Managed network security services can be an important source of revenue for solution providers. Understaffed companies will benefit from handing threat and vulnerability management tasks
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over to
a value-added reseller or channel professional.
To get the job done, you'll need to work with your customers to decide on which managed network security services they'll require. You'll also need to prepare network security audits, review access control policies, write up network service-level agreements and maintain ongoing communication with your client. In this guide, our series of tactical articles review the steps that will keep your customers' networks secure.
Table of Contents
- How to initiate managed network security services
- How to maintain the managed network security services relationship
- Network security services issues to watch out for in 2010
- How to perform a network security audit for customers
- Implementing IPS/IDS technologies: Managing politics and accountability
How to initiate managed network security
services
(see links
below)
To start the process, the service provider and customer need to communicate. In this tip,
contributor David Jacobs offers seven strategies for success. Before the security effort begins,
both parties must work together to determine valuable assets, review access control and data
protection policies, and follow through on a network
assessment checklist.
How to maintain the managed network security
services relationship
(see links
below)
You've done the preliminary work. What's next? Solution providers and their clients share
priorities and responsibilities, which means you'll still need to address ongoing questions,
including "Who's in charge of addressing a virus or network intrusion?" or "Which network security
updates are 'critical' ones?" To maintain continuous trust, it's also important to stay current and
informed on regulations like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and
the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). These decisions must be determined in a
network
service level-agreement.
Network security services issues to watch out
for in 2010
(see links
below)
As companies secure healthcare data for HIPAA and protect credit cards for PCI DSS compliance, a
hardened network is critical. The frequency of last year's high-profile network security breaches,
too, has renewed interest in managed network security services. In this tip, David Jacobs makes
three predictions and offers his thoughts on where network security VARs can expect to focus their
attention in the future. Jacobs explains why three trends will encourage more managed
network security services.
How to perform a network security audit for
customers
(see links
below)
Use this checklist to set a proper network security baseline. To ensure a secure network, you'll
need to investigate your customers' backup data policies, software security patches, penetrations
tests, firewall configuration settings, event log monitoring procedures, security awareness
training and much more. A network
audit checklist offers solution providers a significant advantage that will be extremely
valuable to customers.
Implementing IPS/IDS technologies: Managing politics
and accountability
(see links
below)
A proper mix of IDS and IPS sensors strategically located on the enterprise network will go a long
way. A VAR is a valuable third-party that can help customers determine where each sensor should be
placed so that optimum protection is provided and performance isn't affected. Contributor Ken
Harthun reviews the politics of data security and how to resolve conflict when implementing IDS and
IPS
technologies.
This was first published in June 2010