How Is Akamai Enhancing Cloud Security and Application Performance?

November 19, 2024

Akamai Technologies Inc., a prominent content delivery network and cloud services provider, has announced two significant updates aimed at enhancing cloud security and application performance. These advancements come as organizations increasingly rely on complex cloud architectures, involving both on-premises resources and multicloud setups. The first major update extends Akamai Guardicore Segmentation to Amazon Web Services (AWS), offering robust microsegmentation capabilities designed to improve the protection and isolation of critical applications and workloads. These updates are particularly crucial for preventing the lateral movement of threats within cloud and on-premises environments, ensuring a higher level of security across the board. Additionally, the inclusion of agentless support for platform-as-a-service (PaaS) resources on both Azure and AWS adds another layer of security and convenience for businesses operating in hybrid and multicloud environments.

Guardicore Segmentation’s new features provide agentless cloud-native visibility, alongside interactive near-real-time mapping of network flows, which aids organizations in understanding application dependencies. This comprehensive visibility helps to create more effective security policies tailored to specific needs. Moreover, a hybrid enforcement engine supports unified policy management across different data centers, simplifying the administrative load and strengthening security postures. Integrated reputation analysis and DNS firewall capabilities further enhance the detection and response to threats. Crucially, these updates allow for scalability, enabling secure data management in expansive cloud environments, which is vital for growing enterprises. These enhancements are set to redefine cloud security measures, offering businesses a solid foundation to protect their valuable digital assets.

Enhancing Application Performance with Zero-Trust Network Access

In addition to its advancements in cloud security, Akamai has also introduced significant new features to its zero-trust network access (ZTNA) solution, Enterprise Application Access, aimed at optimizing application performance. The zero-trust model assumes no inherent trust and requires continuous access control to ensure secure connections. By leveraging Akamai’s robust global edge infrastructure, the solution now incorporates edge transport optimization to streamline data flow efficiencies, regardless of user location. These enhancements are particularly beneficial for businesses operating with remote or hybrid work models, where application speed and responsiveness are critical for productivity.

Akamai’s approach involves local points of presence for enforcing ZTNA policies closer to the end users and the applications they access, reducing latency and improving download speeds by up to threefold. This results in faster application performance without the need for additional hardware or complicated software deployments. The integration of performance optimization directly into the application path promises a seamless user experience, eliminating common user frustrations related to slow application access. These advancements are part of Akamai’s ongoing commitment to supporting zero-trust strategies while simultaneously enhancing global workforce productivity through innovative cloud solutions.

A Broader Commitment to Security and Productivity

Akamai Technologies Inc., a leading content delivery network and cloud services provider, recently unveiled two major updates aimed at boosting cloud security and application performance. These updates arrive as businesses increasingly depend on intricate cloud architectures, integrating both on-premises and multicloud environments. The first update extends Akamai Guardicore Segmentation to Amazon Web Services (AWS), providing strong microsegmentation capabilities to enhance the protection and isolation of crucial applications and workloads. This is essential for preventing lateral movement of threats within cloud and on-premises settings, ensuring comprehensive security.

Additionally, Akamai introduces agentless support for platform-as-a-service (PaaS) resources on both Azure and AWS, offering added security and convenience for businesses in hybrid and multicloud setups. Guardicore Segmentation’s new features deliver agentless cloud-native visibility and interactive near-real-time mapping of network flows, aiding organizations in comprehending application dependencies. This visibility supports crafting targeted security policies. A hybrid enforcement engine enables unified policy management across various data centers, simplifying administration and reinforcing security measures. Integrated reputation analysis and DNS firewall capabilities further enhance threat detection and response. These updates ensure scalability, essential for secure data management in expansive cloud landscapes, which is crucial for growing businesses, redefining cloud security and safeguarding digital assets.

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