Zurich, Switzerland, 29 January 2026 – A new survey of 206 IT and security leaders across the DACH region reveals a decisive shift: enterprises are accelerating Zero Trust and SASE adoption, but most still rely on network foundations that were never built for hybrid work or cloud​​ infrastructure​​. 

The result is a widening operational strain: Teams must secure remote workers, cloud applications, branches, and on-prem systems all at once – and 41% say policy sprawl is now their biggest obstacle. Integration gaps (34 %), inconsistent user experience (34%), and rising complexity define daily operations. 

Meanwhile, security transformation is moving ahead at full speed. Regulatory pressure from NIS2, DORA, ​​etc., all while preserving data privacy and​​​ ​GDPR​ ​–​​ is pushing organizations to modernize access and visibility. Seven in ten have already moved beyond VPN-only models, yet only 12% report a fully integrated Zero Trust architecture. 

The biggest surprise: Only 16% have deployed SD-WAN, leaving most SASE initiatives running on legacy network designs. 

“Enterprises want the benefits of Zero Trust and SASE, but many are trying to run modern security on yesterday’s network,” said Stefan Keller, Chief Product Manager at Open Systems. “To get performance, visibility, and consistency, the network and security architecture must evolve together.” 

The survey shows that organizations know they cannot solve this alone. 58% prefer a co-managed SASE model, combining internal control with 24×7 expert operations. AI expectations are equally pragmatic: nearly half want help with monitoring, anomaly detection, and ticket automation – not hype, but real operational gains. 

In manufacturing, priorities shift from theory to uptime. 63% of OT leaders say protecting critical machines is their top priority for 2026, with continuous monitoring and supplier/operator access controls close behind. 

“Customers want clarity, transparency, and a partner who operates alongside them, day and night,” added Stefan Keller. “A co-managed model that unifies network and security operations is exactly what the market is asking for.” 

The message from the data is unmistakable: Enterprises are ready for Zero Trust, ready for SASE – and now need the network foundation that makes it all work. 

​​​Discover how Open Systems delivers co-managed SASE and Zero Trust as a holistic transformation — aligning network and security architecture to improve performance, simplify operations, and maximize ROI with transparent 24×7 support: ​​Request Demo. 

About Open Systems:
Open Systems is an international provider of co-managed SASE operating models, helping enterprises and organizations securely operate complex hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Switzerland, the company generates over USD 100 million in annual revenue and supports global enterprise customers with more than 60,000 employees across operations in more than 180 countries. 

Open Systems combines cloud-native networking and security with transparent, co-managed 24×7 operations to close the execution gap many organizations face when deploying modern architectures. As a European alternative to US- and Israel-based security providers, Open Systems places strong emphasis on regulatory alignment, operational visibility and shared responsibility, enabling secure, reliable and scalable network operations in an increasingly distributed world.