Enterprise network security involves deploying a combination of IT strategies, software, and hardware for preventative and real-time defense of the enterprise’s network and by extension, business information and applications against harmful traffic and potential threats such as phisling, Trojan horses, worms, malware, and other vulnerabilities that may impede or paralyze the system. Such attacks infect the system with virus, malware, spyware, Denial of Service (Dos) and Distributed Denial of Service (DDos), and other threats, leading to loss or theft of sensitive information, reduced connectivity, slow-down of network traffic, and eventually crashing of the entire system.
While taking steps such as adding firewalls, intrusion prevention detection systems and network monitoring systems remain a basic way of ensuring enterprise network security, overcoming such threats require resolving many fundamental challenges.
Alignment with Business Needs
The primary challenge to ensure enterprise network security is reconciling the computer network management with business. For instance, the safest way to ensure network security is to have a policy that allows internet access only through the company’s in-house trusted connection. This may however impede business needs, where executives may have to tap into public or other Wi-Fi networks when on the move.
Success depends on developing a network security architecture that bases itself on actual business needs and requirements, and on flexible and scalable open standards. The network security system needs to remain flexible to adapt to changes in business requirements, and scalable to ensure robust security when the organization grows and the networking needs increase.
The Approach
The very purpose of the internet is to interact with the World Wide Web, and any business network would invariably interact with partners, suppliers and customers, and in the process become exposed to malicious attacks of various hues. An enterprise network security approach that attempts to counter such threats by restricting access is extremely short sighted and counter-productive.
The best approach rather is to keep track of all vulnerabilities, threats, and legislations, apply myriad patch releases by vendors, and keep check of all DAT files, besides scanning the system for vulnerabilities and monitoring the firewalls, all on real time basis. Securing all points in the network is another essential requirement. This is indeed a Herculean task and poses a big challenge.
Seamless Integration
The best possible enterprise network security approach is to institute a sound and robust system, and to deploy high quality resources for managing network security. This makes it easy to identify and adopt these robust and scalable technologies.
Effective network security measures involve not just the machines or technology, but also the people and processes. As such, deploying seamless and user friendly systems increases the chances of success.
Network performance is of critical importance for the successful day to day operations of any enterprise.
