Zscaler has announced that Nokia is beginning to deploy the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange platform, a cloud-native security solution that connects users directly to applications and workloads, without exposing the corporate network. This significantly reduces the attack surface and improves overall cybersecurity and compliance posture.

Before adopting Zscaler’s solution, Nokia relied on a combination of traditional and virtual firewalls distributed across data centers, offices, and cloud environments. This IP-based approach was complex and made it difficult to maintain consistent security control across offices and applications.

“We are moving towards identity-based, location-independent and application-centric access, with a zero trust security approach without compromising the user experience. With our transition to a cloud-first model, it became clear that we needed a security architecture capable of supporting this evolution efficiently and securely,” says Nishant Batra, chief strategy and technology officer at Nokia.

The Zscaler Solution

Traditional firewall solutions lack the agility to deliver true zero trust security, impacting the optimization of cloud and digital transformation initiatives. Nokia’s adoption of Zscaler’s Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solution is aligned with its goal of simplifying operations, reducing latency and elevating security without the limitations of traditional solutions.

Key Deployment Components

Key components of Nokia’s rollout include:

  • Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA): Provides secure, zero-trust access to the Internet and SaaS applications through a secure web gateway powered by AI.
  • Zscaler Private Access (ZPA): Replaces traditional VPNs with direct, secure access to private apps from any device or location.
  • Zscaler Digital Experience (ZDX): Enables Nokia’s IT team to quickly detect and resolve user experience issues, ensuring uninterrupted connectivity and productivity.
  • Zscaler Data Protection: Protects sensitive data through advanced threat inspection and prevention capabilities.

Transformative Benefits

By implementing the Zscaler platform in a phased process, Nokia expects to realize significant benefits from both an operational and security perspective. The platform’s ability to seamlessly integrate with Nokia cloud solutions enables easy scalability and rapid adaptation to security needs.

In the initial phase of implementation, Nokia has already seen a significant improvement in the connectivity experience of end users. “Our team was particularly impressed with the seamless user experience provided by Zscaler, which boosted our performance and productivity from day one,” Batra noted.

Future Digital Transformations

With Zscaler, Nokia plans to optimize its security infrastructure, reduce operational costs and establish a foundation for future digital transformations. Jay Chaudhry, CEO, president and founder of Zscaler, said: “As a leader in cloud security, Zscaler is proud to partner with Nokia on their path to a zero trust architecture.”

This collaboration between Nokia and Zscaler underlines the importance of adopting advanced security solutions to meet the challenges of the digital age. With the Zero Trust Exchange platform, Nokia is well positioned to lead in cloud innovation and security, ensuring robust and efficient protection for its global operations.