You should be in control of this and your initial choice of vendors should have one or ideally all of your non-negotiable.

Here are key factors we see repeatedly:

1. Locations of PoPs: SASE is a powerful concept, but execution often falls short due to PoP density and disaster recovery (DR) capabilities. Surprisingly, some vendors are reluctant to disclose PoP locations and DR plans. The best, customer-centric vendors are transparent and willing to collaborate, even accelerating PoP activation when needed.

2. Cyber Device Certificates: A critical component of any cybersecurity solution. Many vendors rely on third-party providers for up-to-date signatures, which is generally best practice. However, we’ve seen cases where certificate updates lag behind, creating security gaps. Frequent, reliable updates are non-negotiable.

3. Quick Start, PS, and Migration Support: Deployment should be seamless across all phases: design, build, deploy, and support. Different vendors offer varying levels of support, from Reference Architectures and Quick Start Guides to Professional Services (internal or external) and vendor-validated designs. The best approaches enable rapid, efficient deployment - essential for agile and distributed teams.

4. Roadmap Reality vs. Vapourware: Vendors love to hype their roadmap, but future AI-driven features won’t solve today’s challenges. ELAs sometimes provide early access to future functionality, but always assess whether features are built-in or bolted-on. One vendor we know had six different “single panes of glass” for Secure SD-WAN and analytics - proof that an acquisition-heavy approach can hurt usability.

Next we cover - Feature/Function.