and Risk Reduction: SASE’s identity-driven access controls, coupled with its integration of advanced security services, provide a comprehensive and adaptive security framework. This reduces the risk of breaches and ensures consistent application of security policies across the network.

The Unique Challenges of OT Security

Operational Technology (OT) environments manage critical infrastructure and industrial processes, such as manufacturing systems, energy management, and building automation. These environments are increasingly connected to corporate IT networks and the broader internet, exposing them to new and increasingly sophisticated cybersecurity risks.

Challenges in OT Security:

• Legacy Systems: Many OT systems are outdated and lack built-in security features, making them vulnerable to cyberattacks.
• Interoperability Issues: OT networks often comprise a mix of legacy and modern systems, leading to interoperability challenges and security gaps.
• High Availability Requirements: OT systems must operate continuously without interruption, making traditional security measures—such as regular patching and updating—difficult to implement.

How SASE Supports OT Security

Edge-to-Edge Security for Distributed Environments: SASE extends security to the network’s edge, which is critical in OT environments where devices and systems are distributed across multiple locations. This ensures that security policies are enforced consistently, regardless of where OT assets are located.

Seamless Integration with Legacy Systems: SASE’s cloud-based model allows for the integration of modern security services without requiring extensive changes to existing OT infrastructure. This is particularly important where legacy systems cannot be easily replaced or updated.

Support for High Availability: SASE’s architecture supports continuous operation by providing secure, resilient connectivity that can be managed and monitored centrally. This reduces the risk of downtime and ensures that critical OT systems remain operational.

Remote Access and Granular Access Control: SASE incorporates ZTNA, enforcing granular, identity-based access controls. In OT environments, where only authorized personnel and devices should interact with critical systems, SASE minimizes the risk of unauthorized access and potential disruptions by implementing least privilege access.

In smart buildings, OT systems such as HVAC, lighting, and security controls often require IT network connection, creating a complex and vulnerable environment. SASE manages this complexity by providing a unified framework that secures both IT and OT systems.

For example, SASE can:

• Secure IoT Devices: IoT devices in smart buildings, such as sensors and actuators, are vulnerable entry points for cyberattacks. SASE ensures these devices are securely connected and that all data traffic is inspected and controlled.
• Protect Building Management Systems (BMS): BMS platforms, which manage critical building operations, are prime targets for cyberattacks. SASE protects these systems by enforcing strict access controls and monitoring all network traffic for suspicious activity.

SASE and ZTNA are complementary frameworks that, when combined, provide a comprehensive security solution for modern networks:

• Identity-Driven Access: ZTNA’s principle of “never trust, always verify” is central to SASE. SASE uses identity-based access controls to ensure that all users and devices are authenticated before they can access network resources.
• Micro-Segmentation: SASE supports micro-segmentation, a key component of ZTNA. This ensures that even if one part of the network is compromised, the rest of the network remains secure.
• Continuous Monitoring: SASE includes continuous monitoring capabilities, essential for detecting and responding to threats in real-time, aligning with ZTNA’s focus on continuous verification and threat detection.

Despite rapid adoption, SASE is still widely misunderstood especially in industries like commercial real estate, industrial operations, and building technologies. Misconceptions often come from legacy IT mindsets or confusion around how SASE fits into hybrid environments. Below, we address some of the most persistent myths and how SASE actually works in OT in practice.

Myth: SASE is just a cloud-based VPN

SASE does far more than replace a VPN tunnel. While VPNs encrypt traffic and connect remote users to a central network, they often overexpose internal systems and offer little visibility or policy control.

SASE enforces identity-based access to specific resources like building automation systems, cloud-based analytics, or vendor tools while encrypting, segmenting, and monitoring every session in real time. It secures traffic to and from OT systems, whether they’re on-site, remote, or cloud-connected, without opening up the entire network.

Myth: SASE is just SD-WAN with security bolted on

SASE builds on SD-WAN but goes far beyond it. SD-WAN focuses on performance and routing between sites. SASE unifies that with a cloud-native security architecture that includes Zero Trust policies, traffic inspection, access logging, and application-specific session control.

For OT environments, this matters because performance and protection are both critical. Whether you’re connecting chillers, elevators, access control systems, or distributed vendor support platforms, SASE gives you optimized, secure access through a single, manageable framework.

Myth: Only large enterprises need SASE

SASE is not just for Fortune 500 IT teams. It is for any organization with distributed systems, vendors, or remote sites that require secure, policy-driven access.

In the world of building operations, even a small portfolio may have dozens of third-party technicians, remote engineers, and cloud platforms to manage. SASE provides right-sized control, even for lean teams allowing property managers, REITs, or facilities teams to enforce strong access policies without increasing complexity.

Myth: SASE is only for remote or distributed workforces

While SASE excels at securing remote access, its real strength is in standardizing secure connectivity across every environment, from head offices to mechanical rooms.

Whether a technician connects from a truck, a rooftop, or a control room, SASE ensures the same Zero Trust controls apply. It’s equally valuable for on-site service coordination, third-party access to vendor portals, or building automation systems needing to reach cloud services.

Myth: SASE replaces on-premises security entirely

SASE doesn’t force an all-or-nothing move to the cloud. Most OT environments still rely on existing firewalls, segmentation rules, and localized detection tools.

SASE integrates with these systems and adds encrypted access control, centralized visibility, and identity-based governance on top. You can continue to use your trusted on-prem infrastructure while extending consistent security to cloud apps, mobile users, and remote sites.

Myth: SASE means ditching other cybersecurity technologies

Not at all. SASE works best when integrated into a broader security stack. Most organizations pair it with tools like EDR (endpoint detection and response), SIEM (for centralized logging), and identity platforms like Okta or Azure AD.

In OT, this lets teams continue using their specialized monitoring tools or BMS analytics platforms, while SASE governs who gets in, what they access, and how that access is secured. This closes the loop on access control without disrupting existing workflows.

SASE provides a unified, cloud-delivered security and connectivity framework. But achieving complete coverage across complex environments takes strategic planning. For organizations managing distributed facilities, critical OT systems, or hybrid cloud deployments, thoughtful design ensures that SASE delivers both security consistency and operational agility.

Hybrid Deployments

Not every location or system can operate fully in the cloud, especially where compliance, latency, or legacy integration requirements apply. Combining SASE’s cloud-delivered capabilities with localized Secure Edge deployments gives teams the best of both worlds: centralized policy control and on-site performance.
Example: A campus can run a Secure Edge node locally to manage real-time control traffic, while cloud-based analytics and access policies stay synchronized across sites.

Transition Strategies

Migrating to SASE doesn’t have to be an all-at-once transformation. For large portfolios or critical environments, a phased adoption model works best. Start by connecting cloud applications and remote access first, then extend Zero-Trust and network security to individual sites as policies mature.
This gradual approach maintains uptime, allows parallel testing, and ensures that OT systems continue running safely throughout the transition.

Vendor and Platform Compatibility

Each site may have different networking equipment, firewalls, or local access rules. A strong SASE platform should integrate easily with those systems through open APIs, flexible routing, and identity provider compatibility.
For OT teams, this ensures that SASE can sit cleanly alongside building automation servers, BMS platforms, and existing monitoring tools, rather than forcing a full rip-and-replace.

Visibility and Control

SASE’s value multiplies when organizations take advantage of its centralized visibility. Unified dashboards and policy enforcement let teams see who’s connecting to what, whether it’s a cloud app, vendor VPN, or on-site control network. This visibility helps eliminate blind spots, maintain compliance, and tighten operational discipline across cloud and edge connections.

Summary

By tailoring your SASE architecture to both business and operational realities, you can achieve full coverage without overextending or compromising critical systems. The result is an adaptive security fabric that protects every connection, from the data center to the edge device, while giving OT and IT teams a shared foundation for secure modernization.

Choosing the right Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solution depends on your environment, operational requirements, and long-term architecture strategy. For building operators, critical infrastructure teams, and those managing OT environments across portfolios, not all SASE platforms are created equal. Below are key factors to evaluate:

Single-Vendor vs. Multi-Vendor Integration

A single-vendor SASE solution typically offers tighter integration, faster deployment, and unified policy enforcement. This reduces friction between networking and security components.

Multi-vendor approaches may offer best-of-breed components but often require more integration effort, more dashboards, and potential security or visibility gaps.

Tip: For OT environments where simplicity and control matter, a single-vendor platform like Neeve Secure Edge reduces integration overhead while maintaining tight policy enforcement from edge to cloud.

Global Points of Presence (PoPs)

A strong SASE provider will offer a globally distributed network of PoPs to reduce latency and ensure fast, secure access—especially for remote users or distributed portfolios.

While global PoPs may seem less relevant to on-prem OT systems, they are critical when accessing cloud-based analytics, vendor platforms, or regional compliance zones.

Cloud-Native Architecture

Look for a true cloud-native platform, not a repackaged set of legacy appliances. Cloud-native SASE scales seamlessly, adapts to evolving environments, and supports distributed deployment models including Virtual Secure Edge nodes in data centers or on-site VMs.

Comprehensive Security Coverage

A full SASE solution should include key security services like:

• Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)

• Firewall-as-a-Service (FWaaS)

• Secure Web Gateway (SWG)

• Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB)
  Some solutions also integrate advanced threat protection, inline malware scanning, and encrypted traffic inspection.

In OT environments, this means enforcing identity-based access, blocking risky lateral movement, and monitoring remote vendor activity and all from a unified platform.

Ease of Management

One of the greatest advantages of SASE is the ability to manage networking and security from a single console. Choose a platform that offers:

• Policy-driven access control

• Real-time session visibility

• Centralized configuration for distributed sites

• Integration with identity providers, SIEM, and monitoring tools

For building operators and infrastructure teams with lean IT support, a single-pane-of-glass approach like Neeve’s minimizes administrative overhead while maximizing control.

Not all SASE solutions are created equal. The right provider can transform security and connectivity for both IT and OT operations—while the wrong one can add cost and complexity. For building owners, infrastructure managers, and operational technology teams, choosing a provider that supports hybrid environments and critical systems is key.

True Integration — Avoid Patchwork Platforms

A best-in-class SASE platform delivers a natively integrated stack for networking and security not a set of bolt-on features or acquisitions loosely tied together. Cobbling together different products can create management blind spots and inconsistent policies.
For OT: Look for a platform purpose-built to manage remote and on-prem connections through a single Zero-Trust policy engine, so every vendor session and system interaction is visible and auditable.

Global Reach and Low Latency

Performance and reliability depend on proximity. A provider with a robust, globally distributed network of Points of Presence (PoPs) ensures low-latency, secure access for all sites and users.
For OT portfolios, this means service engineers and vendors can securely connect to regional building systems or cloud dashboards without delays that could impact diagnostics or control operations.

Scalability and Flexibility for Modern Workloads

Your security architecture should scale as fast as your operations. Choose a provider whose platform supports elastic scaling—from a few secure sites to hundreds of connected buildings—without complex hardware rollouts or forklift upgrades.
This flexibility is essential for organizations expanding their smart-building or remote-monitoring capabilities.

Built-In Zero-Trust and Real-Time Enforcement

Zero-Trust must be built into the architecture, not added later. The platform should continuously evaluate identity, device posture, and context throughout each session.
In OT, this real-time enforcement ensures that even trusted vendors or maintenance staff can access only the specific systems they need such a lighting controller or an energy dashboard and nothing else.

Compliance and Data Sovereignty

Industries managing facilities, healthcare campuses, or energy systems face strict compliance and data-handling rules. Verify that your provider maintains certifications such as SOC 2 Type 2, ISO 27001, and supports data residency controls where required. This keeps sensitive operational data compliant with regional and customer mandates.

Performance, Uptime, and Transparent SLAs

Downtime isn’t an option when OT systems run critical functions. Review Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for uptime, performance, and redundancy and confirm that the provider offers financially backed guarantees rather than vague targets.

Centralized Visibility and Simple Management

Operational success depends on clear visibility. Look for a single, cloud-based management console that unifies security and network analytics, showing every user, session, and site at a glance.
For OT operators, this unified visibility replaces scattered monitoring tools and enables cross-portfolio oversight of all vendor and system access.

Vendor Reputation and Quality of Support

Select a provider with a proven record of supporting complex, distributed environments. Evaluate their support responsiveness, industry experience, and peer reviews. Fast, expert support is vital when remote access or site connectivity affects live systems.

Why Many Organizations Choose Neeve Secure Edge

Neeve’s Secure Edge platform embodies these criteria in a single, integrated solution. It combines Zero-Trust Remote and Cloud Access, Secure Edge Compute, and centralized policy management in one service. We purpose-built it for operational technology and connected buildings. With Neeve, organizations can modernize securely, scale confidently, and unify access and security across every facility.

Deploying SASE establishes a strong security and connectivity foundation, but its real value grows over time. Continuous monitoring, tuning, and adaptation keep the architecture aligned with evolving business needs, new cyber threats, and changing operational technologies.

Continuous Monitoring

Use real-time dashboards and analytics to track network performance, user sessions, and security events across every edge. For OT environments, this includes monitoring access to building automation systems, controllers, and IoT devices.

Adaptive Policy Management

OT environments change constantly: new sensors are added, vendors rotate, and regulations evolve. Review and update Zero-Trust and segmentation policies regularly to ensure they reflect current operations and user behaviors. Adaptive policy management keeps access precise so you grant only what’s needed, when it’s needed.

Performance Optimization

Measure latency, throughput, and resource utilization to keep systems responsive. Automated traffic-shaping tools can help ensure critical OT traffic, such as BMS control signals or emergency alert, always takes priority. For organizations with global or multi-site portfolios, SASE-integrated optimization services reduce bottlenecks between the edge and cloud.

Incident Response and Auditing

Establish incident-response playbooks specific to SASE and remote OT access events. Audit logs should record every session: who connected, from where, and to which asset. Periodic tabletop exercises and simulated access breaches help verify both system and team readiness.

Iterative Improvement

Treat SASE as a living platform. Stay current on new features, best practices, and compliance requirements from agencies such as NIST, CISA, and ISA/IEC 62443 for industrial systems. Participate in industry groups or vendor workshops to benchmark your deployment and continuously enhance both security posture and performance.

By managing SASE as an evolving capability not a static product, organizations can maintain resilience, protect operational assets, and ensure that their connectivity and security strategies keep pace with how modern buildings and infrastructure actually operate.

For many organizations, moving toward SASE exposes overlapping tools and redundant systems—especially point solutions for remote access, monitoring, and edge security. Over time, these tools accumulate: one vendor’s VPN for technicians, another’s firewall appliance, plus multiple monitoring consoles and log dashboards. While each served a purpose, together they add cost, complexity, and operational blind spots.

Inventory and Evaluate

Start by mapping your current network and security stack. Identify tools that duplicate capabilities such as access control, traffic inspection, or vendor management.
In OT environments, this often means discovering multiple VPNs or screen-sharing tools used by different vendors to reach building automation or energy systems. Cataloging these connections is the first step toward simplifying and unifying access.

Streamline and Simplify

Once you understand what’s in place, phase out redundant systems carefully and replacing them with a unified platform that provides the same or greater functionality.
This avoids coverage gaps while reducing maintenance and licensing costs. The goal isn’t just fewer tools; it’s tighter integration and stronger control across the entire operational footprint.

3. Consolidation Benefits

Adopting SASE delivers immediate benefits in simplicity and visibility. With Neeve Secure Edge, those advantages go even further. Neeve replaces fragmented tools with an all-in-one, cloud-managed platform that combines:

• Zero-Trust Remote and Cloud Access

• Integrated Secure Edge Compute

• Centralized Monitoring and Policy Control

With one system handling access, segmentation, and visibility, teams spend less time managing tools and more time improving performance.
For building operators and facilities teams, this consolidation means that every vendor, engineer, and application connects the same secure way—whether they’re working on an HVAC controller, elevator system, or cloud analytics dashboard.

By tackling tool sprawl early, and standardizing on a unified platform like Neeve Secure Edge, organizations not only reduce operational friction and cost but also build a modern, scalable foundation for Zero-Trust access across every site, system, and service.

While pricing varies by provider, the financial model behind SASE delivers clear and measurable benefits especially for organizations managing operational technology (OT) networks, distributed buildings, and vendor ecosystems. Beyond security and performance, SASE can simplify budgeting and lower overall ownership costs.

From CAPEX to OPEX

Traditional network security often depends on heavy upfront capital investments in firewalls, VPN appliances, and MPLS infrastructure.
SASE replaces that model with a cloud-native, subscription-based approach. Instead of purchasing and maintaining physical hardware across multiple sites, organizations pay predictable operational costs for a managed service that scales with their needs.
For OT teams, this means secure connectivity for every site without having to fund or maintain racks of equipment in each building.

Lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

SASE consolidates multiple networking and security tools into a single service, reducing both software licensing and maintenance costs. The TCO savings come from:

• Vendor consolidation: One unified platform replaces multiple VPNs, firewalls, and monitoring tools.

• Network cost optimization: SASE leverages broadband internet instead of expensive MPLS connections.

• Reduced operational overhead: Cloud-based management eliminates the need for on-site configuration and patching.

For building operators, that translates to less hardware at each property, fewer vendor contracts to manage, and faster onboarding for new facilities.

Common Pricing Models

Most SASE solutions use subscription-based pricing, typically charged per user, per device, or per site. This flexibility supports both small teams managing a few buildings and large enterprises overseeing global portfolios. As new systems, vendors, or locations come online, they can be added seamlessly under the same pricing framework with no forklift upgrades or capital requests required.

Business and Operational Advantages

The financial benefits of SASE go hand in hand with its operational impact. By shifting to a unified, cloud-managed platform, organizations achieve:

• Simplified procurement and scaling across distributed environments

• Reduced downtime through managed updates and continuous performance optimization

• Faster ROI as secure remote access and vendor connectivity drive efficiency gains

Neeve Secure Edge exemplifies this model by delivering Zero-Trust Remote and Cloud Access, Secure Edge Compute, and unified monitoring under a single service. Customers gain the security and scalability of SASE without the cost and complexity of maintaining fragmented, hardware-heavy infrastructure.

SASE represents a significant advancement in cybersecurity, especially for Operational Technology (OT), where traditional security models are becoming alarmingly inadequate. By integrating networking and security into a single cloud-delivered service, SASE offers a scalable, flexible, and efficient solution for securing distributed and complex environments. 

In the OT context, SASE not only enhances security by supporting ZTNA principles but also addresses the unique challenges posed by legacy systems and the need for high availability. As OT environments continue to evolve and become more interconnected, adopting SASE is critical for maintaining a robust security posture and ensuring the continued safe operation of critical infrastructure. Neeve’s Secure Edge platform integrates these advanced SASE capabilities to provide comprehensive protection and connectivity tailored for your operational needs.

SASE is ideal for securing distributed environments where users, devices, and applications connect from multiple locations. Common use cases include:

• Providing secure remote access to operational systems across a portfolio of buildings

• Connecting cloud-based building automation or analytics platforms

• Replacing fragmented VPNs with policy-driven, identity-based access

• Securing IoT and OT systems at the network edge

• Enabling consistent security and access control across multiple sites

SASE enforces Zero-Trust principles by verifying every user and device before granting access and limiting what each session can reach. This is especially critical in operational environments where remote vendors, integrators, and building engineers need access to specific OT systems without exposing the broader network. SASE also provides visibility into who is connecting, when, and to what. This helps security teams manage risk proactively.

Yes, but with important differences. SASE includes the secure remote access functionality that VPNs were originally built for, but it goes much further. VPNs create encrypted tunnels between a remote device and the corporate network, often routing all traffic through a centralized data center. That model introduces latency, exposes more of the internal network than necessary, and lacks context-aware controls.

SASE replaces VPNs with a cloud-delivered, identity-aware approach. Instead of granting broad network access, it enforces fine-grained policies based on user identity, device posture, location, and application context. It creates direct, encrypted connections between the user and the specific systems or services they’re allowed to reach—without backhauling traffic or opening the network perimeter. For operational teams managing portfolios of buildings or OT systems, this means faster access, tighter control, and less risk without the complexity of managing VPN infrastructure.

SASE adoption can require rethinking legacy access models and breaking reliance on perimeter-based security tools. Key challenges include:

• Mapping and migrating existing users, devices, and access rules

• Coordinating across IT and OT teams

• Selecting solutions that support legacy OT systems without disrupting operations

• Training teams to manage access through identity and policy, rather than static configurations

However, platforms like Neeve Secure Edge are designed specifically to ease this transition by supporting hybrid deployments, working with legacy systems, and delivering strong Zero-Trust protections without requiring a rip-and-replace strategy.

No. Adopting SASE doesn’t mean sacrificing on-premises security. It means extending strong, consistent protection to every part of your environment—whether it’s in the cloud, on a corporate network, or in a mechanical room controlling HVAC or lighting systems. SASE is designed for hybrid deployments, where on-prem and cloud systems work together under a single Zero-Trust policy framework.

For most OT environments, SASE complements existing on-prem defenses, such as firewalls, VLAN segmentation, or local monitoring tools, by adding encrypted remote access, identity-based policies, and centralized visibility across all sites. You can continue to use your local protections while using SASE to secure how vendors, service teams, and cloud applications connect to those systems.

OT Example:
A property management company already has firewalls protecting its on-prem building automation servers. When it adopts SASE, those firewalls stay in place, but access to them becomes identity-controlled and logged through Secure Edge. Cloud analytics apps can now access operational data safely, and vendor technicians can troubleshoot remotely without exposing the building network to the internet.

In short, SASE strengthens not replaces your on-prem security posture, bringing the same Zero-Trust rigor to every connection, whether it’s local or cloud-based.

No. Adopting SASE doesn’t mean ripping out your existing security stack. In fact, SASE is designed to complement and unify the tools you already use by bringing access control, encryption, policy enforcement, and edge-to-cloud connectivity into a single platform.

This is especially important in OT environments, where many systems rely on on-prem firewalls, local monitoring tools, or vendor-managed infrastructure. Neeve’s Secure Edge platform supports hybrid architectures. This allows organizations to retain their firewalls, SIEMs, and threat detection systems while layering on Zero-Trust access controls, encrypted tunnels, and centralized visibility across all sites.

Many building owners and operators also use specialized tools like building management platforms, smart analytics systems, and cloud-based operational dashboards. Neeve integrates cleanly with those systems, providing secure, identity-aware access without replacing them. SASE isn’t about discarding what works—it’s about strengthening your security posture by making all your systems work better together.

SASE outperforms traditional VPNs in both security and scalability especially for modern, distributed environments like portfolios of smart buildings, remote service teams, or cloud-connected OT systems. VPNs were built for a different era: they encrypt traffic but route all connections through a central data center, which creates bottlenecks, broadens exposure, and limits flexibility.

SASE delivers secure remote access using a cloud-native architecture, identity-based policies, and context-aware enforcement. Instead of granting full network access, SASE gives users access only to the specific systems or services they’re authorized to use—whether on-prem or in the cloud. It also eliminates the need to manage VPN infrastructure and tunnels across sites.

For organizations that need both strong security and operational efficiency, SASE offers a more adaptive, streamlined, and secure approach than VPNs can deliver.

When considering a SASE provider, integration capability should rise to the top of your priority list. The whole strength of SASE lies in its ability to unify networking and security features into a seamless, cloud-delivered platform. Solutions that are genuinely integrated—rather than a patchwork of acquired products—deliver several tangible benefits.

• Unified Management: An integrated SASE solution means you’ll manage your policies, users, and devices through a single pane of glass. This drastically simplifies administration, reduces the chance for misconfigurations, and streamlines workflows.
• Better Security Posture: With all components working in concert, threats are detected and remediated faster, and visibility across the entire network is enhanced. Security controls remain consistent, no matter where your users connect from.
• Improved Performance and Reliability: Homogeneous platforms are often more reliable, introducing fewer latency issues as data flows between components. Networks operate more efficiently compared to architectures cobbled together from disparate technologies.
• Scalability: As your organization grows or pivots to new digital initiatives, a genuinely integrated SASE solution can scale and adapt more gracefully.

Pro Tip: When evaluating providers, dig into whether their SASE offering is purpose-built or a result of integrating various previously standalone products. Ask detailed questions about shared policy engines, unified dashboards, and platform architecture to gauge true integration depth.

While SASE solutions often utilize secure web gateways, which can sometimes act as proxies, they’re far more than that. SASE represents a comprehensive platform that unites multiple networking and security capabilities within a single, cloud-native architecture. Instead of serving as a standalone proxy, SASE orchestrates a suite of services (like SD-WAN, FWaaS, and ZTNA) to deliver robust, adaptive protection and seamless connectivity for users and devices, no matter where they’re located.