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“Good implementation cannot compensate for poor design.”
“Smart security design starts and ends with your business requirements.”
Are You Ready?
That’s the question posed by a popular technology manufacturer in its television
ad campaign. Of course, most organizations reluctantly answer in the negative. The pace
of change—both in networks and in computers—is accelerating beyond the
wildest predictions. A few years the idea of security when connecting to the Internet
was not a major concern to most organizations. More recently, installation of a
firewall between the enterprise and the “cyberspace” was sufficient. Now,
the boundary between the enterprise network and the Internet melts into a global,
mobile, and virtual workplace. Do you know how to secure it? Questions such as - What
are the roles of internal firewalls, PKI’s, VPN’s, and hardened operating
systems? Where is the security perimeter and do the security procedures support the
whole enterprise? Can the policy address all these technologies and make them work in
concert? – plague the IT departments of many organizations.
Many people panic when faced with such a dramatic paradigm shift. Often, they are
paralyzed with fear. Having just approved and committed the funds and resources to
build a new, redundant firewall complex or implement an enterprise PKI, may create an
environment where that outlay seems useless.
Rather than hindering business, security should enable it. The question is, how?
Looking Back to Look Forward
The most effective way to face the future is to learn from the past. Often,
organizations turn to technicians to design their infrastructure. These
well-intentioned staffers do not have the background or experience to innovate. They
can only develop solutions based upon the products and approaches in which they are
trained.
Security, in particular, is a discipline learned the hard way. Only by understanding
the original intent of a firewall, VPN, PKI, or other security technology enable the
technologies to know the appropriate uses of that tool. Determining the right use of
technology requires going back to first principles and working forward to prove the
environment is secure.
Experience When You Need It
Network & Security Technologies has the security experience most organizations
need. Our field-proven consultants possess years of experience. They can develop new
solutions because they understand why the old ones work. They work from principles, not
manuals.
Most importantly, Network & Security Technologies' security and networking
expert consultants know the details, too.
Network & Security Technologies brings together network and security consultants
from many different environments and disciplines. Rather than serving as a “body
shop” for one or another vendor, we have staff trained across multiple vendors.
Our people are as comfortable with configuring a Cisco PIX™ as they are with a
Checkpoint Firewall-1™ or other industry standard security products. This
in-depth expertise means that any new design will work. Moreover, familiarity with such
a broad range of products results in a solution that will not be cost prohibitive.
The Design Process
Network & Security Technologies uses a standard process for all its Security Design
engagements. This comprehensive approach can be applied to perimeter security, host
based security, application security, phone switch based security or routers, and will
meet our clients’ requirements. The steps include:
- Gather Data:
- Network & Security Technologies will study the new and existing
business drivers for the design.
- Specify Requirements:
- Network & Security Technologies will extract and document the technology requirements from the business drivers.
- Develop Strategy:
- Drawing upon its experience, Network & Security Technologies will
identify the best strategy for meeting the business requirements.
- Produce Design:
- Network & Security Technologies will produce network maps, equipment lists, and device configurations. These deliverables, set within the context of a rational, actionable deployment may include estimates of resources and capital costs.
Throughout the engagement, Network & Security Technologies experts will collaborate
with our clients’ staff. This ensures that the final result addresses all
concerns and constraints such as: existing infrastructure, budget, and culture. The
Security Design document describes each component of the solution in specific detail to
enable its immediate implementation. Network & Security Technologies’ field
proven consultants will present the design to executive management and staff to develop
a consensus understanding of its objectives and logic. These same Network &
Security Technologies experts will support you through the process of implementation
and integration, or lead a Network & Security Technologies team to that end if
required.
Our clients take advantage of the experience and know-how of Network & Security
Technologies. They face the uncertain future with confidence and enable their
organization to make use of the Internet, collaborate on-line with customers, and take
their work to wherever in the world they need to go. Network and Security
Technologies’ clients do all of this with the safety and privacy that their
business requires.
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