Rakesh Datta: Building Microsoft's disruptive network security product

Indian expat and network development architect Rakesh Datta, provides a rare insight into Microsoft Entra network access launch and his pivotal role in driving its transformation

In a ground-breaking move, tech giant Microsoft has taken a momentous leap into the newest trending network security space, disrupting the industry and prompting a ripple effect that left established players Palo Alto Networks and Zscaler reeling. The seismic event occurred on July 11, when Microsoft unveiled its pioneering Secure Service Edge (SSE) offerings, causing a subsequent dip in the stock performance of its competitors the very next day, reports CNBC.

Rakesh Datta: Architect of Disruption

One of the driving forces behind this momentous initiative is Indian expat Rakesh Datta, an engineering leader at Microsoft Corporation. In his reflection, Datta acknowledged the challenges of operating within an established corporate structure while fostering innovative start-up thinking. Datta revealed his contributions to various critical aspects of the SSE/ZTNA launch, with a particular focus on driving the observability of this complex product.

Datta highlights, “The strategic introduction of Microsoft's SSE/SASE products not only aims to fortify the security of its very own 365 suite but also extends its protective umbrella over the broader internet ecosystem by the virtue of having a secure web gateway”. This strategic move thrusts Microsoft into the rapidly growing Zero Trust Security Market, anticipated to reach around $52 billion by 2026 according to CNBC.

Unveiling the Power of SSE

Explaining the power of SSE, Datta reveals, “SSE forms a crucial part of SASE (Secure Access Service Edge). In an era of hybrid workforces, individuals operate beyond the confines of corporate networks, often even from coffee shops. In this evolving landscape, a traditional centralised network security solution can't scale; the challenges include poor network performance, increased attack vectors etc. With SASE we are trying to bring the security solutions closer to the users, right at the network edges, precisely solving these.” The implementation of these capabilities relies on a powerful combination of network-based and API-based integration. While primarily delivered as cloud-based services, Microsoft's SSE offerings have the flexibility to incorporate on-premises or agent-based components as needed.

Redefining customer experience through world class observability

Datta emphasised, "In this fiercely competitive market, our goal is not only to meet customer expectations but to proactively surpass them." To ensure an unparalleled customer experience, a cutting-edge observability system is paramount, aiming for an impressive 99.9999 per cent service uptime. Given the intricate architecture of the SSE product, the development of such a system demands extensive expertise.

In the past, Datta's role in driving the network observability at Viasat, a major in-flight internet service provider in the world, played a crucial part in the successful launch of the Viasat 2 satellite. Drawing upon his expertise in this domain, Datta assumed leadership of the observability team for the SSE offering of Microsoft. Datta revealed, his team devised and implemented an advanced observability system, continuously monitoring service health. This proactive mechanism promptly alerts Microsoft support to deviations from SLAs, effectively catching up to 99 per cent of potential product bugs before they impact customers, and thus bolstering the customer satisfaction score (CSAT). Datta also engineered a next-gen debugging framework, helping seamless identification and mitigation of software issues found in the SSE/ZTNA stack. This forward-looking strategy translates into a remarkable 10-fold cost savings for Microsoft, significantly reducing the opex tied to customer support of this launch.

Connect with Rakesh Datta on LinkedIn or visit https://rakeshdatta.com/