I'm looking for advice on the best SASE platform to help manage shadow IT and improve our legacy RDP access as we move forward into 2026. Our team's security logs show a surge in unsanctioned SaaS applications, with sales staff using various CRM tools and developers accessing questionable AI websites. Additionally, remote users are complaining about their RDP sessions being sluggish to our older on-premises applications. Management has now directed us to consolidate our security measures into a more effective SASE solution that won't compromise performance. We currently have about 300 users, primarily based in the US but with some presence in the EU, and our setup includes a separate VPN for remote access, a basic web filter that's pretty easy to get around, and little to no visibility into our private app usage. Before we decide, I'd appreciate hearing any experiences or recommendations. Thanks!
5 Answers
Make sure to think carefully before jumping into SASE just because your management was shocked by the logs. Some companies implement full SASE and end up with more complexity than they had before. For a team like yours that relies on legacy RDP, platforms like Cato or Prisma could help streamline your operations.
Look into Cisco Secure Access. It can handle RDP with ease, and you won't need specific Cisco hardware for deployment. It provides great features for shadow IT discovery and includes client-based or clientless options.
In my experience, Cato Networks has been the most logical choice. Their cloud-first approach makes a difference compared to other services, which tend to send data back to on-premises for processing.
Start slowly instead of trying to overhaul everything at once. Begin with monitoring and reporting on shadow IT, then gradually roll out RDP optimization and access controls as you learn more about your environment.
Treat SASE not just as a checklist but as a significant architectural change. It's designed to handle issues like shadow IT and slow VPN/RDP connections by adopting a zero trust approach. Just be wary of choosing a vendor based on flashy marketing.

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