Open Systems SD-WAN Netify Review

What is Open Systems SD-WAN?

The Open Systems SD WAN offering aims to provide users with a secure way to connect all of their branches, clouds and networking operations and technologies using one set of monitoring and policies for all endpoints and users. They provide SD WAN overlay which allows clients to apply pre-existing network architectures. The company also offer their SD WAN Connect product as an optional extra in their SASE+ Service Plans. The product provides users with a comprehensive managed service solution, supported by a team of network design consultants who help to design, configure, test and provide network support on one platform (See, What is the Open Systems managed, co-managed and DIY services solution?).

Configuration-Based Key Features:

• Multi-Cloud Connectivity: Multi-Cloud Connect allows users to connect to multiple cloud providers such as Azure and Equinix.
• Network Functions: Includes network functions such as policy-based and application-aware routing, bandwidth control and path selection.
• Mobile Entry Point: Remote access/VPN supports teleworking by enforcing security policies for off-site employees. (See, How does Open Systems support remote users?).
• Line Operations Service: Provides clients with constant monitoring and alerts using a team of specialists who can correct access issues and provide connectivity notifications throughout any incidents that may occur. This provides real-time visibility into bandwidth usage. 

Security-Based Key Features:

• Encryption and Routing: Traffic is authenticated and encrypted automatically between sites, securing business-critical data across public and private networks and between service providers. 

Performance-Based Key Features:

• Bandwidth Control: Bandwidth usage can be controlled by using tools and metrics to control by application, location and connection.
• Path Selection: Improves performance of business-critical applications by routing them across optimal paths and, should connections be dropped, defining per-app orders of preference.
• Application Optimization: Application visibility is improved by allowing users to view network traffic usage (including encrypted traffic) per application. From this, users can control bandwidth usage by setting routes to prioritize traffic in line with business needs.

What is Open Systems SASE solution?

Open Systems offer SASE+ which is a strong, cloud-delivered, automated and policy driven solution backed by a team of security experts that constantly monitor and assist networks. Using Open Systems’ network of global access points users are offered secure connections to cloud and internet services, in-office and in remote locations. Clients have the choice of adding ZTNA+ (zero trust network access), to extend SASE+ to accommodate a larger number of users with a broader range of devices.

SASE Features: 

• Managed Detection and Response (MDR): Part of Open Systems managed services offering, MDR+ monitors alerts constantly (See, What is the Open Systems managed, co-managed and DIY services solution?). 
• Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR): Allows security experts to respond to security breaches quickly, by continuously scanning for and reporting suspicious events in real-time. Data logs of endpoint activity are maintained to increase response effectiveness. 
• Network Detection and Response (NDR) - IDS/IPS: Searches for malware and security threats within the kill chain and blocks communications with suspicious activity. By assigning threat scores to internal assets, NDR protects against existing intrusions.  
• Managed Security Information and Event management (SIEM): A service designed to cope with large amounts of threat data by analyzing and correlating the data. To see more go to What is the Open Systems managed, co-managed and DIY services solution?. 
• Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB): Offers increased visibility across cloud applications and monitors the use of cloud applications within the network, producing detailed risk assessments in real-time. 
• Advanced Threat Protection (ATP): Designed to block malicious URLs, domains and IPs whilst delivering indicators of compromise (IOCs) in real-time. This protects business-critical and sensitive data  by adding extra layers of protection. 
• DNS Filter: Includes Secure Web Gateway-based SSL scanning and authentication as well as malware protection and runs on a firewall to allow for URL filtering applications and built-in threat protection. 
• Cloud Sandbox: Determines the presence of malware by using 8,600 file attributes and an intelligent neural network, with machine learning to speed up analysis of new files.
• Secure Web Gateway: Includes category-based URL and DNS filtering, TLS interception, malware protection and certificate validation to prevent security breaches. 
• Next Generation Firewall (NGFW): Protects end-user machines network servers by filtering traffic and leveraging multiple security zones within the network. 
• Secure Email Gateway: Prevents attacks from phishing links in emails, by serving as an entry point for mail traveling from outside of the organization.