Multi-layer is the buzzword in security

MUMBAI: Network security is now a part of common day vocabulary. Sensational reports emerge every now and then on the menace of hackers to business and the corresponding loss they inflict both in terms of revenues as well as man-hours. And while businesses have invested in firewalls and anti-virus programs to protect them-selves at the gateway or desktop level, this is not sufficient in the face of modern day attacks.





Since an increasing number of threats come in through compromised servers/endpoint terminals within the network, the concept of multi-layer security is fundamental in ensuring comprehensive security, which many enterprises have not been able to implement effectively.





At the Emerging Paradigms of Information Security Conference held in here today, Network Security was discussed in depth. It was observed that, due to the sophistication of threats faced and challenges of the enterprises in dealing with these threats effectively, there is a trend of convergence of technologies or vendors expanding their offerings to provide protection across different areas of the network and also against different types of threats.





Previously, vendors have been providing standalone solutions for different security threats, but now they are offering a suite of solutions, which promises to tackle the different types of threats faced by enterprises. A major trend observed recently is the emergence of integrated security appliances, which offer multiple functionalities (FW/VPN, AV, IPS, Content Filtering and even anti-spyware) on a single platform.





These solutions have been seeing good adoption with the SMB market and also branch offices of large organizations with their good value for money and easy manageability. Large organizations tend to go for high-end point technology products for their core networks and are looking for integrated/central management of these different devices for combined intelligence and increased efficiency and collaboration between these devices against security threats.





"The investment that enterprises are making in security is being reflected in the growth of security solutions in India. In 2004, the total revenues of the Indian network security market reached $46.2 million with a growth rate of 54.7% YOY and it is expected to grow at CAGR of 19.8% in the period of 2002-2011," said Alok Shende, director ICT Practice, Frost & Sullivan.





"With networks growing in complexity and with emerging threats and vulnerabilities over global networks, enterprises today need to adopt security solutions that would allow them to integrate security in each and every aspect of the network", said Parag Arora, national channel manager, Cisco Systems, India, & SAARC.





"Cisco's fundamental understanding of the network gives us the edge to create such solutions that dramatically improve the network's ability to proactively identify, prevent and adapt to threats, thus truly creating a Self Defending or a Self Healing security posture for today's dynamic network", he added.





According to Frost and Sullivan research service on network security, Cisco emerged as the market leader in the year in 2004 in Firewall/VPN segment with a 45.7% market share.





Emerging Paradigms on Information Security conference articulated the stepping-stones for enterprise security for new and prospective users; concurrently had discussions for advanced users on advance management and a security integration road map for the future. Touching on topics like Managing Employee Identities, Branch Office Security, Protection against Complex Internet Threats, etc the conference looked at educating the vendors as well as end users.





This conference is a part of the five-city Security Series from Frost & Sullivan that will cover cities like Bangalore, Delhi, Chennai and Hyderabad this month.