Kevin Sheu, VP of Product Marketing at Versa Networks, and GigaOm Analyst Chris Ray recently sat down to discuss the evolving landscape of Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) in 2025.
Their conversation explored how the definition of SASE has matured over time, what capabilities are now considered essential, current market trends, and key challenges buyers face today.
The 2025 GigaOm Radar for SASE serves as a comprehensive buyer’s guide, evaluating leading SASE vendors across both foundational capabilities and emerging features.
Each solution is rated on a scale of 0–5 for how well it delivers on each specific capability/feature. Vendors are then positioned within a 360° visual framework based on their overall scores, providing an at-a-glance comparison for buyers.
Versa Networks has been recognized as an “Industry Leader and Outperformer” in this report.
Kevin emphasized that the definition of SASE today is far more advanced than it was three to five years ago.
Chris described SASE as being in its expansion phase, evolving from a tool primarily focused on controlling internet-bound and inbound traffic to becoming an “operating system for an organization’s internet or WAN.”
Chris outlined the essential capabilities of a fully integrated SASE solution:
Local Data Processing: Chris noted that as organizations enforce strict governance around where data can reside, local data processing becomes a critical evaluation factor. Without this feature, a solution may fail to meet compliance standards and prevent businesses from maintaining full control over their data.
Built-in Self-healing: Chris explained that self-healing in SASE refers to a system’s ability to maintain service continuity by adapting dynamically based on real-time awareness of traffic, identities, and context. This ensures both connectivity and security without interruption.
Chris pointed to Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) and AI-enabled automation as key trends shaping the future of SASE.
ZTNA: With identity-first access at its core, ZTNA is laying the foundation for the next phase of SASE evolution.
AI-enabled Automation: The integration of AI-driven automation is becoming increasingly important, enabling SASE solutions to scale seamlessly across vast volumes of data, users, connections, and applications, while simplifying implementation and ongoing operations.
What is the most common buyer challenge?
Chris highlighted a key issue: buyers often misunderstand what SASE truly is. Some vendors may offer products that check certain feature boxes, but these aren’t cohesive SASE solutions—they’re merely enablers. This disconnect becomes apparent post-deployment.
How to evaluate a unified SASE product?
Chris recommended asking vendors to demonstrate how a security policy is created and how it impacts various capabilities like ZTNA and secure service edge. If changes in one area reflect across all components, it indicates a truly unified platform. If each capability must be managed separately, the solution likely lacks integration.
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