MANAGED SERVICES cloud
the service takes care of the replacement of faulty hardware, management to firmware revisions and applying the latest security patches. In what is often called a ‘security as a service’ offering, all hardware, software licences, configuration, policy creation, maintenance, support and on-going management is supplied as part of the service, with no need to purchase any of the products outright. This allows organisations to utilise just operational budget for security infrastructure, and benefit from the elasticity of service-based security.
The primary advantage of using a managed firewall service is that customers can implement a tailored perimeter security service, managed by security experts, with very little up-front cost or higher OPEX associated with maintaining additional in- house security expertise.
Taking the next step
Assuming that moving to a managed firewall has been a success, the next step for many organisations is a fully managed security gateway. These services have much in common with a managed firewall in terms of capital expenditure reduction and expertise but offer additional granular options to protect against different types of threats.
As a minimum, a managed security gateway service includes both firewall and VPN software, delivered on a hardware security
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appliance. The range of hardware available ensures that organisations can scale to meet traffic volume. Added to the base services are additional security service modules, which can be purchased at the start of the contract, or easily added as and when necessary during the term of the service, depending on individual security and business requirements.
With the massive rise of mobile devices and remote working, organisations often add secure mobile access modules. These provide enterprise-grade remote access via SSL VPN for simple, safe and secure mobile connectivity to email, calendars, contacts and corporate applications on smartphones, laptops or PCs.
The majority of managed security gateways will also offer proactive security, such as intrusion prevention and detection systems that aim to prevent attacks. These systems generate alerts prompting security response teams to investigate the event and take action. Other security add-ons such as Anti-Virus protection, Data Loss Prevention, and email and web content services, are also available to offer complete gateway protection.
SLA for peace of mind In order to identify key services and processes required to meet the needs of the business, it is standard business practice for
managed service providers to offer a Service Level Agreement (SLA). The quality of the SLA is often a deciding factor in winning and retaining customers. The SLA will include service descriptions, delivery points, service availability, support and escalation procedures. It is the responsibility of the managed service provider to ensure that the customer fully understands all of these aspects of the SLA. Once an SLA has been accepted, it is critical to put mechanisms in place to capture service delivery data to validate that the service has been delivered as agreed. The reporting element provides peace of mind and also a basis for discussions between service provider and customer on how services can evolve to meet business requirements.
Even though the majority of the emerging managed services are offered by large, single-source providers, many small and medium businesses prefer to outsource their IT processes to trusted third parties. Before rushing into any managed service, it is always recommended that organisations talk to these trusted third parties who can provide an impartial assessment of its strengths, weaknesses and overall value for money. In many cases, these same IT suppliers might well have complementary services, system deployment skills and management expertise as well as experience in implementing security and related business continuity solutions.
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