Big network infrastructure vendors know a thing or two about networks. That's why you trust them to build the world-class network on which your business runs. But should you buy security from them too?
Business Brief
Security is Too Important to Leave to Your
Network ProviderOr, why weightlifters don't make great point guards
Big network infrastructure vendors know a thing or two about networks. That's why you trust them to build the world-class network on which your business runs. But should you buy security from them too?
Security and networks-they're sort of related. Both are technologies for solving complex technical problems. But beyond that, they're fundamentally different. It's not just that the problems security vendors solve are different; we think differently. We're built differently. It's like the difference between a weightlifter and a point guard on a basketball team. The one is designed for heavy lifting, the other for agility, speed, an dexterity. And yet network vendors continue to try to convince their customers that because they're good at networks, they should also be your network security vendor.
Mr. Universe Tries a Jump ShotWhen it comes to infrastructure, network providers are valued for their ability to do heavy lifting. Cisco Systems, Juniper Networks, even Blue Coat Systems-these companies lay down the infrastructure on which your entire network runs. Pipes, routers, switches, and cables: you invest in this hardware with a long horizon. For that reason, network R&D looks well down the road to help you predict what you will need in, say, 5, 10, or 15 years, which is entirely appropriate for such long lead-time investments.When it is time for a network upgrade, it's often a rip and replace. A heavy job. But you've had time to think about it, plan for it, prepare. Agility is not what's required during these operations, but planning, preparation, and heaving lifting. That's why you call in a weightlifter. That's what they're good at. That's how they're designed.What weightlifters don't do well is move quickly, turn on a dime, respond with the speed and quick foot work of a point guard. They don't have to. They're about building infrastructure; they're not about helping you compete against an opponent that is quick, smart, aggressive, and determined to steal your data.Which brings us to security.
Delivering the Perfect Assist Like an NBA point guard, your security vendor must constantly watch, assess, evaluate, and respond. Play offense, defense, and transition. Compete against very talented opponents constantly seeking and exploiting weakness. Point guards can hit the three-pointer, but even more important is their ability to control the game, set the pace, and deliver the perfect assist. At McAfee we play this role with ease. We're here to assist you by helping manage your security so you can manage your business.Business Brief Security in Too Important to Leave to Your Network Provider
When Every Second CountsSo what qualities make a great security vendor? Unlike network infrastructure providers who have the luxury of linear, predictable, and controlled implementations, security vendors must respond instantly. We deal in a reality of unpredictability. Why? Because threats propagate with alarming speed. Attacks come out of nowhere. Very clever people spend their lives dreaming up ways to make themselves intimate with your data.At McAfee, our research team discovers 4,500 new attacks every day-not recycled versions of old attacks, but entirely new, previously unseen viruses, Trojans, worms, and other malicious pieces of code designed to part you from your money. We uncover these attacks from data gathered by more than 7,000 sensors in 68 countries. We analyze millions of URLs and more than 3 billion email messages per day. In short, our research lab is in perpetual motion, anticipating and addressing threats today. Not a year or a week from now. Right now, every moment of the day and night. And when we do find something bad, we're on it. We use our industry-leading analysis and preventative measures to instantly update our products at the endpoint, on the network, and in the cloud. Protecting your assets-and your business-with impenetrable security.Because like any good point guard, we don't just shoot well. We also play great defense.
Does Your Network Vendor Take Security Seriously?You've got a business to run. Protecting it is one of the most important jobs you do, and you don't take that lightly. And yet network providers sell you security as if it were an after thought. For them, it is. Security represents a few cents on every... [download for more]
