PASSPORT integrates Aryaka’s traditional enterprise-grade private connectivity with expanded security functionality, including technology from Palo Alto Networks, Zscaler and Radware.

SD-WAN provider Aryaka has announced a new platform targeted at customers who want to integrate security with their SD-WAN. PASSPORT a security platform with six separate layers, which include contributions from three additional vendors – Palo Alto Networks, Zscaler, and Radware.

“PASSPORT is a new platform which is targeted at security specifically,” said Gary Sevounts, Aryaka’s Chief Marketing Officer. “It’s the same integrated platform, but one part is SD-WAN and other side is security. It’s the most secure SD-WAN available, for enterprises that are really concerned about security.”

Aryaka’s solutions are built on a global private network, with 28 world-wide points of presence. That allows them to transcend the limitations of MPLS and the Internet, since each point of presence has a stack of software-defined networking applications that is delivered from their POPs as a service. It makes larger global enterprises their sweet spot, and they have over 600 such customers.

Sevounts said that SD-WAN vendors have broadly responded to customer concerns about security by introducing layered security models.

“There are two approaches,” he said. “The multi-layer single vendor model is used more by small businesses because it is easier to manage. The issue though is that if there is an issue with that single vendor, all layers are exposed. That makes it unacceptable for larger enterprises. Multi-vendor, multi-layer models are more suitable for enterprises, and we have six layers in our PASSPORT model.”

Sevounts said that several of the layers contain protection that other vendors commonly have as well, which provide dedicated layer 2 links with enterprise-grade end-to-end encryption that are not mixed with any other traffic, and network edge protection. One also includes Radware’s Hybrid Cloud Attack Mitigation for DDoS attack prevention.

“We also have a layer for cloud security, which leverages partnerships with Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect Cloud Services and Zscaler Cloud Security,” Sevounts said. This layer is  for all Internet and cloud-bound traffic. Palo Alto’s virtual firewall technology is also leveraged in another layer.

“The sixth layer is unique to Aryaka, and provides an Early Warning Visibility portal which for the first time, gives IT full visibility into the network for all users and all locations,” Sevounts said. That gives IT an early warning system against threats, especially dangerous ones like zero-day vulnerabilities.

While PASSPORT has three third-party integrations, others are on the roadmap.

“The platform could have an endless number of integrations, although we are interested in getting the best ones, not just putting everything on our platform,” Sevounts said. “We prioritize it based on our strategic perspective, and specific requests from our customers and our partners.”

Sevounts said that PASSPORT provides two key value elements to Aryaka channel partners.

“The first is that they can offer a completely secure SD-WAN solution for enterprises,” he said. “A common enterprise customer objection is that they are not sure about SD-WAN because it’s Internet, and that they prefer a private network. PASSPORT is also private, replaces MPLS, and is a fundamentally more secure SD-WAN. If they are also partners of Palo Alto, ZScaler or Radware, this enables them to offer additional solutions from those vendors.”