DATA CENTRE PREDICTIONS
quarter (29%) have no plans to implement
a consolidated IT and security strategy,
according to new global research by
VMware in partnership with Forrester.
Only a third (38%) of networking teams
are currently involved in the development
of security strategies. Yet, 60% of these
are involved in the execution of security,
perhaps signalling that networking teams
are not seen as having an equal role with
the other IT or security teams when it
comes to cybersecurity.
This is in stark contrast to the fact
that network transformation is seen as
being essential to delivering the levels
of resilience and security required by
modern businesses, with 43% of European
organisations (IDC) saying this is a key
priority for them between 2019 to 2021.
Critically, organisations need shared
thinking and responsibilities to establish
a cohesive security model if they are to
deliver their company’s strategic goals,
seen by Forrester as increased security
(55%), technological advancement (56%)
and the ability to respond faster (56%).
Alongside the inconsistency in how
the role of the network in security is
perceived, there is a lack of cohesion
within the IT and security teams as to who
is responsible for network security.
“Businesses that are looking to adapt to
fast-changing market conditions rely on
the ability to efficiently connect, run and
secure modern applications consistently,
from the data centre, across any cloud
and all the way to the device. And it is the
virtual cloud network that is delivering
this. The network needs to be recognised
as the DNA of any modern security, cloud
and app strategy, and it should be seen
as a strategic weapon and not merely the
plumbing,’ said Jeremy Van Doorn, Senior
Director of Systems Engineering, Software
Defined Data Center EMEA, VMware.
The research also sheds light on the
difference in priorities for both the IT and
security teams. Globally, the top priority
for IT is efficiency (51%), while security
teams are focused on incident resolution
(49%). And while new security threats
require visibility across the entire IT
infrastructure, less than three quarters of
security teams are involved in executing
the organisation’s security strategy.
A total of 45% of respondents recognise
that a consolidated strategy could help
reduce data breaches and more quickly
identify threats. Yet this relationship isn’t
proving an easy one to maintain as 84%
of security and IT teams admit they don’t
have a positive relationship with one
another (at VP level and below). More
THERE IS A LACK
OF COHESION
WITHIN THE IT
AND SECURITY
TEAMS AS TO WHO
IS RESPONSIBLE
FOR NETWORK
SECURITY.
18 Issue 15
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