Networking company Extreme Networks Inc. today announced new features within ExtremeCloud Universal ZTNA, the company’s identity-based network access solution that simplifies and strengthens network security in remote and campus environments.

New features include improved discounting capabilities shadow IT risks by automating the identification of private applications and tracking user access. The improvements enable IT teams to more effectively manage application usage, limit unauthorized access to non-compliant tools, and enforce a consistent security policy. A new feature to add or deny applications with a single click streamlines policy enforcement and improves overall network observability.

ExtremeCloud Universal ZTNA now also reduces troubleshooting time by enabling teams to adjust policies and address identity-level access issues directly from the dashboard, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual interventions. The net result is that resolution of network access issues is accelerated while at the same time organizations can maintain a zero-trust security posture for all users, applications and devices.

Universal ZTNA now supports automatic policy enforcement across the entire Extreme Networks portfolio, including switches and third-party access points. According to the company, the flexibility allows organizations to manage security policies consistently in hybrid network environments, whether users are on-site or working remotely. An integration with ExtremeCloud IQ further simplifies the management process for IT teams.

“Organizations must support hybrid work models and have struggled with the complexity caused by network and security lock-downs,” said David Nuti, head of security strategy at Extreme Networks. “Policies are cluttered and inconsistent. Licensing is complicated. With new devices and users, the risk increases daily. To reduce this complexity, organizations are moving away from legacy VPN and firewall solutions.”

Extreme Networks was previously in the news in July when it announced that it had teamed up with Intel Corp.’s connectivity analytics program. to improve its AI Expert solution. The link provided improvements that involved using data from networks via Extreme and Intel data PCs and combining it with generative artificial intelligence and the Intel Connectivity Analytics software development kit to make networks smarter, faster and more reliable .

Photo: Extreme networks