Organisational Silos Derail SASE Adoption - Only 7% of UK Enterprises Unlock Full Value Amid Internal Roadblocks

17 November 2025

New Xalient data shows 47% of UK firms still in early SASE deployment, despite its strategic security importance.

Xalient has released its latest global report, SASE Uncovered: The Realities of SASE Implementation in 2026.

The findings show that UK enterprises are among the most mature globally – yet continue to face significant organisational challenges that block progress and value realisation.

Despite high demand for SASE as businesses adapt to hybrid work and cloud migration, the research reveals that 96% of the organisations surveyed report facing challenges in their SASE deployment journey. Only 7% of global respondents report having fully mature SASE capabilities, with the UK slightly ahead at 9% ranking it the second most mature region in terms of SASE deployment. However, even with this progress, 47% of UK organisations admit their efforts remain in the early, tactical stages of deployment.

The research, conducted by Opinion Matters, surveyed 700 IT Network and IT Security leaders at large organisations with over 2,000+ employees across the UK, US, Canada, and Benelux that had implemented a SASE solution. It found that 80% of respondents express concern regarding cybersecurity threats, but breach or fear of breach is the least common driver for SASE adoption. To maximise business value, IT teams must consider the broader benefits of SASE.

Dave McGrail, Head of Business Consultancy at Xalient, comments:

“SASE should be a business imperative in today’s volatile threat landscape. The organisations that will thrive are those that treat SASE not as a one-time project, but as an ongoing journey – investing in continuous education, stakeholder alignment, and agile architectures. Only then will they unlock the full promise of secure, resilient connectivity for the future.”

The Business Case for SASE

The top driver for SASE adoption in the UK (34%) was a change in network traffic towards the internet, highlighting a more infrastructure-centric approach compared to other regions.

The findings also reveal that SD-WAN leads UK SASE adoption, with 45% of respondents reporting active use. This trend reflects a broader shift in network architecture, as many UK enterprises move away from legacy MPLS systems in favour of more flexible and scalable solutions.

Barriers to Adoption Despite Security Benefits

SASE offers a dynamic, cloud-native approach to address evolving cybersecurity threats, outperforming traditional on-premises solutions. Despite these benefits, IT teams still face significant barriers to SASE adoption. Only 4% of global respondents reported no barriers.

In the UK, 38% of respondents agreed that the biggest barrier to  SASE adoption was the redirection of funding and resources  away from planned projects. This aligns with the global findings, which identified redirected funding as the biggest barrier (38%), followed by internal politics and conflict (30%) and lack of acceptance of the business case (29%).

“Our research makes it clear: deploying SASE is a strategic business necessity, but the true obstacles are organisational and lie with aligning people, priorities, and vision across the business. To maximise the return on SASE investments, organisations must drive adoption with clarity, collaboration, and a relentless focus on business value,” adds Dave McGrail.

Partner Expertise is Proving Essential

Eighty per cent of global respondents rely on external partners for implementation, and more than half depend on them for ongoing maintenance and support. The UK was the most prolific in using specialist SASE partners (41%) compared with 35% globally and is less likely than other countries to be self-implementing. In many instances, partners play a key role in introducing SD-WAN as a foundational element in broader security and networking transformations for its cost savings, improved performance and simplified management. This makes it a “must-have” component for 41% of UK respondents.

“The UK faces a well-documented cybersecurity talent gap, making it harder for organisations to build and maintain in-house SASE capabilities. Partnering with specialists allows faster deployment and access to expertise that’s hard to recruit internally. Additionally, the UK has a robust market of managed service providers (MSPs) offering tailored SASE solutions. This makes outsourcing more accessible and cost-effective, especially for mid-sized enterprises,” concludes Dave McGrail.

The research reveals that SASE is now essential for UK organisations seeking agility, security, and resilience in the face of mounting cyber threats and budget pressures. As organisations continue to adapt to an evolving digital landscape, prioritising robust, secure connectivity is key to addressing current challenges.

Download the full SASE Uncovered Report

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Dave McGrail – Head of Business Consultancy at Xalient.

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With over 15 years of experience in telecoms, UC, contact centre, networking and security technologies, Dave provides strategic and technical consultancy as a trusted adviser to Xalient’s customers, with a proven track record for driving secure network transformations for global enterprises to help achieve business objectives. 

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