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What Is ZTNA? A Simple Guide for Small and Medium Businesses

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 12:33:00 +0000

Cybersecurity used to be simple: if you were inside the office network, you were trusted. If you were outside, you weren’t. That approach no longer works. Staff now work from home, use personal devices, and rely on cloud apps rather than office servers. Hackers have also grown more sophisticated, often exploiting stolen passwords or unsecured endpoints.

This shift has led to the rise of Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) - a modern security model that assumes no user or device should be trusted by default, whether they’re inside or outside the company network.

What Exactly Is ZTNA?

ZTNA replaces the old “castle-and-moat” idea of cybersecurity with identity-based access. Instead of giving users broad access to your network once they log in (like with a traditional VPN), ZTNA applies strict, dynamic rules:

Never trust, always verify – Every login attempt and every device is continuously checked.
Least privilege access – Users only get access to the specific apps or resources they need, nothing more.
Context-aware decisions – Access can depend on factors like device security, location, or time of day.

In short, ZTNA makes sure the right person, on the right device, gets the right level of access - and nothing slips through the cracks.

How ZTNA Works in Practice

Unlike VPNs, which give users access to the whole network, ZTNA is more precise, reducing the risk of attackers moving around if they do break in.

A staff member tries to log into a company system (say, Zoho CRM).

ZTNA verifies their identity (username, MFA) and checks the device they’re using.

If everything matches company policy, ZTNA grants access to just that application.

If something looks unusual - such as logging in from an unknown device or country - access may be denied or additional checks required.

	ZTNA	VPN
Security Approach	Follows “zero trust” - no one is trusted by default.	Creates a secure tunnel for the entire network. Trusted once inside.
Access Control	Limits access to only the specific resources required.	Grants full access to the network once connected.
User Experience	Web-based, easier setup, and usually provides smoother access.	Requires software installation; may slow down internet speeds.
Scalability	Easier to scale, especially in cloud environments.	Can face performance issues with more users.
Location of Access	Focuses on granting access to specific apps/services.	Provides access to the entire internal network remotely.

Benefits of ZTNA for SME's

Adopting Zero Trust Network Access doesn’t just modernise your security - it brings practical advantages for smaller organisations. By moving away from broad, “all-or-nothing” network access, ZTNA helps SMEs work more securely, efficiently, and flexibly, especially in today’s cloud-driven and remote-working environments.

Stronger Security

Reduces the risk of stolen credentials being used to gain broad network access. Limits “lateral movement” - attackers can’t roam freely once inside.

Better Remote Experience

Staff connect directly to the apps they need, without slow VPN tunnels back to the office.

Simpler IT Management

Centralised control means you can enforce consistent policies for office staff, remote workers, and contractors.

Supports Compliance

Helps demonstrate strong access controls, which is key for GDPR and industry audits.

Scales Easily

Adding new users, apps, or locations doesn’t require new hardware - it’s cloud-delivered.

How SMEs Can Get Started with ZTNA

Audit your current access model – Who is accessing what systems, from where, and on which devices?
Start small – Pilot ZTNA on one cloud app or a subset of users first.
Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) – This is a foundation for ZTNA.
Choose the right vendor – Look for solutions with UK/EU data centres, simple integrations with your tools (Zoho, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365), and SME-friendly pricing.
Work with a trusted partner – If you don’t have in-house expertise, a consultancy can help you design policies and roll out ZTNA smoothly.

ZTNA represents a major shift in cybersecurity - from trusting by default to verifying everything. For SMEs, it offers a practical way to protect remote workers, secure cloud apps, and stay ahead of modern threats without adding huge complexity.

In short: ZTNA helps ensure only the right people, using the right devices, can access your business systems. And in a world where breaches often start with a single stolen password, that’s a huge step forward.

What's SASE? The Future of Secure Networking for SMEs

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 11:23:27 +0000

The way businesses work has changed. With more staff working remotely, cloud apps replacing on-premise servers, and cyber threats growing more complex, traditional IT security models are struggling to keep up. This is where SASE (pronounced “sassy”) comes in.

SASE stands for Secure Access Service Edge, and it’s being called the future of networking and security. But what exactly is it - and what does it mean for small and medium-sized businesses?

Breaking Down SASE: The Basics

At its core, SASE is about combining network security and connectivity into one cloud-delivered service. Traditionally, businesses would:

Connect users to a central office network (via VPNs or firewalls).
Route internet and app traffic back through that office for security checks.

This worked when everyone sat in the same office. But with cloud apps (like Zoho, Microsoft 365, or Google Workspace) and hybrid work, this model slows everything down and leaves gaps in protection.

SASE flips the model:

Security is delivered from the cloud edge, not your office.
Users connect securely to the nearest SASE “point of presence” (POP), wherever they are.
The service combines network performance and security features in one.

The Core Components of SASE

A true SASE platform usually bundles together:

SD-WAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Network) - Improves connectivity by routing traffic intelligently over multiple internet paths (rather than relying on a single VPN tunnel).
Secure Web Gateway (SWG) - Filters web traffic, blocking malicious sites and enforcing browsing policies.
Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) - Provides visibility and control over cloud apps (e.g. who’s accessing Zoho CRM from where, and what they’re doing).
Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) - Replaces old VPNs with identity-based access. Users only get access to what they need, and nothing more.
Firewall-as-a-Service (FWaaS) - Cloud-based firewalls to protect against unauthorised access and threats.

Why SASE Matters for SMEs

Large enterprises were the first adopters, but SMEs stand to benefit greatly because:

Simplified IT - Instead of juggling separate VPNs, firewalls, and security tools, SASE consolidates them into one cloud service.
Scalable - Adding new staff, locations, or devices is easier. No need to buy more hardware firewalls for every site.
Better experience for remote workers - Staff connect directly to the nearest SASE node for faster, safer access to apps.
Cost control - A single subscription model can replace multiple expensive IT systems and maintenance costs.
Future-proofing - Cybersecurity regulations and customer expectations are rising; SASE helps SMEs show they take data protection seriously.

Real-World Example

Imagine your business has:

An office in Bristol
A handful of remote staff around the UK
Teams using Zoho, Google Workspace, and Microsoft Teams daily

With SASE

Everyone connects to the nearest secure cloud edge.
All traffic is encrypted, scanned, and routed optimally.
Security policies are applied consistently, whether someone is at home, in the office, or on the road.

Without SASE

Remote users connect to the office via VPN, slowing everything down.
Security tools may be inconsistent across devices.

Challenges to Consider

While SASE offers a modern approach to networking and security, it’s not entirely a “switch it on and forget it” solution. For SMEs, the promise of simplified management, cost savings, and stronger protection is attractive - but it comes with practical hurdles. SMEs should be aware of:

Vendor Choice

Different providers bundle features differently. Some focus more on SD-WAN, others on security.

Migration Planning

Moving from traditional firewalls/VPNs to SASE takes careful rollout.

Connectivity Reliance

As SASE is cloud-delivered, you need reliable internet to benefit fully.

SASE is still maturing, but adoption is accelerating. Gartner predicts that by 2028, the majority of businesses will have a SASE strategy in place. For SMEs, the decision often comes down to timing:

If you’re planning a network refresh, moving to more remote/hybrid working, or want to simplify your IT stack, now is a good time to evaluate SASE.
If your current security tools are working and budgets are tight, start by exploring Zero Trust and cloud-delivered firewalls - key stepping stones toward SASE.

SASE is more than another tech acronym. It’s a shift in how businesses connect and protect their people, apps, and data in a cloud-first world. For SMEs, it offers a way to get enterprise-grade security and performance without the enterprise-grade cost or complexity.

In short: SASE brings together networking and security in the cloud, making your business more secure, more flexible, and better prepared for the future of work.

Exploring SASE as an option for your environment? We'd love to help!

Supercharging your Business with VOIP

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 12:03:00 +0000

Instead of using traditional phone lines, a VoIP phone system uses the Internet Protocol to make and receive calls. With the growth of broadband, VoIP has emerged as the clear choice for phone service for both individuals and companies.

VoIP stands for voice-over-internet protocol. It is a technology that enables internet-connected devices to make and receive phone calls over the internet. Many organisations choose VoIP, especially when dealing with a high number of conversations and data storage.

How does it work?

Now you know we like to keep it simple here at Ostratto, so, if you aren't too interested in how the sausage is made you can skip to the next section.

Voice over IP is a technology that turns your voice into a digital signal, compresses it, and delivers it over the internet. To function, VoIP often requires an internet connection. Aside from that, the VoIP functionality is contingent on the quality and speed of the internet connection. This implies that VoIP phones perform best when such internet connection is fast and consistent. When both the caller and the recipient are using VoIP equipment, the call signals go fully digitally, with no signal translation.

How VoIP operates is dependent on the devices and extensions used to make these sorts of calls. It is critical to understand how they are employed and how they enhance voice quality and communication performance.

Credit: Unsplash

Pros and Cons of Voice over IP

Pros

Remote work friendly. Employees can work from any location thanks to VoIP. They can connect in from any computer, use any IP phone, and telecommute instead of creating a new satellite offices and adopting costs such as paying rent and utilities.
Cost. Calls using VoIP are often packaged in bundles providing unlimited (and sometimes internationally) minutes. With no physical PBX equipment costs and often no physical handset costs, the entry cost is minimal. Perfect for small businesses.
Quality. VoIP uses wideband codecs, which have a larger audio bit depths and so provide better voice quality. Narrowband codecs are used in traditional phone line networks, which generally result in lower-quality calls.
Feature-rich. VoIP, with its sophisticated capabilities like auto attendant and call transferring, allows even a one-person team to present the appearance of a larger organisation.
Availability. One distinguished aspect of a cloud-based VoIP service is the advanced availability offered by the cloud. Not only can you generally expect the likes of 99.999% uptime, redundancy features such as emergency forwarding to mobile phone numbers are often baked-in. This means users missing calls becomes a problem of the past.

Cons

Internet-dependant. The quality and dependability of your sound will be determined by your internet connection and network settings. You must rely on an internet service for VoIP communication, whereas traditional PBX systems use the PBX network. Should the internet connection go down in an office or satellite location, calls cannot be received by users. Data service is required on the go too.
Recurring cost. For as long as a cloud-based VoIP system is required, a monthly or annual cost will always need to be paid, and this is usually user-based licencing. As the business grows, so do the costs of the phone system whereas traditional systems can expand at a lower cost. That being said, many VoIP vendors have overcome this by offering volume pricing. And over the long run all businesses will see a cost saving.
Latency and jitter can be an issue. Jitter and latency are other call quality issues you may experience with your cloud-based phone calls. It’s just a natural function of wireless networks. Between your internal network, ISP, and VoIP service provider there are many servers in between which data needs to travel through. Jitter can result in choppy audio or calls that are delayed or dropped. The variance in ping responses that measures jitter. Latency can result in callers experiencing a brief delay or echo in a conversation. In most cases, it’s not noticeable, but in severe circumstances, it can be problematic.

Features that can be expected

And onto how cloud-based VoIP can really do bits for your business. Here's a list of common features you will see advertised within phone system feature-sets.

Auto-attendant/receptionist. An automated attendant is a top feature for companies. Using call routing rules, this functionality answers all incoming calls and forwards them to the appropriate extension.
Call Queuing. A call queuing tool will assist you in queuing your customers’ phone calls. You can often also set up notifications to remind your callers your callers of their turn and the wait time.
Call Recording/Monitoring. These two great features can empower your business by checking the consistency of your customer service on calls and limiting the deterioration of your company’s efficiency. They can also be used in a legal setting as evidence of claims.
Voicemail/call forwarding. Because often smaller businesses can't be available all hours of a day, there will be times when a call can't be answered. Call forwarding is a common corporate telephony tool that ensures that your customers’ calls are never missed. Inbound calls can be diverted to another extension, phone number, or a voicemail function.
Conferencing. Conference calls are ideal for remote teams because they allow them to collaborate even when they are physically apart. Some managers and owners may organise this sort of call on a frequent basis, whether it's keeping teams updated or checking in with customers.
Data analytics. VoIP Data Analytics are a sophisticated data report framework, generally included with most VoIP phone systems. It is useful for businesses that deal with a variety of outgoing and incoming clients calls on a regular basis. Informations such as missed calls and overall wait times help improve customer service quality.
Business Tool Integrations. In our opinion, one of the top VoIP benefits is the ability to connect data with external business tools such as ticketing systems or email, keeping conversation records consolidated and teams connected. These integrations are very useful for remote teams. Many modern business phone networks integrate with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) programmes such as Zoho CRM. This guarantees that all transcripts of interactions are connected, forming a wealth of information. Sales app integration is a one-of-a-kind solution that enables users to automate their sales funnel, get closer to prospects, and complete more transactions. Sweet!

Is VoIP necessary?

For years, businesses have been debating whether or not to move to cloud-based VoIP. Some businesses made the changeover in the early days of technology, while others waited until prices dropped and quality, dependability, and availability of knowledge were ironed out.

Now, as these aspects have been ironed out, BT have announced they will be switching off the PTSN network in 2025. This means that not only is cloud-based VoIP the logical choice for businesses, it will soon be the only choice.

Price of VoIP

In general, with cloud-based VoIP, you can expect costs between £10 and £20 per 'seat' per month. A seat is essentially a user of the system.

Often suppliers offer monthly or annual payment options and generally expect a commitment of at least a year, with discounts provided on longer term contracts.

In Summary

Voice over IP is a fantastic and obvious method to run your business telephone communications. The significance of VoIP in telecommuting cannot be overstated. The current state of affairs necessitates a more advanced and adaptable work culture which means many business owners are concerned about their employees’ ability to work efficiently from home.

To make the best selection, you should first comprehend the benefits of VoIP, then examine the features and functionalities you require, and last compare all of your options until you find one that meets the bill. This is where we come in.

We offer a range of telephony options from different vendors, meaning we can suggest the most suitable option for businesses from an unbiased position.

Chat with us today