Most medium to large European companies plan to consolidate
network security on a singlehardware appliancein the next year, but cost is not
the only driver.
Ninety per cent of IT directors
polled in the UK, France and Germany say they will consolidate
their networks in the coming months.
Reducing cost is one of the main reasons for the move, but
simplified network security management is the biggest driver
overall.
Rick Cole, IT manager at financial services firm
B&CE, says the move to a
single appliance for all network security is a "no-brainer".
The switch was prompted by B&CE's need to upgrade its
firewall security and capacity to support new e-commerce
projects.
"I could not see the sense in getting to grips with several
software products, when it could be done all in one package," says
Cole.
B&CE plans to run its new firewall on a single Fortinet
unified threat management (UTM) appliance and then gradually
add all other network security applications.
Organisations are typically able to put e-mail filtering, web
filtering, intrusion prevention, network gateway anti-virus, and
access control applications on a UTM appliance.
IT staff will only have one network security management console
to learn how to use, there will be improved visibility of network
activity, and better reporting through consolidation.
Cole says administrative benefits include having a single point
of contact for support and not having to manage several separate
software licences and service contracts.
Andy Hamilton, network manager at University College Oxford,
says having only one set of skills to learn is a great time
saver.
"Simplified training and quicker support from one company are
definite benefits," he says.
Hamilton says improved security is another big benefit of having
a single appliance from a single supplier.
"This means there are no interoperability issues. It is also
easier to secure one box than multiple boxes," he says.
Improved security is one of the top three reasons survey
respondents cite for network security consolidation, but it is the
top reason given by UK respondents, ahead of improved management
and lower operating costs.
Tony Dyhouse, director at
Cyber Security Knowledge
Transfer Network, says UTM means systems are combined, making
security a simpler process.
"This means there is less reliance on experts because the
product is simpler and more manageable. This is particularly useful
for smaller companies that cannot afford the same level of security
expertise as larger companies," he says.
Overall, lower costs is the second most important reason given
for consolidating network security.
B&CE expects to cut operating costs by about half, and
University College estimates that costs have dropped by a
third.
Dyhouse says the recession has put great pressure on security
managers to justify their expenditure.
"Moving to products which can offer multiple functions is a good
way to show cost saving to the board," he says.
Richard Brain, technical director at security firm Procheckup,
which operatives five UTMs, says advantages also include savings in
power consumption and rack space.
Romain Foucherou, an analyst at IDC, says the recession has
taught most organisations the value of a consolidated approach to
network security, which frees businesses from rigid per-user
licensing models.
"Once companies have invested in a single hardware appliance,
new capabilities can be added with a simple hardware upgrade," says
Foucherou.
This means organisations can be assured of future scalability as
the business grows and the threat environment changes, without
buying additional hardware.
However, Brain warns that consolidation carries the risk of
having a single point of failure for all network security
applications.
He also cautions against potential hidden costs. "Watch out for
extras like support and 24-hour call out. This can be expensive,"
he says.
Foucherou says UTM appliances have come a long way in the past
three years. Technological advances have enabled the security,
reliability and throughput that enterprises demand.
This has been one of the main reasons UTM solutions have
graduated from branch offices to enterprises, backed by a strong
focus of suppliers on the higher end of the market.