Universal ZTNA (zero-trust network access) is a hot topic in the security industry right now. Gartner^? just released the 2023 Hype Cycle? for Zero Trust Networking, and Universal ZTNA is positioned on the Innovation Trigger slope as it ascends toward the Peak of Inflated Expectations. Fortinet is recognized as a Sample Vendor for Universal ZTNA in the report, and we feel that we play a pivotal role in fueling the enthusiasm surrounding this technology, which allows users to securely access applications from any location.

While the hype for Universal ZTNA is growing because of its ability to significantly enhance security and streamline operations, it's not new. Fortinet has an established track record of supporting its customers with the implementation of ZTNA and its principles for years.

The Hype Cycle

The technology Hype Cycle is a graphical representation of the adoption of new technologies. Fortinet is recognized as a Sample Vendor for a number of technologies, including: Universal ZTNA, Hybrid Mesh Firewall Platform, Digital Experience Monitoring, SASE (secure access service edge), and ZTNA. A Hype Cycle tracks initial conception to widespread adoption over five phases:

• Innovation Trigger: A potential technology breakthrough kicks things off. Early proof-of-concept stories and media interest trigger significant publicity. Often no usable products exist, and commercial viability is unproven.
• Peak of Inflated Expectations: Early publicity produces a number of success stories often accompanied by scores of failures. Some companies take action; many do not.
• Trough of Disillusionment: Interest wanes as experiments and implementations fail to deliver. Producers of the technology shake out or fail. Investments continue only if the surviving providers improve their products to the satisfaction of early adopters.
• Slope of Enlightenment: More instances of how technology can benefit the enterprise start to crystallize and become more widely understood. Second- and third-generation products appear from technology providers. More enterprises fund pilots; conservative companies remain cautious.
• Plateau of Productivity: Mainstream adoption starts to take off. Criteria for assessing provider viability are more clearly defined. The technology's broad market applicability and relevance are clearly paying off.

Though technology may not reach each phase, the Hype Cycle can help businesses identify promising new technologies without getting caught up in the hype.

What Is Universal ZTNA?

Universal ZTNA is a security architecture that extends ZTNA principles to all users, regardless of their location. This means that users can be securely authenticated and authorized to access applications regardless of whether they are at headquarters, in a branch office, or working remotely.

Traditional zero-trust architecture often works differently for different people, depending on where they're located. And at times, access to applications or networks may work from one location but fail from another. With Universal ZTNA, users can work from anywhere (WFA), and admins can apply zero-trust principles without having to worry about connection complications.

Benefits of Fortinet Universal ZTNA

Fortinet has been a pioneer in the ZTNA space and was one of the first vendors to offer the technology as part of our overall support for zero-trust principles. Our FortiGate Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFWs) and FortiClient endpoint security solution have included secure remote access with VPN for decades, adding support for Universal ZTNA in 2021. Because relevant solutions were built on zero-trust principles, customers can easily transition from VPN to ZTNA.

Benefits of Fortinet Universal ZTNA include:

• Improved security: Fortinet Universal ZTNA provides a consistent security policy for all users, regardless of their location. Additionally, we apply AI-driven security inspection to ensure the traffic remains safe. This consistent policy and powerful inspection help to eliminate security gaps and protect your organization from attack.
• Simplified operations: You can centrally manage your ZTNA policies and enforce them across all users and devices, streamlining management and operations.
• Cost-effective: ZTNA is a non-licensed feature, meaning that customers simply need to purchase the products that support ZTNA, and it's available without licensing charges or bandwidth fees.

Fortinet's Hybrid Architecture

Fortinet Universal ZTNA is built on a hybrid architecture that leverages both cloud and appliance-based enforcement points. This hybrid architecture provides several benefits, including:

• Flexibility: The hybrid architecture allows you to deploy ZTNA in a way that best meets your needs. For example, you can deploy cloud-based enforcement points for users who are always on the move and appliance-based enforcement points for primarily on-premises users.
• Scalability: The hybrid architecture allows you to scale your ZTNA solution as your needs grow. For example, you can add more cloud-based enforcement points as your user base grows or more appliance-based enforcement points as your on-premises network grows.
• Complete coverage: The hybrid architecture ensures that all of your users, regardless of their location, are protected by Universal ZTNA with a common orchestration point for easy management and complete visibility.

Fortinet's Unified Client

Fortinet Universal ZTNA is included in our unified client that supports a VPN agent, a ZTNA agent, and endpoint protection and has a migration path to SASE. This unified client makes it easy to transition to ZTNA, and it provides a base for adding on SASE services with FortiSASE.

ZTNA Is Here to Stay

Fortinet is the pioneer of Universal ZTNA. We have been offering Universal ZTNA capabilities for years, and we have a proven track record of success.

Learn more about how Fortinet Universal ZTNA improves secure access to applications anywhere for remote users. You can also call us today. We would be happy to help you assess your needs and choose the right solution for your organization.

Gartner, Hype Cycle for Zero Trust Networking, 2023, By Andrew Lerner, John Watts, 18 July 2023.

GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally, and HYPE CYCLE is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

This graphic was published by Gartner, Inc. as part of a larger research document and should be evaluated in the context of the entire document. The Gartner document is available upon request from Fortinet.