Your Journey, Your edge: Keerti Melkote

Keerti Melkote, President and Founder, Aruba Networks at Hewlett Packard Enterprise spoke on his key note address in the ongoing atmosphere 21 said, we are entering the era of edge-to-cloud where Edge network services work with cloud services to support work-from-anywhere, distributed centers of data, new IoT-driven business models, and user experiences. 

Atmosphere is the first Edge conference for visionaries, technologists, and thought leaders. This year,the event is focused on the latest and greatest in networking with an even sharper focus on the Edge -to-cloud where Edge network services work with cloud services to support work-from-anywhere, distributed centers of data, new IoT-driven business models, and user experiences.

It is changing how we live and work. This year’s Atmosphere is focused on the journey to digital transformation, powered by Aruba ESP (Edge Services Platform) for the connectivity, security, and analytics required for success. In his keynote, Keerti spoke about the growing role of Aruba and HPE in the evolution of the Edge.

As we move into 2021, we have the exciting opportunity to reimagine the role of the enterprise office and reshape the way our organization thinks about work. By defining a new hybrid workplace for ourselves, Aruba and HPE offices will meet the changing needs of our team members, partners and customers. We will transform offices into innovation, culture and collaboration centers that align with the future of work and the “Edge to Office” vision of flexible work we’ve rolled out across the company.

Keerti spoke on Foundation of digital enterprise, under ESP platform with the help of AI ( Artificial Intelligence) . Last nine month has been a dramatic experience under the ESP platform. Aruba ESP (Edge Services Platform), the industry’s first AI-powered, cloud-native platform to automate, unify, and protect the Edge.

Aruba announced an expansive set of cross-portfolio edge-to-cloud security integrations for Aruba ESP (Edge Services Platform). The new advancements include the integration of the ClearPass Policy Manager secure network access control platform with the Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN edge platform, formerly Silver Peak, the integration of Aruba Threat Defense with the EdgeConnect platform, and the expansion of the Aruba ESP multivendor security partner ecosystem, providing enterprise customers with the freedom to deploy best-of-breed, cloud-delivered secure access service edge (SASE) security components of their choice. Today’s Aruba ESP advancements will enable enterprises to fast-track their digital transformation journey from edge-to-cloud.

Now Aruba ESP deliver’s from Edge-to-Cloud Security to Enterprises, by applying a Zero Trust and SASE approach, Enterprises accelerate WAN and security transformation, advance cloud and IoT adoption and fast-track digital transformation

The Future is Edge to Cloud

Aruba launches ‘Edge to cloud security’ features. A recent report from communications research firm 650 Group highlights the growing emphasis on SASE while explaining the need for enterprises to re-examine their security approach in light of the current technology evolution. Chris DePuy, founding technology analyst at 650 Group states, “As enterprises shift toward Zero Trust and SASE architectures, they are increasingly evaluating and deploying multi-vendor cloud-delivered security services, and it’s not necessary for all the SASE components to come from a single vendor. Aruba’s approach strikes a balance between delivering on-premises security functionality at the WAN edge and providing customers with the freedom of choice to integrate leading cloud-delivered security services from partners like Zscaler, Netskope, and Check Point. This multi-vendor partnering strategy provides enterprises with the flexibility to continue working with existing vendors or shift toward ‘best-of-breed’ systems.”Said Prakash Krishnamoorthy, Director-India, Aruba .

Aruba recently added three new features as following:

1. Zero trust segmentation: Integration of zero trust identity network with access control at Aruba EdgeConnect would combine role and security posture with application intelligence to enable end to end segmentation. This will drive automated definition of roles enforced for users and devices across the network.

2. Unified branch security: Extended integration of Aruba IDS and IPS to EdgeConnect physical and virtual appliances will secure local internet breakout from branch locations, deployed on premises or in the cloud. The new EdgeConnect feature also returns the threat data to Aruba central servers.

3. Expanding partner ecosystem: Service orchestration provisioning workflow includes pre-configured information on partner’s proximity based cloud security services.

With a new Service Orchestration provisioning workflow, the Aruba Orchestrator management console, formerly Silver Peak Unity Orchestrator, now includes pre-configured default information regarding the cloud security partner’s proximity-based cloud security services. Network administrators can quickly and easily associate Aruba branch locations with the partner’s points of presence (POPs) and cloud-data centers. Leading security vendors such as Check Point, Forcepoint, McAfee, Netskope, Palo Alto Networks, Symantec and Zscaler are currently a part of Aruba’s extensive technology alliance partner ecosystem.

ClearPass Policy Manager Integration with Aruba EdgeConnect

The integration of ClearPass Policy Manager with the Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN edge platform augments application intelligence by adding identity knowledge of users, IoT devices, roles, and security posture to form the basis of a SASE WAN edge. Combining role and security posture intelligence with advanced dynamic segmentation capabilities eliminates the complexity associated with implementing hundreds of VLANs for each class of user and device, dramatically simplifying network administration and management. Integrating ClearPass Policy Manager with EdgeConnect provides a consistent and automated definition of roles that can be enforced network-wide from the user’s device, through the LAN, and across the WAN.

Aruba Threat Defense Integration with Aruba EdgeConnect

The integration of Aruba Threat Defense with the Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN edge platform extends advanced intrusion detection and prevention (IDS/IPS) capabilities to EdgeConnect physical and virtual appliances. This allows the EdgeConnect platform to leverage the Aruba threat infrastructure, sharing critical threat information between Aruba Central and EdgeConnect to deliver full visibility across the network. These advanced unified threat management (UTM) capabilities enable enterprises to deliver east-west lateral security as well as secure local internet breakout from branch locations and can be deployed centrally on premises or in the cloud. By leveraging a common threat infrastructure and threat feeds across Aruba ESP, network and security managers can centrally apply and enforce threat management policies enterprise-wide.

In Box:Digital transformation is causing a significant increase of IoT devices connecting to the network, presenting new challenges that are not addressed with cloud-delivered security alone

Freedom of Choice through a Multivendor Partner Ecosystem

As enterprises shift toward a Zero Trust and SASE architecture, they are increasingly evaluating and deploying multivendor cloud-delivered security services. A new Ponemon Institute security best practices survey affirms this, revealing that over 70 percent of respondents would opt for a best-of-breed, cloud-delivered security solution over an all-in-one approach,[1] in order to architect a comprehensive Zero Trust and SASE infrastructure.

With a new Service Orchestration provisioning workflow, the Aruba Orchestrator management console, formerly Silver Peak Unity Orchestrator, now includes pre-configured default information regarding the cloud security partner’s proximity-based cloud security services. Network administrators can quickly and easily associate Aruba branch locations with the partner’s points of presence (POPs) and cloud-data centers. Leading security vendors such as Check Point, Forcepoint, McAfee, Netskope, Palo Alto Networks, Symantec and Zscaler are currently a part of Aruba’s extensive technology alliance partner ecosystem.

Comprehensive Secure WAN Edge Portfolio Spans Hybrid Work Locations

The Aruba ESP platform offers customers the industry’s most comprehensive portfolio of secure wired, wireless and WAN edge solutions that enable customers to adapt to today’s new normal and tomorrow’s unknowns. The WAN Edge portfolio includes:

Virtual Intranet Access Client (VIA) – maximum mobility for work-from-anywhere users whether connecting to private or public networks

Remote Access Points (RAPs) – minimal footprint for mobile, remote and temporary workspaces, delivering secure connectivity to the corporate enterprise network

SD-Branch – maximum integration and simple unified management across WLAN, LAN and SD-WAN with Zero Trust security

EdgeConnect – optimal QoE (Quality of Experience) from edge-to-cloud with an advanced SD-WAN edge platform and unified SASE components

Prakash emphasised the shift towards SASE at work from home servers. The new technology eliminates tradeoffs between application security and performance, transforming the security model at its own pace.

He also pointed out the latest API based integrations, with service orchestration to ensure safe and free platforms for customers.We are helping our customers to accomplish their data transformation journey by further adding security based structures and making bold moves. In the digital transformation, the proliferation of IoT is going to happen. To safeguard the networks from hackers, unified branch security will support east to west lateral security, said Krishnamoorthy.