Comcast Business Partners with Fortinet to Secure Enterprise Application Access with New SASE and SSE Solutions

Rhea-AI Summary

Comcast Business has partnered with Fortinet (NASDAQ: FTNT) to enhance its managed services by offering secure access service edge (SASE) and security service edge (SSE) solutions. This collaboration aims to assist enterprises in protecting distributed workforces through a cloud-delivered security approach. Recent CIO research shows that 98% of IT leaders find the convergence of network and security vital. Comcast's offerings, hosted via Equinix data centers, provide enterprises with flexible and secure network services, including up to 10 Gbps connectivity.

Positive

• Partnership with Fortinet enhances Comcast's managed services expertise.
• The collaboration introduces SASE and SSE solutions for enterprises, addressing market demand.
• Provides cloud-driven security and flexibility, appealing to a wide range of clients.

Negative

• None.

Partnership expands managed services expertise; Offers enterprises secure, flexible network infrastructure delivered as a service

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Comcast Business today announced a strategic partnership with Fortinet® (NASDAQ: FTNT), a global leader in broad, integrated and automated cybersecurity solutions, to deliver enterprises a new set of secure access service edge (SASE), and security service edge (SSE) solutions to help enterprises protect their distributed workforces using a cloud-delivered approach to security policy enforcement. This collaboration expands Comcast Business’s managed services expertise, while giving enterprises greater flexibility to choose the cloud architecture and vendor mix that is right for them.

In today’s work-from-anywhere world, IT leaders are challenged with balancing employee convenience with securing their networks. New security architectures, such as SASE, which converges networking and security via SD-WAN and cloud-delivered security, and SSE, the security foundation of SASE, enable enterprises to strengthen their security posture while enhancing employees’ experience, regardless of their location. In fact, according to a recent Foundry CIO research study sponsored by Masergy (a Comcast Business company) and Fortinet, the overwhelming majority (98%) of enterprise IT leaders surveyed cited the convergence of network and security as critical or very important, while 94% said their adoption of SASE solutions has accelerated.

The new Comcast Business offerings — delivered through Comcast Business Secure Gateways — give enterprises the option to choose from either SASE or SSE solutions backed by Fortinet’s security-driven networking technology and Equinix’s flexible cloud connection Equinix Fabric™ for a complete secure network service. Enterprises wanting to enable safe access to cloud and web services can take advantage of the Comcast Business SSE solution, which brings together multiple cloud-delivered network security technologies in a fully-hosted environment. The Comcast Business SASE solution provides this hosted SSE security architecture combined with zero trust capabilities and any of Comcast Business’s SD-WAN solutions.

“In today’s dynamic world, no two companies are alike and very few are the same as they were just two years ago,” said Amit Verma, Chief Technology Officer, Enterprise Solutions, Comcast Business. “By expanding our relationship with Fortinet, we are offering our clients more choice and the flexibility to choose a solution that works for them – while providing some of the latest security solutions to help keep them ready for the day – today and tomorrow.”

Comcast Business Secure Gateways provide a fully-hosted set of SASE or SSE services covering a broad range of security networking solutions for Firewall-as-a-Service (FWaaS), Intrusion Prevention (IPS), Data Loss Prevention (DLP), Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB), and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA). Comcast Business Secure Gateways are hosted across the United States at Equinix data centers, offering up to 10 gigabits per second (Gbps) of cloud connectivity for public, private, or hybrid cloud deployments. The Equinix Fabric™ enables support of Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, IBM and more than 200 SaaS providers.

"In order to enhance user experience, reduce complexity, and improve their security posture against today’s most advanced and persistent threats, organizations must adopt solutions that converge networking and security," said John Maddison, EVP of products and CMO, Fortinet. “We’re pleased to work closely with Comcast Business to build SASE services that support customers at any stage of digital innovation with Fortinet’s industry leading security-driven networking technology.”

To learn more about Comcast Business SD-WAN solutions, please visit: https://business.comcast.com/enterprise/products-services/managed-services/managed-connectivity.

About Comcast Business
Comcast Business offers a suite of Connectivity, Communications, Networking, Cybersecurity, Wireless, and Managed Solutions to help organizations of different sizes prepare for what’s next. Powered by the nation’s largest Gig-speed broadband network, and backed by 24/7 customer support, Comcast Business is the nation’s largest cable provider to small and mid-size businesses and one of the leading service providers to the Enterprise market. Comcast Business has been consistently recognized by industry analysts and associations as a leader and innovator, and one of the fastest growing providers of Ethernet services.

For more information, call 866-429-3085. Follow on Twitter @ComcastBusiness and on other social media networks at http://business.comcast.com/social.

About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with 57 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.

About Fortinet
Fortinet (NASDAQ: FTNT) makes possible a digital world that we can always trust through its mission to protect people, devices, and data everywhere. This is why the world’s largest enterprises, service providers, and government organizations choose Fortinet to securely accelerate their digital journey. The Fortinet Security Fabric platform delivers broad, integrated, and automated protections across the entire digital attack surface, securing critical devices, data, applications, and connections from the data center to the cloud to the home office. Ranking #1 in the most security appliances shipped worldwide, more than 580,000 customers trust Fortinet to protect their businesses. And the Fortinet NSE Training Institute, an initiative of Fortinet’s Training Advancement Agenda (TAA), provides one of the largest and broadest training programs in the industry to make cyber training and new career opportunities available to everyone. Learn more at https://www.fortinet.com, the Fortinet Blog, or FortiGuard Labs.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220801005097/en/

Media:

Matt Helmke, Corporate Communications

Comcast Corporation

215.286.8666

matt_helmke@comcast.com

Travis Anderson

Fortinet, Inc.

408-235-7700

pr@fortinet.com

Source: Comcast Corporation and Fortinet

FAQ

What is the new partnership between Comcast and Fortinet about?

Comcast Business has partnered with Fortinet to offer SASE and SSE solutions to enhance managed services for enterprises.

How will the Comcast and Fortinet partnership benefit enterprises?

The partnership provides enterprises with secure, flexible, cloud-delivered network security solutions to protect distributed workforces.

What statistics support the need for SASE solutions in enterprises?

According to a CIO research study, 98% of IT leaders consider the convergence of network and security critical.

What kind of services do Comcast Business Secure Gateways offer?

They offer a range of services, including Firewall-as-a-Service, Intrusion Prevention, and Zero Trust Network Access.

Where are the Comcast Business Secure Gateways hosted?

They are hosted in Equinix data centers across the United States.