Fortinet has announced the launch of a new dedicated point-of-presence (POP) in Johannesburg, expanding the reach and availability of Fortinet Unified SASE for customers across South Africa and Southern African countries.
The increase in remote working and hybrid workforces following the pandemic has created a massive demand for this technology. According to recent research, 54% of the South African workforce is now either hybrid or fully remote. This significantly expands an organisation’s attack surface and further complicates enterprise security.
To address this, South African businesses are increasingly adding cloud-delivered services to securely connect hybrid employees.
Fortinet Unified SASE seamlessly integrates essential networking and security technologies to support the hybrid workforce of today. Its innovative approach ensures secure access for remote workers, no matter where they are, safeguarding applications and data on any cloud.
Furthermore, the solution offers a high-performance and scalable cloud network with best-in-class AI-powered security, unified management, and end-to-end digital experience monitoring.
By integrating with SD-WAN and a cloud-delivered security service edge (SSE), Fortinet Unified SASE also delivers networking and security to the network edge and microbranches, ensuring secure access to web, corporate, and SaaS applications. This provides high ROI through consolidation, a Unified security posture from branch offices to the remote worker in the field, and an improved digital user experience.
In Q4 2023, Fortinet partnered with both Google Cloud and Digital Realty to accelerate the expansion of Fortinet Unified SASE globally, which has already surpassed over 140 locations worldwide and continues to expand. Fortinet customers now have even broader access to cloud-delivered security and connectivity for their distributed workforce, enabling them to seamlessly embrace the convergence of networking and security.
Doros Hadjizenonos, regional director for southern Africa at Fortinet, says: “Fortinet’s investment in South Africa through this latest launch signifies our dedication to enhancing the nation’s cybersecurity landscape. With the proliferation of remote and hybrid work, the demand for cloud-delivered security that transcends traditional network boundaries has become paramount.
“Fortinet’s strengthened presence with the addition of this new POP will enable us to meet this growing market opportunity and address the critical security challenges faced by our customers in today’s digital landscape.”
William Petherbridge, manager: systems engineering at Fortinet, comments: “Fortinet is deeply committed to growing its SASE business from both an innovation and investment lens.
“Our strategy is to deliver the most reliable and secure SASE solution to businesses based in Southern Africa and South Africa through a two-pronged approach, by continuing to invest in purpose-built and highly scalable Unified SASE locations across the region and continuing to scale our cloud network through trusted partners like Google Cloud and Digital Realty.
“Through these investments, we empower organisations to tackle hybrid work challenges, providing them with the essential tools and intelligence required for enhanced security and optimal user experience.”