Align the Business with the Right Security Technology

Matching the needs of your business with the right security technologies is the first step to launching a network security project.

Use the following list of considerations to get you started:

Your current security level

Take an inventory of the security features your network already has. This list will help identify gaps in your current protection methods.

Does it offer firewalls, a virtual private network, intrusion prevention, virus protection, a secured wireless network, anomaly detection, and identity management and compliance validation?Do these features communicate with one another?

Your assets

Make a "laundry list" of your assets to determine how many levels, or layers, of protection your system needs.

Within your particular business, what assets are the most critical to your success?Is protecting your internal information most important; your customers' information; or both?How much are these assets worth?Where do these assets reside within you system?

Information transfer

Assess how information is shared inside and outside of your company.

Do your employees need quick access to internal information in order to do their jobs?Do you share data outside the four walls of your business?How do you control who has access to this information?Do you provide varying levels of access to different network users?

Plans for growth

Is your company planning on adding advanced features to your system? How adaptable and flexible will your system need to be? Your security solution should be able to accommodate increased network traffic or advanced applications without disrupting service.

Risk assessment

Determine if the consequences of a security breach extend beyond lost productivity or an interruption in service.

How regulated is your business environment?What are the risks of non-compliance?How much downtime can your business tolerate before financial or reputation losses accrue?

Ease of use

The best security technology will do you no good if it can't easily be installed or used. Make sure you have the resources to manage the system you install.