About

Independent SASE & SSE knowledge for network and security engineers.

sase.cloud is a vendor-neutral resource built for the people who actually deploy Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) and Security Service Edge (SSE) architectures. No marketing fluff. No vendor sponsorships. Just architecture guides, honest vendor comparisons, and deployment playbooks based on real-world experience.

What we cover

SASE converges SD-WAN with cloud-delivered security — the SSE core of SWG, CASB, and ZTNA, plus FWaaS, DLP, and DEM — into a single service. It was defined by Gartner in 2019 and has since become the dominant architecture for securing distributed workforces and replacing legacy VPN, proxy, and firewall appliances.

We break down every component of the SASE and SSE stack, explain how Zero Trust Network Access fits in, and provide head-to-head comparisons of leading vendors including Cisco Secure Access, Fortinet FortiSASE, Palo Alto Prisma SASE, and Check Point Harmony SASE.

Who this is for

+Network engineers evaluating SASE and SSE platforms

+Security architects designing Zero Trust architectures

+IT leaders comparing vendors for RFPs and procurement

+MSPs building managed SASE services for clients

+Cloud and infrastructure teams modernizing branch connectivity

Why vendor-neutral?

The SASE market is projected to reach $14B annually by 2026, growing at 21% year-over-year. Every vendor claims to be the leader. We cut through the noise by evaluating platforms on what matters: cloud-native architecture, SSE depth, SD-WAN maturity, MSP readiness, and global PoP coverage.

Our comparisons are based on deployment experience, peer reviews, and independent testing — not analyst quadrants or vendor marketing. We score honestly, call out weaknesses, and tell you which vendor fits which use case.

Our scoring methodology

Every vendor comparison on sase.cloud is scored across five dimensions that reflect what matters most in a real SASE or SSE deployment:

+Cloud-native architecture: How the platform was built — purpose-built cloud vs. appliance-ported, microservices vs. monolith, single-pass inspection pipeline.

+SSE depth: Completeness and maturity of the security stack: SWG, CASB, ZTNA, FWaaS, DLP, and DEM capabilities.

+SD-WAN maturity: Branch connectivity, application-aware routing, WAN optimization, and integration depth with the SSE layer.

+MSP readiness: Multi-tenant management, API coverage, white-label options, and partner ecosystem maturity.

+PoP coverage: Global point-of-presence footprint, peering density, and latency characteristics across regions.

Each dimension is scored 1–10 based on a combination of real deployment testing, peer review analysis, independent certification results (CyberRatings, Miercom), and architectural assessment. Scoring is relative, not absolute — an 8 means "strong in this area relative to the competitive field," not "80% complete."

Our methodology is updated quarterly as vendors ship new features and architectures evolve. Scores can go up or down with each update cycle.

What we don't score

We are transparent about what falls outside our methodology: pricing (varies too much by deal size and negotiation), support quality (too variable by region and account tier), and roadmap promises (we only score shipped features, not slide decks). If a vendor hasn't GA'd a capability, it doesn't count.

What you'll find

Architecture guides

Deep dives into SASE, SSE, ZTNA, SWG, CASB, FWaaS, DLP, and DEM — what each component does, how it works, and what to watch out for.

Vendor comparisons

Head-to-head scoring of Cisco, Fortinet, Palo Alto Networks, and Check Point across five dimensions, with strengths, weaknesses, and verdicts.

Deployment playbooks

Phased rollout plans from DNS-layer security (hours) through full SD-WAN integration (months), with timelines and common pitfalls.

Decision frameworks

Use-case-driven recommendations for hybrid workforce, branch modernization, cloud migration, M&A onboarding, and contractor access.

Scoring methodology

Transparent 1-10 scoring across five dimensions with quarterly updates. We score what ships, not what's promised.

Who's behind this

Kevin Malmgren

Network & Security Engineer

I build and maintain sase.cloud because I got tired of vendor marketing disguised as education. After years deploying network and security infrastructure — from MPLS to SD-WAN, legacy proxies to cloud-delivered SSE — I wanted a resource that reflects how these technologies actually work in production, not how they look on a slide deck.

Every score, every recommendation, and every deployment playbook on this site comes from hands-on experience. I test vendor platforms, review peer feedback, and update content quarterly as the market evolves.

If you're evaluating SASE vendors, planning an SSE deployment, or transitioning from legacy VPN to Zero Trust — this site is built for you.

Start exploring

Jump into the guide — from SASE fundamentals to vendor comparisons and deployment playbooks.

Read the guide →