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How Inheriting SASE Certification from Technology Partners Translates into Faster Time-to-Market
As enterprise networks get more distributed and security threats become more sophisticated, service providers are expected to do more than deliver connectivity. They must also provide secure, scalable, and high-performing digital services that enterprises can trust. It’s not enough to say your Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solution works. You need to prove it, and MEF’s SASE Certification Program gives service providers this critical edge.
In a recent article written by Isabelle Morency, MEF’s Director of Product Management, for The Fast Mode, she looks at the advantages of MEF’s SASE certification for service providers and the role they play in providing the assurance that enterprises need, and why inheriting SASE certification from their technology partners means faster time-to-market with certified SASE services.
Certification That Builds Enterprise Confidence
SASE has become the reference architecture for converged security and networking—blending SD-WAN, Security Service Edge (SSE), and Zero Trust into a unified framework. But with dozens of technology providers and solutions in the market, enterprises are prioritizing solutions backed by independent, standards-based validation.
MEF’s SASE certification is the only industry-led, vendor-neutral program built for both service and technology providers. It confirms that your solution components meet rigorous standards for security, performance, and interoperability under real-world conditions.
Whether your customers operate in regulated sectors like finance, healthcare, or government—or simply demand high assurance for distributed teams—MEF certification helps providers reduce sales friction, simplify procurement, and establish trust from day one.
Faster Scaling with Certification Inheritance
Achieving certification doesn’t have to mean rebuilding or retesting from scratch. MEF makes the process more efficient with certification inheritance.
If your technology partners—such as your SD-WAN, SSE, or Zero Trust providers—are MEF-certified, you can inherit those certifications and apply them to your own service offerings. This dramatically reduces time, cost, and complexity while helping you:
- Launch secure, certified services faster
- Maintain consistency between tested configurations and field deployments
- Align more closely with your technology partner ecosystem
Whether you’re offering a full-stack SASE solution or delivering individual components, certification inheritance gets you to market faster and with confidence.
Strategic Benefits That Scale with Your Business
MEF certification is more than a technical checkbox—it’s a strategic accelerator for growth. Service providers that pursue SASE certification gain a distinct advantage:
- Faster time to market – Avoid lengthy validation cycles with inherited certification.
- Procurement-ready positioning – Provide RFI/RFP responses backed by trusted documentation.
- Credible differentiation – Stand out in a competitive market with third-party validation.
- Service design flexibility – Build modular offerings using certified components from multiple technology providers.
- Operational efficiency – Reduce redundant testing, avoid rework, and streamline rollout.
MEF’s modular SASE certification approach supports a wide range of business models, enabling providers to certify what makes sense for their portfolio—whether that’s SD-WAN, SSE, Zero Trust, or a fully integrated SASE solution.
Enabling NaaS and the Future of Secure Services
MEF’s SASE certification also plays a foundational role in the shift toward Network-as-a-Service (NaaS). As enterprises move toward dynamic, policy-driven services, certified SASE solutions offer the assurance required for secure, on-demand connectivity across hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
By aligning with MEF’s standards-based approach, service providers are better equipped to deliver secure, automated services that support digital transformation at scale.
Lead with Confidence. Certify with MEF.
MEF’s SASE Certification Program helps service providers reduce risk, accelerate time to market, and deliver trusted services that enterprises can rely on.
Start your journey today at www.mef.net/sase.
Learn More
- Learn more about MEF’s SASE certification program.
- Read the MEF’s latest State of the Industry Report on SASE.
- Read the full article in The Fast Mode, Why SASE Certification Matters for Service Providers
Amy Foschetti
PR Executive | MEF