Comcast Business and Palo Alto Networks Partner to Secure the Modern Workplace

Partnership will bring together leading networking and cloud-delivered security solutions to help midsize and enterprise customers keep today’s dynamic workplace secure

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Comcast Business will partner with global cybersecurity leader Palo Alto Networks to bring advanced security solutions that help businesses protect their network assets from cyber threats across a dynamic workplace that spans office, remote, and cloud environments. The agreement will help midsize and enterprise customers ensure performance and speed while reducing complexity through comprehensive and integrated cloud-delivered security capabilities.

Comcast Business will bring advanced security solutions to midsize and enterprise customers as a managed service through its award-winning ActiveCore℠ software-defined-networking (SDN) platform and Palo Alto Networks' Prisma® Access, the industry's most complete cloud-delivered security platform. Prisma Access will help customers protect branch networks and mobile users against a variety of security threats.

Remote work and the cloud are driving permanent changes in the workforce structure, prompting businesses to rethink their IT and security architectures. According to Gartner, the share of knowledge workers who work remotely will increase to 45% in 2022, up from 27% in 2019. In that same study, Gartner reported that total IT spend supporting remote workers is expected to more than double to 4.9% in 2021 to $333 billion. *

“In today’s hyper-connected and increasingly distributed world, cyber threats are becoming more sophisticated and prevalent. Organizations are seeking integrated security and network management solutions focused on protecting their remote workers, cloud, and on-premise systems,” said Bob Victor, Senior Vice President, Comcast Business. “This strategic collaboration will drive increased cybersecurity innovation for our customers. We’re thrilled to work with Palo Alto Networks and look forward to the nationwide launch of these new products.”

“More than ever, today’s workforce connects through the cloud,” said Don Jones, SVP, Ecosystems, Palo Alto Networks. “Bringing together Comcast Business’s award-winning network platform with Prisma Access, the industry’s most complete cloud-delivered security platform will help businesses large and small secure the users, applications and data that are now everywhere, without compromising on speed or performance.”

“Comcast Business is committed to leveraging the Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) framework to bring compelling network and security solutions to our business customers, and this relationship expands our capabilities to do so,” said Shena Seneca Tharnish, VP of Cybersecurity Products, Comcast Business. “By providing a cloud-delivered security platform, Comcast Business will be able to protect businesses applications from the branch office and extend that protection to users working from anywhere.”

About Comcast ActiveCore℠

Comcast Business ActiveCore℠ is an award-winning software-defined networking (SDN) platform. It enables intelligent, centralized network control via software applications. ActiveCore delivers a ground-breaking experience for virtualized network functions (VNFs) such as SD-WAN and Managed Router. Paired with the nation’s largest converged IP network, this powerful combination reduces complexity, automates network functions, speeds up application deployment, and simplifies resource management — allowing businesses to innovate faster and gain business agility.

About Prisma® Access

Prisma Access delivers the industry’s most complete cloud-delivered security platform that protects all application traffic so organizations can safely enable secure remote workforces. It consolidates best-of-breed security capabilities - including firewall-as-a-service (FWaaS), secure web gateway (SWG), zero-trust network access (ZTNA), cloud access security broker (CASB), and more - into a consistent global services edge that delivers more security coverage than any other solution. Built upon a massively scalable network with ultra-low latency and backed by industry-leading SLAs, Prisma Access ensures a great digital experience for end-users.

About Comcast Business

Comcast Business offers Ethernet, Internet, Wi-Fi, Voice, TV and Managed Enterprise Solutions to help organizations of all sizes transform their business. Powered by an advanced network, and backed by 24/7 customer support, Comcast Business is one of the largest contributors to the growth of Comcast Cable. Comcast Business is the nation’s largest cable provider to small and mid-size businesses and has emerged as a force in the Enterprise market; recognized over the last two years by leading industry associations as one of the fastest growing providers of Ethernet services. For more information, call 866-429-3085. Follow on Twitter @ComcastBusiness and on other social media networks at http://business.comcast.com/social.

About Palo Alto Networks

Palo Alto Networks, the global cybersecurity leader, is shaping the cloud-centric future with technology that is transforming the way people and organizations operate. Our mission is to be the cybersecurity partner of choice, protecting our digital way of life. We help address the world's greatest security challenges with continuous innovation that seizes the latest breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, analytics, automation, and orchestration. By delivering an integrated platform and empowering a growing ecosystem of partners, we are at the forefront of protecting tens of thousands of organizations across clouds, networks, and mobile devices. Our vision is a world where each day is safer and more secure than the one before. For more information, visit www.paloaltonetworks.com.

Source: Gartner Forecast Analysis: Remote Work IT Spending, Worldwide, 5 January 2021