Pilot with a Clear Scope: Proving the Value of SASE Through Focused Action

Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) promises long-term transformation — but no successful transformation starts with a big-bang rollout. The path from strategy to adoption is best travelled in deliberate, manageable steps.

That’s where the pilot comes in.

A well-scoped pilot lets you validate assumptions, build internal confidence, and surface any technical, cultural, or operational issues before you scale. But too often, organisations either overreach with pilots that try to “do it all”, or underdeliver with setups that don’t show real value.

To realise the promise of SASE — and avoid early fatigue — leaders need to treat the pilot not as a technical test, but as a strategic proving ground. Done right, it provides not just a technical baseline, but a business case for broader change.

In this post, we’ll explore how to design an effective SASE pilot, what it should (and shouldn’t) include, and how to use it to unlock momentum for future phases.

Why Piloting Matters

SASE can impact a broad range of domains — network design, cloud access, user experience, security enforcement, operational workflows, and cost models. That breadth is part of its value, but also its complexity.

A clear pilot provides:

  • Validation — Does it work with your architecture, identity setup, and apps?
  • Measurement — Can you quantify performance improvements or risk reductions?
  • Feedback — Are end users getting better access or facing new friction?
  • Buy-in — Can you use early wins to gain support for further investment?

It transforms theory into evidence.

Characteristics of a Good SASE Pilot

To be meaningful, your pilot must be more than a lab exercise — but manageable enough to learn and adapt. Aim for these attributes:

1. Tightly Scoped

Limit variables. Choose a specific set of users, locations, or applications. Avoid trying to trial “all of SASE” at once.

2. Representative

Select scenarios that reflect real-world challenges: hybrid work, remote access, SaaS control, branch connectivity, etc.

3. Measurable

Define what success looks like before you start — latency, user experience, policy consistency, threat visibility, etc.

4. Cross-functional

Include stakeholders from networking, security, identity, and support teams in both design and evaluation.

5. Time-bound

Set a clear duration (e.g. 6–8 weeks), with a plan for review and next steps.

Common Pilot Use Cases That Deliver Value

There’s no one-size-fits-all pilot. Your scope should reflect your pain points and goals — but these patterns are common starting points:

1. Remote Access Replacement

Modernise VPN for a subset of users by trialling Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA). This improves experience, enables context-aware access, and reduces exposure.

2. Branch Connectivity with SD-WAN

Deploy SASE to a small number of branch offices to reduce MPLS dependency, improve performance, and unify security and networking policies.

3. SaaS Security Control

Implement Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) or secure web gateway features for a specific SaaS platform — e.g. Office 365 or Salesforce — to gain visibility and control over data access.

4. Contractor or Third-party Access

Pilot secure access policies for a non-employee group. This often highlights the benefits of identity-aware and device-aware policies.

Practical Steps to Run a Successful Pilot

Leaders don’t need to run the pilot themselves — but they do need to make sure it’s set up for success.

Here’s how:

1. Align on Objectives

Before any tools are deployed, define what you’re trying to prove. Examples:

  • Reduce time-to-connect for remote users
  • Apply consistent policy across devices and locations
  • Improve threat detection and response time
  • Eliminate multiple point products

Document these and agree how they’ll be measured.

2. Engage the Right Teams Early

Involve:

  • Network and security architects (to design)
  • Identity and access teams (to integrate)
  • Operations staff (to monitor and support)
  • End-user reps (to provide feedback)

Don’t wait until the last week to get business feedback.

3. Prepare the Environment

Ensure prerequisites are in place:

  • Integration with your identity provider
  • Visibility of pilot users and apps
  • User communication and support materials
  • Defined rollback plan if needed

The smoother the setup, the more valuable the feedback.

4. Monitor, Measure, Adjust

Gather both quantitative and qualitative feedback:

  • Is performance better, worse, or the same?
  • Are policies applied as expected?
  • Are users happier or more frustrated?
  • Are support tickets going up or down?

Adapt based on what you learn — not just what you planned.

5. Communicate the Results

At the end of the pilot, present:

  • What worked well
  • What challenges emerged
  • What value was delivered
  • What’s required to scale

This is your chance to turn a technical test into a business case.

What to Avoid in SASE Pilots

  • Piloting too much at once — Complexity hides results.
  • Focusing only on technology — User experience and operational impact matter just as much.
  • Skipping documentation — Pilots should feed directly into your rollout plans.
  • Assuming success means “ready to scale” — Use the pilot to understand what needs improving first.

Conclusion: Start Small to Scale Fast

Piloting SASE isn’t about dipping a toe in the water. It’s about learning deeply, validating value, and building momentum with purpose.

If you scope your pilot clearly, align it with business goals, and capture the right lessons, you don’t just reduce risk — you accelerate transformation.

Because in the end, it’s not about proving SASE works. It’s about proving it works for you.

Transformation begins not with the biggest step — but with the clearest one.