Palo Alto Networks and Alkira: Transforming Cloud Security

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Overview

The Alkira Platform and Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Next-Generation Firewall deliver enterprise-grade multi-cloud security with comprehensive capabilities designed for the cloud era. Alkira has reinvented networking for the cloud era, delivering the industry’s leading global, unified multi-cloud network as a service. Engineered to provide high-speed, low-latency global connectivity across cloud environments, it integrates network services marketplaces with comprehensive visibility and governance.

Customers design their entire multi-cloud network on an intuitive digital canvas, deploy with a single click, and begin using it within minutes. Together, the Alkira Platform and Palo Alto Networks VM-Series deliver transformative cloud security capabilities that address the fundamental challenges of enterprise-grade firewall deployment at global scale.

The Challenge

Organizations are rapidly migrating critical applications from on-premises data centers to cloud environments and SaaS platforms. This transition demands a reimagining of traditional security architectures, as protection must evolve alongside application deployment. However, DIY cloud firewall implementations face significant obstacles:

  • Multi-Cloud Expertise Requirements: Required expertise in multiple cloud platforms for complex manual configurations that are time-consuming and error-prone
  • Complex Routing Requirements: Intricate routing requirements to ensure proper stateful firewall functionality across distributed environments
  • Inconsistent Policy Enforcement: Inconsistent security policy enforcement across diverse cloud architectures leading to security gaps
  • Capacity Management: Inadequate elastic capacity to handle fluctuating traffic demands without over-provisioning
  • Operational Visibility: Limited operational visibility and lifecycle management capabilities across cloud environments
  • Scaling Limitations: While cloud orchestration tools can simplify provisioning, they fail to address the fundamental limitations in deploying enterprise-grade firewalls at global scale

Benefits

Multi-Cloud Network as a Service
 Integrated VM-Series firewall security with comprehensive multi-cloud network infrastructure delivered entirely as a service.

One-Click Provisioning
 Deploy your entire network and security infrastructure with simplified provisioning and automated configuration management.

Stateful Protection
 Advanced stateful protection for traffic between cloud application workloads with symmetric traffic steering for proper inspection.

Secure SaaS Access
 Optimized access to SaaS and internet applications via regional exits with comprehensive threat prevention capabilities.

Auto-Scaling Security
 Elastic auto-scaling that dynamically adjusts VM-Series deployments based on real-time demand without manual intervention.

Comprehensive Management
 Complete monitoring, visibility, and lifecycle management across environments with unified operational control.

Solution

The Alkira and Palo Alto Networks partnership transforms cloud security by delivering enterprise-grade capabilities through strategic use cases that address real-world deployment challenges.

Core Platform Capabilities:

  • Global Deployment Infrastructure
     Global deployment through Alkira Cloud Exchange Points (virtual multi-cloud points of presence) with VM-Series firewalls available through the Alkira marketplace for seamless integration.
  • Intent-Based Security Policies
     Intent-based policies with graphical visualization for uniform security enforcement without complex multi-cloud routing requirements.
  • Cloud-Independent Security
     Cloud-independent segmentation and VM-Series security zones for consistent policy enforcement across environments regardless of underlying cloud infrastructure.
  • Advanced Traffic Management
     Symmetric traffic steering for proper stateful inspection across cloud workloads with comprehensive lifecycle management and operational visibility.
  • Flexible Deployment Options
     Flexible licensing models including PAYG and BYOL options to meet diverse organizational requirements.

Key Use Cases:

Stateful Multi-Cloud Security
 Deploying workloads across multiple clouds creates significant complexity in providing consistent, scalable security controls. The Alkira Platform delivers a unified as-a-service approach by seamlessly integrating VM-Series firewalls into application traffic flows, allowing organizations to visually express security policies without needing to understand underlying cloud constructs.

Secure Regional SaaS/Internet Access
 The rise of SaaS applications like Microsoft 365 and Salesforce creates tension between performance and security. The Alkira Platform offers a unified approach to securing internet exit points with VM-Series virtual firewalls deployed through globally distributed Cloud Exchange Points, enabling remote locations to access SaaS applications through their nearest exit point.

Implementation Benefits:

  • Visual policy expression without complex cloud construct knowledge
  • Familiar zone-based and rule-based security approaches
  • Comprehensive lifecycle management through Alkira Portal
  • Intent-based policies ensuring traffic inspection and threat prevention
  • Automatic network address translation handling

Conclusion

The partnership between Alkira and Palo Alto Networks delivers transformative cloud security capabilities that address the fundamental challenges of enterprise-grade security deployment at global scale. By combining Alkira’s Network Infrastructure-as-a-Service platform with Palo Alto Networks’ proven VM-Series security capabilities, organizations can achieve consistent, scalable security controls across multi-cloud environments without the complexity and limitations of traditional DIY approaches. This integrated solution enables enterprises to focus on business outcomes while maintaining the highest levels of security and operational efficiency across their entire cloud infrastructure.