Did you know? IT organization spend 76% of their attention on securing their data center

Virtualization, cloud, and software-defined networking are redefining the modern data center. There is a huge influx of data, from big data analytics and new types of applications. Workloads are even more dynamic than before, spanning across multiple physical data center locations and across public, private, and hybrid cloud environments. This spread of data creates a “new” perimeter outside of your traditional data center premises and can increase data theft opportunities. You could thus be challenged with where and how to secure your data center.

Modern Data Centers Need a New Approach to Security

Data centers are evolving and are no longer confined to traditional set-up. In fact, Gartner predicts that by 2022, 50 percent of enterprise-generated data will be created and processed outside a traditional, centralized data center or cloud. Ensuring Security can be challenging as Security teams spend 76% of their time securing the data center and to make it more challenging 25% of global security decision makers say staff shortages are a major challenge, and they struggle to find staff with the right skills. To address the data center security needs, IDC advocates that securing your data center can a be three-fold methodology covering visibility, reducing attack surface through segmentation and preventing threats.

Challenges of securing data everywhere

The challenge with securing data is that you need to have security EVERYWHERE, not just at the perimeter. Attackers know that your data is now highly distributed, and that you may be having a harder time keeping track of it. They know that this provides them with another layer of obfuscation and opportunity for carrying out theft.

Today’s security must therefore be pervasive – built in and integrated across the network, cloud, applications, and endpoints. This makes it harder for attackers to slip through the cracks and take advantage of the distributed nature of computing.

Why Choose Cisco Secure Data Center Solution?

Cisco is working hard to make your data center is more agile and automated – enabling you to extend workloads beyond the perimeter for new applications that require computing to be performed closer to the user experience.

The  Cisco Secure Data Center Solution provides an integrated security architecture that addresses three critical needs of the modern data center around Visibility, Segmentation and Threat protection. The Cisco Secure Data Center Solution is a validated systems-level solution for highly secure data centers, delivering:

• Operational efficiency from automated provisioning and flexible, integrated security
• Advanced threat protection to stay up to date, informed, and secure
• Improved resiliency to enable data center availability and secure services

Cisco Secure Data Center Components

Enabling a decentralized data center environment requires a security strategy that spans three important areas: visibility, segmentation, and threat protection. 

• Visibility – If you can’t see it, you can’t secure it. That’s why Cisco offers in-depth network and threat visibility in any data center and across any cloud.
• Segmentation – Segmenting your network reduces your attack surface. It can prevent attackers from moving laterally across the network, and block legitimate users from accessing restricted resources.
• Threat Protection – By now we all know that threat protection is a process, not a single product. Cisco’s data center protection consists of various levels of threat sensors to prevent attackers from stealing data or disrupting operations.

The truth is that in today’s dynamic environment, you may not always know exactly where everything is at all times. But with the right mix of tools and intelligence, you don’t have to know. Instead, you can rest assured that wherever your data may go, it will remain protected.

Where Can You Begin?

By using a common set of integrated technologies and security policies across platforms, organizations can significantly enhance their data defenses.

• Cisco’s solution provides an overview of what it takes to secure the modern data center.
• We recommend our in-depth design guide for traditional set-ups and cloud environments for securing your data center.
• See our experts in action at Cisco Live, Barcelona and RSA earlier this year and catch up on the best and latest!
• Listen to Brad Casemore from IDC and Don Meyer from Cisco Security talk about Cisco’s approach towards securing data center.
• Leverage on experience of our existing customers.

The purpose of the Secure Data Center Solution is to provide our customers with a cost-effective infrastructure to experience Cisco next-generation technology. I would be pleased to set a briefing call with you to discuss the Cisco solution and can be reached at vibgarg@cisco.com.

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