Digital transformation and technology evolution are magnifying complexity in enterprise network architecture. Beyond the simple scale of the data and processes involved, the capabilities of modern network infrastructure are also far more advanced, and management has become a far more intricate process. In response, streamlined platforms are growing in popularity, where administrators can view unified network information and receive support from AI agents in steering the ship. One such platform is Palo Alto Networks Prisma SASE (secure access service edge).
Prisma SASE is the umbrella term for a comprehensive suite of networking and security tools developed by Palo Alto Networks. As network technology evolves, Palo Alto Networks has kept at the leading edge by infusing AI into its networking platforms for increased efficiency, resilience, and flexibility.
Explore how AI capabilities enhance network resilience and security via the Palo Alto Networks unified Prisma SASE platform.
What makes up Prisma SASE?
Palo Alto Networks Prisma SASE solution is a comprehensive networking platform provided as a service. A wide range of Palo Alto Networks offerings fall under the Prisma SASE umbrella, and this article will focus on its offerings that contribute to security and network operations.
- SASE: Secure access service edge, pronounced “sassy.” Collective term for the technologies that enable secure, high-quality access from anywhere to enterprise resources both on-premises and in the cloud.
- Prisma Access: The secure services edge (SSE) component of Prisma SASE. Ensures fast, secure access to web- and cloud-based enterprise resources like Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platforms.
- Prisma SD-WAN: Software-defined wide area network. The other arm of Prisma SASE encompasses cloud-native network architecture and performance tools.
- ADEM: Autonomous Digital Experience Management. Intelligently monitors network performance for degradation and opportunities to optimize and can independently initiate remediation to maintain the quality of the user experience.
AI enables active performance optimization for network resilience
AI-driven Prisma networking platforms take a more active approach to performance management than previous generations of network infrastructure did. Although modern enterprise networks are far too large and complex to be effectively monitored by human technicians, AI tools are designed precisely for this caliber of analysis. Backed by AI, Prisma platforms can monitor, optimize, and repair enterprise networks in real time across a range of essential functions.
Traffic flow management
Between Prisma SD-WAN on the infrastructure side and Access as the security service edge, enterprises have complete visibility into the flow of traffic across their network. With that information, Prisma platforms can monitor traffic, identify patterns, and act.
Measuring against a historical model of average network traffic, AI can identify spikes or anomalies in traffic patterns, notify administrators, and autonomously optimize traffic routing to prevent service degradation. In this way, Prisma networks can absorb unexpected events and stay resilient while keeping users connected.
Read more: The future of retail connectivity: Embracing SD-WAN and SASE solutions
Configuration improvements
As Prisma platforms collect network data over time, AI tools can analyze network configurations against best practices and performance data to make recommendations. Responding to your real-world network architecture, Prisma can suggest configuration settings for current and new systems, proactively seek out the latest software updates, and alert you to critical changes. As your network grows alongside your business, Prisma updates its assessments and enables you to deliver a robust and consistent network backbone for your enterprise.
Issue identification and management
The stability of your technology stack is critical for your organization’s productivity. Within Prisma SASE, ADEM exists to monitor network variables that impact resilience and the user experience on your enterprise network: access to cloud-based applications, network speed, equipment outages, and more. ADEM intelligently detects service degradation and automatically begins remediation efforts, often before users even notice a problem.
Fighting fire with fire: AI’s role in combating sophisticated cyber threats
As technology evolves and enterprise networks grow more complex, new attack surfaces are constantly emerging in the race against cybercrime. Prisma AI-enhanced platforms incorporate intelligent security capabilities, which allow them to proactively gather threat intelligence, monitor the network for vulnerabilities, and facilitate enterprise-scale data governance.
Risk mitigation
As the Prisma platform intelligently scans and monitors your network, it also detects and flags vulnerabilities. When operating at an enterprise scale, AI assistance is essential to ensure that patching strategies, software updates, settings configurations, and other critical maintenance processes are comprehensive and leave no gaps in your armor, preserving your network’s resilience against the latest threats.
In addition, Prisma’s platform monitoring capabilities helps administrator minimize shadow IT—the unauthorized utilization of insecure applications or services. This aspect is vital as the usage of generative AI (GenAI) spreads. Used with insufficient care, GenAI represents a potential security threat, as users may provide it with sensitive business data (or it may capture improperly secured data on its own).
For this reason, the Prisma platform includes AI Access Security, a tool for detecting and mitigating unsecured use of GenAI. With AI Access Security, you can enforce detailed data loss prevention policies, block or moderate GenAI access, and empower employees to take advantage of GenAI’s tremendous potential safely.
Threat identification and remediation
During a cybersecurity incident, time is of the essence. Quickly isolating a threat can make the difference in avoiding lost revenue, fines, reputational damage, and a protracted disaster recovery process. AI cybersecurity tools like those in Prisma SASE make rapid response simple with proactive threat monitoring and autonomous remediation.
AI security built into Prisma products retrieves up-to-the-minute threat intelligence on the latest cybersecurity risks. With a transparent view across the enterprise, monitor network activity for suspicious or anomalous behavior. AI agents assist with recommended next steps when a threat is identified, and can be configured to start remediation workflows automatically, saving your teams time and hardening your cybersecurity posture.
Read more: Enhancing zero trust architecture with AIOps for networking
Data governance
Modern enterprises rely on an enormous amount of potentially sensitive data about employees, customers, and business operations to generate strategic insights. Storing and protecting this data from both bad actors and inadvertent loss has become exponentially more difficult as businesses migrate toward expansive cloud storage options.
The Prisma platform facilitates data discovery, tagging, and governance so that you can apply rigorous security policies to sensitive information. For example, the Prisma Access secure browser enforces organizational policies on screenshots, copy/paste, and printing, while additional SASE features can prevent transmission of certain data types over email and collaboration platforms. These network-wide guardrails ensure the resilience of your data security measures.
The platform advantage
Individual security and networking services have been incorporating AI features for some time now, but Palo Alto Networks Prisma SASE brings all the pieces of a resilient network architecture together under one umbrella. With Prisma SASE, your technology stack is guaranteed to work together seamlessly, and a unified platform dramatically streamlines the complexity your technology teams are tasked with managing.
Prisma SASE also consolidates your network data in a unified data lake for broadened visibility and easy access by its AI engines. With all network data in one place, Prisma SASE AI capabilities can cross-reference key information and gain a holistic view of your network’s performance and behavior. This increases its efficiency when working cross-functionally or generating recommendations for complex tasks and enhances its ability to fine-tune the network.
Optimize Prisma implementation with CBTS
Prisma SASE is an expansive, customizable platform that can be tailored to meet your organization’s unique business needs. Developing an individualized solution, however, requires technical proficiency and deep experience with the solution and its capabilities.
CBTS is proud to be a Palo Alto Networks NextWave Diamond Innovator, a status that recognizes both expertise and a robust track record of success. That track record is the result of a commitment to genuine partnership and understanding of client needs, as well as a dedication to client satisfaction. To begin developing a roadmap to network resilience, contact CBTS today.
