Cloud RADIUS as a Microservice
Cloud computing has made the software-as-a-service industry thrive and microservices are a wonderful result of this trend. It’s convenient and frugal to only pay for exactly what you want without any of the extra frills. Fortunately, this premise extends to security software without compromising on security.
Using a RADIUS microservice will enable you to make affordable, immediate, and significant upgrades to your network security – 802.1x authentication. Optional additional services like a PKI can further enhance your security with digital certificates and a better user experience.
This article will discuss the feasibility of cloud RADIUS as a microservice, how effective it is, and which you should choose for the optimal balance of security and price.
What is a Microservice?
A microservice is an independent application with a narrow scope and no external dependencies. They are deployed as part of a larger microservice architecture, a software development strategy in which an application is built as a collection of independently maintained and operated applications or services that can work independently or together.
A relevant example is SecureW2’s managed cloud Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) service. We sell a cloud RADIUS, a directory service, a SCMS/CMS, onboarding software, and more. You could purchase all of the components of a PKI “a la carte” and enjoy increased functionality and security. Additionally, you can continue adding components until you finally cross the threshold of a full PKI, or just buy the whole thing as a package.
Forgive me for sounding a little hipster, but SecureW2 was doing microservice before it was cool. All of our many network security products were engineered separately to ensure that they have no strict dependencies or limitations.
That’s why we’re the only managed RADIUS and managed PKI provider that is totally vendor-neutral and able to integrate with virtually any network infrastructure. We can set up the 802.1X authentication infrastructure from scratch or use your existing directory, access points, etc. to speed up the process and save you a bit of cash.
Is Microservice RADIUS Secure?
Yes, RADIUS as a microservice is at least as secure as traditional RADIUS offerings – possibly even more so.
It’s no secret that on-premise RADIUS is less secure than its cloud equivalents. The combination of aging software and hardware, reduced compatibility with modern applications and infrastructure, existing vulnerabilities, and the lack of continued support make on-premise RADIUS an obviously poor choice.
RADIUS microservices are, like most microservices, cloud solutions. They may also be managed or unmanaged depending on the vendor (SecureW2 offers both options), which could potentially increase the security of your network. Managed RADIUS tends to be more secure than on-premise or self-run RADIUS because it’s maintained by expert RADIUS support staff with years of experience rather than simply being another task for an organization’s overworked IT team.
Microservices in general tend towards more secure because of their limited scope and modular nature. A smaller application with fewer functionalities that only communicates via API has fewer vulnerabilities than a large, complicated, bloated alternative.
The Best Cloud RADIUS Microservice Solution
SecureW2 has embraced the concept of microservices to create an entire 802.1X authentication ecosystem of services, each product complementary to one another. We want every organization to have reliable security available at an affordable price, which is why our core design principle is compatibility and integrations – allowing you to leverage your existing network infrastructure.
That’s not to say we haven’t contributed our fair share of technological advancements. Our Cloud RADIUS is powered by a Dynamic Policy Engine, which enables it to make real-time policy decisions for group policy and user segmentation. We can enable totally passwordless authentication for Google, Okta, and Azure via digital certificates, which will allow your users to authenticate to dozens of services without ever typing in a password.
All of these options are available as add-on microservices just like our cloud RADIUS. We have affordable options for organizations of all sizes, see our prices here.
