Palo Alto Networks has joined the Microsoft 365 Networking Partner Program to provide direct and efficient connectivity for Microsoft 365 users. This is through its Prisma Access service, facilitating what the company calls an optimal user experience aligned with Microsoft’s connectivity principles.

Palo Alto Networks’ Kumar Ramachandran

Kumar Ramachandran is senior vice president of products for Palo Alto Networks.

Ramachandran said as enterprises use direct-to-app architectures for their hybrid workforces, IT teams can find themselves with limited visibility. They may also lack control over which applications users are accessing. Prisma Access reduces administrative and management burden by enabling the identification and categorization of Microsoft 365 traffic. It provides secure branch direct internet access via Prisma Access.

“We can’t reinforce enough the importance of having a trusted ecosystem of technology partners. As a member of the Microsoft 365 Networking Partner Program, we help customers feel confident in the security of their cloud environments and applications,” he said.

Cloud-Delivered Security Platform

Palo Alto’s cloud-delivered security platform, Prisma Access, meets the requirements for securing Microsoft 365 and other cloud applications. It enables safe and reliable zero trust access to all the applications users need from anywhere, the company said. For teams responsible for keeping users secure, Prisma Access enables:

Scott Schnoll is senior product marketing manager at Microsoft.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Palo Alto Networks into the Networking Partner Program for Microsoft 365,” Schnoll said. “Palo Alto Networks is a valued partner that is focused on helping Microsoft 365 customers implement the Microsoft 365 network connectivity principles. Microsoft only recommends Networking Partner Program member solutions for connectivity to Microsoft 365.”

Prisma Access can differentiate Microsoft 365 traffic by leveraging Microsoft’s APIs for endpoints and enables local egress for application traffic. It also enables elimination of intrusive network security for Microsoft 365 connections. Palo Alto’s integrated next-gen CASB approach helps IT security teams see and secure Microsoft 365 and many other applications. It protects sensitive data stored and shared and prevents zero-day threats in real time. This is all without deployment complexity or additional infrastructure, the company said.