SAFE

Easy-to-Use Security Reference Architecture

SAFE can help you simplify your security strategy and deployment. This Cisco security reference architecture features easy-to-use visual icons that help you design a secure infrastructure for the edge, branch, data center, campus, cloud, and WAN. The framework encompasses operational domains such as management, security intelligence, compliance, segmentation, threat defense, and secure services.

SAFE solutions have been deployed, tested, and validated at Cisco and provide guidance, best practices, and configuration steps.

Why complicate your security network design? Keep it simple with SAFE.

The SAFE Key

Click to Enlarge

The SAFE Key organizes security by using two core concepts: Places in the Network (PINs) and Secure Domains.

PINs reference examples of locations that are found in networks and the infrastructure needed to create them:

• Data center
• Branch
• Campus
• WAN
• Internet edge
• Cloud

Secure Domains are operational areas used to protect these locations. They are security concepts that traverse an entire network:

• Management
• Security intelligence
• Compliance
• Segmentation
• Threat defense
• Secure services

This reference architecture logically arranges capabilities to secure business workflows against threats.

• SAFE Internet Edge Architecture Guide (PDF - 2.9 MB)
• SAFE Secure Branch Architecture Guide (PDF - 1.7 MB)
• SAFE Campus Architecture Guide (PDF - 2 MB)

SAFE design guides have been tested, validated, and deployed at Cisco. They provide best practices, configuration steps, and more.

SAFE Edge Remote Access VPN with DDoS Design Guide (PDF - 4.6 MB)

Ransomware Defense Design Guide (PDF - 3.7 MB)

Cisco security guides relate to specific PINs and Secure Domains in the SAFE framework.