'Security is about letting good things in’
Security threats (from a technology perspective) have grown as the business has grown over the years.
By Chiranjoy Sen, |
Bob Gleichauf , veep and CTO, Security Technology Group at global networking giant Cisco Systems, is eminently positioned to talk about the latest trends in security technology as networks grow larger and are faced with new threats. He talks to ET, on how Cisco's size and scope gives it the opportunity to make the network more proactive with the self-defending network strategy. To boot, the Security Technology Group is slated to reach a turnover of $2 billion by end 2008.
What are the latest trends in the security technology domain?
Security threats (from a technology perspective) have grown as the business has grown over the years. The trend that I see today is not just in securing a retail outlet or a branch of a financial institution, but a move towards security features that cover the entire corporate network. Much of this is because the entire world is getting more and more connected and the need is to keep the bad things out while letting the good things in. And remember, networks are getting more porous these days.
It also implies that you need integrated security solutions, not just VPN, encryption or firewalling. For example, Cisco's desktop and server security solutions products are an extension of the corporate security network.
From that end, could you explain self-defending network strategy?
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A security system must be fully integrated into the network from end to end, so it can facilitate a coordinated response to attacks, regardless of location. It must be intelligent, so that it can differentiate potential threats from normal traffic and events. And it must be able to adapt to changing network security conditions. The Cisco Self-Defending Network is our strategy for network security. By identifying, preventing, and then adapting to both internal and external threats, the Cisco Self-Defending Network allows businesses to maximise their network resources and protect not just their networks, but also their network investments. The results are improved business processes and substantial savings.
The Self-Defending Network contains three characteristics that together provide continuous, intelligent, future-proofed security from the network to the application layer:
Do you see managed security services as next-gen offering?
Managed security service is essentially professional deployment and upkeep of security solutions and technology. It is an up-and-down business in the United States that has not really taken off much elsewhere.
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It is not a typically high-margin business and from Cisco's perspective, the entire security technology group is just evolving as a high-margin business. How do you rate India as a market for IT security products?
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The Indian market has several small companies, which are moving from manual processes to automatic repeatable processes. Then there are the bigger companies (like Reliance and Tatas), who are already strong Cisco customers. Among all types, there is a high level of understanding about security needs and security solutions deployment. Download
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