A traditional network security approach, which involved securing the perimeter, is no longer relevant in an era where the perimeter has all but disappeared. Instead, companies are turning to virtualized network security through software-defined networking solutions (SDN).
These solutions offer better visibility and control, which translates to improved overall security. As companies scale and take on ever-more-complicated cloud environments, network security can scale with them if their security approach is SDN. Here are five benefits:
Centralized Management
Network security improves as teams have better access to centralized tools. They can identify and isolate issues, configuring and troubleshooting from a single dashboard. With a virtualized network, the team can manage connectivity and security across all locations, whether employees are working from home or in the office – and even on the road.
Segmentation
One of the key benefits of SDN is the ability to identify and isolate a potential threat, keeping it from spreading across the entire security plane and limiting access to resources when an intruder has breached your network. Segmentation allows other parts of the business to continue without interruption while security teams mitigate a threat in a particular area.
Scalability
When it’s time for your organization to acquire another business, or when you are in a growth period, your network security should easily grow with you. There won’t be any hardware or licenses to purchase, and you can adjust to more users in a matter of minutes.
Automation
Your network security plan with SDN becomes significantly easier and more streamlined because of the capabilities around automation. Apply policies that scale with you as you grow and can be automatically applied to new technology.
Cost and Physical Footprint
Cost is often one of the first considerations around a network upgrade, but with SDN, there’s no hardware or significant capital investment. In addition, your network teams will save time because of other benefits like scalability and automation.
If you’ve been dreading a network security upgrade because your in-house data center is nearly bursting with machines and wires, you’ll be relieved to know that SDN results in a much smaller physical footprint.
As your organization continues to change and grow, you will need greater visibility and control to navigate the complexity of cloud technologies. The performance and features offered in these solutions are powered by significant bandwidth demands, and you’ll need a virtualized networking solution that can keep pace. That means you also need an upgrade to your network security.
Your network security should keep pace with your adoption of cloud technology, and SDN offers the most cost-effective and scalable option. Network segmentation and improved visibility streamline your security team’s efforts, allowing you to better secure your company assets. Contact us at Independent Connections to learn more.