How to Implement Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) on a Budget

 

English Alt Text: A four-panel comic titled “How to Implement Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) on a Budget.” Panel 1: A man explains, “It integrates networking and security,” under the heading “What is SASE?” Panel 2: A woman points to a board listing “SD-WAN, CASB, SWG, ZTNA, FWaaS” with the caption “Here are the essentials.” Panel 3: The man presents a list of budget-friendly tools: Cloudflare, OpenZiti, AWS, Pi-hole, Tailscale, saying “Plenty of low-cost options!” Panel 4: A woman points to a checklist with ZTNA ticked off and says, “Let’s start with ZTNA,” under the heading “Phased Rollout.”

How to Implement Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) on a Budget

SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) is becoming the gold standard for securing remote access, cloud connectivity, and branch office networking.

But many small and mid-sized businesses assume it’s only for large enterprises with massive IT budgets.

This guide will show you how to implement core components of SASE using cost-effective tools and phased rollout strategies—without sacrificing security or performance.

πŸ” Table of Contents

πŸ” What Is SASE and Why It Matters

SASE is an architectural framework that combines network and security-as-a-service functions into a single cloud-native platform.

It enables secure and optimized access to applications and data, regardless of user location.

Instead of cobbling together VPNs, firewalls, proxies, and SD-WAN appliances, SASE integrates these into one cohesive service.

🧱 Core Components of a SASE Stack

To implement a working SASE setup, focus on the following pillars:

- SD-WAN: Smart routing and WAN optimization.

- Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB): Monitors SaaS usage and enforces policies.

- Secure Web Gateway (SWG): Filters web traffic and blocks malicious sites.

- Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA): Ensures identity-verified, context-aware connections.

- Firewall-as-a-Service (FWaaS): Centralized cloud-based packet inspection and logging.

πŸ’° Top Budget-Friendly SASE Tools

You don’t need to invest in a monolithic enterprise SASE suite. Instead, combine low-cost or open-source solutions:

- Cloudflare Zero Trust: Free tier includes identity-based app access and DNS filtering.

- OpenZiti: Open-source ZTNA that works with Tailscale or WireGuard.

- AWS CloudFront + WAF: Combine content delivery and traffic filtering on demand.

- Pi-hole + Squid Proxy: Lightweight SWG setup for small teams.

- Tailscale: Peer-to-peer VPN with ACL enforcement, free for up to 100 devices (personal use).

πŸ“¦ How to Roll Out SASE in Phases

1. Start with ZTNA: Secure internal tools with SSO and least-privilege access.

2. Add SWG: Enforce web filtering across remote and BYOD devices.

3. Deploy CASB Features: Monitor SaaS usage and shadow IT through Cloudflare or open-source agents.

4. Implement FWaaS: Use cloud-hosted firewall rules across locations.

5. Connect SD-WAN: Optimize routing between branches or cloud providers.

πŸ›‘️ SASE Security Best Practices

- Enforce MFA and SSO via identity providers like Okta, Google Workspace, or Auth0.

- Use device posture checks to validate endpoint security status.

- Set up centralized logging with ELK or Grafana Loki to audit network activity.

- Continuously update access control lists and security policies based on threat intelligence.

- Educate end-users on phishing, MFA fatigue, and how ZTNA works.

🌐 Recommended Resources & External Reads

Explore helpful guides and case studies for cost-effective SASE implementation:











You don’t need an enterprise budget to start with SASE.

By selecting open-source tools, phasing your deployment, and following best practices, you can secure remote access and reduce threat exposure without overspending.

Keywords: SASE on a budget, secure access service edge, ZTNA deployment, low-cost cybersecurity, remote access security