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Cloud network security report 2025 Datasheet Download PDF Schedule time with one of our experts Schedule time with one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

In this guest blog, Jeff Yager from IT Central Station (soon to be PeerSpot), discusses how actual AlgoSec users have been able to... Security Policy Management Securely accelerating application delivery Jeff Yeger 2 min read Jeff Yeger Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 11/15/21 Published In this guest blog, Jeff Yager from IT Central Station (soon to be PeerSpot), discusses how actual AlgoSec users have been able to securely accelerate their app delivery. These days, it is more important than ever for business owners, application owners, and information security professionals to speak the same language. That way, their organizations can deliver business applications more rapidly while achieving a heightened security posture. AlgoSec’s patented platform enables the world’s most complex organizations to gain visibility and process changes at zero-touch across the hybrid network. IT Central Station members discussed these benefits of AlgoSec , along with related issues, in their reviews on the site. Application Visibility AlgoSec allows users to discover, identify, map, and analyze business applications and security policies across their entire networks. For instance, Jacob S., an IT security analyst at a retailer, reported that the overall visibility that AlgoSec gives into his network security policies is high. He said, “It’s very clever in the logic it uses to provide insights, especially into risks and cleanup tasks . It’s very valuable. It saved a lot of hours on the cleanup tasks for sure. It has saved us days to weeks.” “AlgoSec absolutely provides us with full visibility into the risk involved in firewall change requests,” said Aaron Z. a senior network and security administrator at an insurance company that deals with patient health information that must be kept secure. He added, “There is a risk analysis piece of it that allows us to go in and run that risk analysis against it, figuring out what rules we need to be able to change, then make our environment a little more secure. This is incredibly important for compliance and security of our clients .” Also impressed with AlgoSec’s overall visibility into network security policies was Christopher W., a vice president – head of information security at a financial services firm, who said, “ What AlgoSec does is give me the ability to see everything about the firewall : its rules, configurations and usage patterns.” AlgoSec gives his team all the visibility they need to make sure they can keep the firewall tight. As he put it, “There is no perimeter anymore. We have to be very careful what we are letting in and out, and Firewall Analyzer helps us to do that.” For a cyber security architect at a tech services company, the platform helps him gain visibility into application connectivity flows. He remarked, “We have Splunk, so we need a firewall/security expert view on top of it. AlgoSec gives us that information and it’s a valuable contributor to our security environment.” Application Changes and Requesting Connectivity AlgoSec accelerates application delivery and security policy changes with intelligent application connectivity and change automation. A case in point is Vitas S., a lead infrastructure engineer at a financial services firm who appreciates the full visibility into the risk involved in firewall change requests. He said, “[AlgoSec] definitely allows us to drill down to the level where we can see the actual policy rule that’s affecting the risk ratings. If there are any changes in ratings, it’ll show you exactly how to determine what’s changed in the network that will affect it. It’s been very clear and intuitive.” A senior technical analyst at a maritime company has been equally pleased with the full visibility. He explained, “That feature is important to us because we’re a heavily risk-averse organization when it comes to IT control and changes. It allows us to verify, for the most part, that the controls that IT security is putting in place are being maintained and tracked at the security boundaries .” A financial services firm with more than 10 cluster firewalls deployed AlgoSec to check the compliance status of their devices and reduce the number of rules in each of the policies. According to Mustafa K. their network security engineer, “Now, we can easily track the changes in policies. With every change, AlgoSec automatically sends an email to the IT audit team. It increases our visibility of changes in every policy .” Speed and Automation The AlgoSec platform automates application connectivity and security policy across a hybrid network so clients can move quickly and stay secure. For Ilya K., a deputy information security department director at a computer software company, utilizing AlgoSec translates into an increase in security and accuracy of firewall rules. He said, “ AlgoSec ASMS brings a holistic view of network firewall policy and automates firewall security management in very large-sized environments. Additionally, it speeds up the changes in firewall rules with a vendor-agnostic approach.” “The user receives the information if his request is within the policies and can continue the request,” said Paulo A., a senior information technology security analyst at an integrator. He then noted, “Or, if it is denied, the applicant must adjust their request to stay within the policies. The time spent for this without AlgoSec is up to one week, whereas with AlgoSec, in a maximum of 15 minutes we have the request analyzed .” The results of this capability include greater security, a faster request process and the ability to automate the implementation of rules. Srdjan, a senior technical and integration designer at a large retailer, concurred when he said, “ By automating some parts of the work, business pressure is reduced since we now deliver much faster . I received feedback from our security department that their FCR approval process is now much easier. The network team is also now able to process FCRs much faster and with more accuracy.” To learn more about what IT Central Station members think about AlgoSec, visit https://www.itcentralstation.com/products/algosec-reviews Schedule a demo Related Articles Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Convergence didn’t fail, compliance did. Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

Financial Institutions: Best Practices for Security & Compliance In the Era of Digital Transformation Download PDF Schedule time with one of our experts Schedule time with one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

Level Up Your Security Game: Time for a Mindset Reset! Hey everyone, and welcome! If you're involved in keeping your organization safe... 5 mindset shifts security teams must adopt to master multi-cloud security Iris Stein 2 min read Iris Stein Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 4/9/25 Published Level Up Your Security Game: Time for a Mindset Reset! Hey everyone, and welcome! If you're involved in keeping your organization safe online these days, you're in the right place. For years, security felt like building a super strong castle with thick walls and a deep moat, hoping the bad guys would just stay outside. But let's be real, in our multi-cloud world, that castle is starting to look a little... outdated. Think about it: your apps and data aren't neatly tucked away in one place anymore. They're bouncing around on AWS, Azure, GCP, all sorts of platforms – practically everywhere! Trying to handle that with old-school security is like trying to catch smoke with a fishing net. Not gonna work, right? That's why we're chatting today. Gal Yosef, Head of Product Management in the U.S., gets it. He's helped us dive into some crucial mindset shifts – basically, new ways of thinking – that are essential for navigating the craziness of modern security. We gotta ditch the old ways and get ready to be more agile, work together better, and ultimately, be way more effective. Mindset Shift #1: From "Our Stuff is Safe Inside This Box" to "Trust Nothing, Verify Everything" Remember the good old days? We built a perimeter – firewalls, VPNs – thinking that everything inside was safe and sound (danger!). Security was all about guarding that edge. The Problem: Well, guess what? That world is gone! Multi-cloud environments have totally shattered that perimeter. Trying to just secure the network edge leaves your real treasures – your applications, users, and data – vulnerable as they roam across different clouds. It's like locking the front door but leaving all the windows wide open! The New Way: Distributed Trust. Security needs to follow your assets, wherever they go. Instead of just focusing on the infrastructure (the pipes and wires), we need to embrace Zero-Trust principles . Think of it like this: never assume anyone or anything is trustworthy, even if they're "inside." We need identity-based, adaptive security policies that constantly validate trust, rather than just assuming it based on location. Security becomes built into applications and workloads, not just bolted onto the network. Think of it this way: Instead of one big, guarded gate, you have individual, smart locks on every valuable asset. You're constantly checking who's accessing what, no matter where they are. It's like having a personal bodyguard for each of your important things, always making sure they have the right ID. Mindset Shift #2: From "My Team Handles Network Security, Their Team Handles Cloud Security" to "Let's All Be Security Buddies!" Ever feel like your network security team speaks a different language than your cloud security team? You're not alone! Traditionally, these have been separate worlds, with network teams focused on firewalls and cloud teams on security groups. The Problem: These separate silos are a recipe for confusion and fragmented security policies. Attackers? They love this! It's like having cracks in your armor. They aren't always going to bash down the front door; they're often slipping through the gaps created by this lack of communication. The New Way: Cross-functional collaboration. We need to tear down those walls! Network and cloud security teams need to work together, speaking a shared security language. Unified visibility and consistent policies across all your environments are key. Think of it like a superhero team – everyone has their own skills, but they work together seamlessly to fight the bad guys. Regular communication, shared tools, and a common understanding of the risks are crucial. Mindset Shift #3: From "Reacting When Something Breaks" to "Always Watching and Fixing Things Before They Do" Remember the old days of waiting for an alert to pop up saying something was wrong? That's like waiting for your car to break down before you even think about checking the oil. Not the smartest move, right? The Problem: In the fast-paced world of the cloud, waiting for things to go wrong is a recipe for disaster. Attacks can happen super quickly, and by the time you react, the damage might already be done. Plus, manually checking everything all the time? Forget about it – it's just not scalable when you've got stuff spread across multiple clouds. The New Way: Continuous & Automated Enforcement. We need to shift to a mindset of constant monitoring and automated security actions. Think of it like having a security system that's always on, always learning, and can automatically respond to threats in real-time. This means using tools and processes that continuously check for vulnerabilities, enforce security policies automatically, and even predict potential problems before they happen. It's like having a proactive security guard who not only watches for trouble but can also automatically lock doors and sound alarms the moment something looks fishy. Mindset Shift #4: From "Locking Everything Down Tight" to "Finding the Right Balance with Flexible Rules" We used to think the best security was the strictest security – lock everything down, say "no" to everything. But let's be honest, that can make it super hard for people to actually do their jobs! It's like putting so many locks on a door that nobody can actually get through it. The Problem: Overly restrictive security can stifle innovation and slow things down. Developers can get frustrated, and the business can't move as quickly as it needs to. Plus, sometimes those super strict rules can even create workarounds that actually make things less secure in the long run. The New Way: Flexible Guardrails. We need to move towards security that provides clear boundaries (the "guardrails") but also allows for agility and flexibility. Think of it like setting clear traffic laws – you know what's allowed and what's not, but you can still drive where you need to go. This means defining security policies that are adaptable to different cloud environments and business needs. It's about enabling secure innovation, not blocking it. We need to find that sweet spot where security empowers the business instead of hindering it. Mindset Shift #5: From "Security is a Cost Center" to "Security is a Business Enabler" Sometimes, security gets seen as just an expense, something we have to do but doesn't really add value. It's like thinking of insurance as just another bill. The Problem: When security is viewed as just a cost, it often gets underfunded or seen as a roadblock. This can lead to cutting corners and ultimately increasing risk. It's like trying to save money by neglecting the brakes on your car – it might seem cheaper in the short term, but it can have disastrous consequences later. The New Way: Security as a Business Enabler. We need to flip this thinking! Strong security isn't just about preventing bad things from happening; it's about building trust with customers, enabling new business opportunities, and ensuring the long-term resilience of the organization. Think of it like a strong foundation for a building – without it, you can't build anything lasting. By building security into our processes and products from the start, we can actually accelerate innovation and gain a competitive advantage. It's about showing our customers that we take their data seriously and that they can trust us. Wrapping Up: Moving to a multi-cloud world is exciting, but it definitely throws some curveballs at how we think about security. By adopting these five new mindsets, we can ditch the outdated castle mentality and build a more agile, collaborative, and ultimately more secure future for our organizations. It's not about being perfect overnight, but about starting to shift our thinking and embracing these new approaches. So, let's level up our security game together! Schedule a demo Related Articles Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Convergence didn’t fail, compliance did. Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

What is Firewall Traffic Analysis? Firewall traffic analysis (FTA) is a network security operation that grants visibility into the data... Firewall Policy Management Firewall Traffic Analysis: The Complete Guide Asher Benbenisty 2 min read Asher Benbenisty Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 10/24/23 Published What is Firewall Traffic Analysis? Firewall traffic analysis (FTA) is a network security operation that grants visibility into the data packets that travel through your network’s firewalls. Cybersecurity professionals conduct firewall traffic analysis as part of wider network traffic analysis (NTA) workflows. The traffic monitoring data they gain provides deep visibility into how attacks can penetrate your network and what kind of damage threat actors can do once they succeed. NTA vs. FTA Explained NTA tools provide visibility into things like internal traffic inside the data center, inbound VPN traffic from external users, and bandwidth metrics from Internet of Things (iOT) endpoints. They inspect on-premises devices like routers and switches, usually through a unified, vendor-agnostic interface. Network traffic analyzers do inspect firewalls, but might stop short of firewall-specific network monitoring and management. FTA tools focus more exclusively on traffic patterns through the organization’s firewalls. They provide detailed information on how firewall rules interact with traffic from different sources. This kind of tool might tell you how a specific Cisco firewall conducts deep packet inspection on a certain IP address, and provide broader metrics on how your firewalls operate overall. It may also provide change management tools designed to help you optimize firewall rules and security policies . Firewall Rules Overview Your firewalls can only protect against security threats effectively when they are equipped with an optimized set of rules. These rules determine which users are allowed to access network assets and what kind of network activity is allowed. They play a major role in enforcing network segmentation and enabling efficient network management. Analyzing device policies for an enterprise network is a complex and time-consuming task. Minor mistakes can lead to critical risks remaining undetected and expose network devices to cyberattacks. For this reason, many security leaders use automated risk management solutions that include firewall traffic analysis. These tools perform a comprehensive analysis of firewall rules and communicate the risks of specific rules across every device on the network. This information is important because it will inform the choices you make during real-time traffic analysis. Having a comprehensive view of your security risk profile allows you to make meaningful changes to your security posture as you analyze firewall traffic. Performing Real-Time Traffic Analysis AlgoSec Firewall Analyzer captures information on the following traffic types: External IP addresses Internal IP addresses (public and private, including NAT addresses) Protocols (like TCP/IP, SMTP, HTTP, and others) Port numbers and applications for sources and destinations Incoming and outgoing traffic Potential intrusions The platform also supports real-time network traffic analysis and monitoring. When activated, it will periodically inspect network devices for changes to their policy rules, object definitions, audit logs, and more. You can view the changes detected for individual devices and groups, and filter the results to find specific network activities according to different parameters. For any detected change, Firewall Analyzer immediately aggregates the following data points: Device – The device where the changes happened. Date/Time – The exact time when the change was made. Changed by – Tells you which administrator performed the change. Summary – Lists the network assets impacted by the change. Many devices supported by Firewall Analyzer are actually systems of devices that work together. You can visualize the relationships between these assets using the device tree format. This presents every device as a node in the tree, giving you an easy way to manage and view data for individual nodes, parents nodes, and global categories. For example, Firewall Analyzer might discover a redundant rule copied across every firewall in your network. If its analysis shows that the rule triggers frequently, it might recommend moving to a higher node on the device tree. If it turns out the rule never triggers, it may recommend adjusting the rule or deleting it completely. If the rule doesn’t trigger because it conflicts with another firewall rule, it’s clear that some action is needed. Importance of Visualization and Reporting Open source network analysis tools typically work through a command-line interface or a very simple graphic user interface. Most of the data you can collect through these tools must be processed separately before being communicated to non-technical stakeholders. High-performance firewall analysis tools like AlgoSec Firewall Analyzer provide additional support for custom visualizations and reports directly through the platform. Visualization allows non-technical stakeholders to immediately grasp the importance of optimizing firewall policies, conducting netflow analysis, and improving the organization’s security posture against emerging threats. For security leaders reporting to board members and external stakeholders, this can dramatically transform the success of security initiatives. AlgoSec Firewall Analyzer includes a Visualize tab that allows users to create custom data visualizations. You can save these visualizations individually or combine them into a dashboard. Some of the data sources you can use to create visualizations include: Interactive searches Saved searches Other saved visualizations Traffic Analysis Metrics and Reports Custom visualizations enhance reports by enabling non-technical audiences to understand complex network traffic metrics without the need for additional interpretation. Metrics like speed, bandwidth usage, packet loss, and latency provide in-depth information about the reliability and security of the network. Analyzing these metrics allows network administrators to proactively address performance bottlenecks, network issues, and security misconfigurations. This helps the organization’s leaders understand the network’s capabilities and identify the areas that need improvement. For example, an organization that is planning to migrate to the cloud must know whether its current network infrastructure can support that migration. The only way to guarantee this is by carefully measuring network performance and proactively mitigating security risks. Network traffic analysis tools should do more than measure simple metrics like latency. They need to combine latency into complex performance indicators that show how much latency is occuring, and how network conditions impact those metrics. That might include measuring the variation in delay between individual data packets (jitter), Packet Delay Variation (PDV), and others. With the right automated firewall analysis tool, these metrics can help you identify and address security vulnerabilities as well. For example, you could automate the platform to trigger alerts when certain metrics fall outside safe operating parameters. Exploring AlgoSec’s Network Traffic Analysis Tool AlgoSec Firewall Analyzer provides a wide range of operations and optimizations to security teams operating in complex environments. It enables firewall performance improvements and produces custom reports with rich visualizations demonstrating the value of its optimizations. Some of the operations that Firewall Analyzer supports include: Device analysis and change tracking reports. Gain in-depth data on device policies, traffic, rules, and objects. It analyzes the routing table that produces a connectivity diagram illustrating changes from previous reports on every device covered. Traffic and routing queries. Run traffic simulations on specific devices and groups to find out how firewall rules interact in specific scenarios. Troubleshoot issues that emerge and use the data collected to prevent disruptions to real-world traffic. This allows for seamless server IP migration and security validation. Compliance verification and reporting. Explore the policy and change history of individual devices, groups, and global categories. Generate custom reports that meet the requirements of corporate regulatory standards like Sarbanes-Oxley, HIPAA, PCI DSS, and others. Rule cleanup and auditing. Identify firewall rules that are either unused, timed out, disabled, or redundant. Safely remove rules that fail to improve your security posture, improving the efficiency of your firewall devices. List unused rules, rules that don’t conform to company policy, and more. Firewall Analyzer can even re-order rules automatically, increasing device performance while retaining policy logic. User notifications and alerts. Discover when unexpected changes are made and find out how those changes were made. Monitor devices for rule changes and send emails to pre-assigned users with device analyses and reports. Network Traffic Analysis for Threat Detection and Response By monitoring and inspecting network traffic patterns, firewall analysis tools can help security teams quickly detect and respond to threats. Layer on additional technologies like Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), Network Detection and Response (NDR), and Threat Intelligence feeds to transform network analysis into a proactive detection and response solution. IDS solutions can examine packet headers, usage statistics, and protocol data flows to find out when suspicious activity is taking place. Network sensors may monitor traffic that passes through specific routers or switches, or host-based intrusion detection systems may monitor traffic from within a host on the network. NDR solutions use a combination of analytical techniques to identify security threats without relying on known attack signatures. They continuously monitor and analyze network traffic data to establish a baseline of normal network activity. NDR tools alert security teams when new activity deviates too far from the baseline. Threat intelligence feeds provide live insight on the indicators associated with emerging threats. This allows security teams to associate observed network activities with known threats as they develop in real-time. The best threat intelligence feeds filter out the huge volume of superfluous threat data that doesn’t pertain to the organization in question. Firewall Traffic Analysis in Specific Environments On-Premises vs. Cloud-hosted Environments Firewall traffic analyzers exist in both on-premises and cloud-based forms. As more organizations migrate business-critical processes to the cloud, having a truly cloud-native network analysis tool is increasingly important. The best of these tools allow security teams to measure the performance of both on-premises and cloud-hosted network devices, gathering information from physical devices, software platforms, and the infrastructure that connects them. Securing the Internet of Things It’s also important that firewall traffic analysis tools take Internet of Things (IoT) devices in consideration. These should be grouped separately from other network assets and furnished with firewall rules that strictly segment them. Ideally, if threat actors compromise one or more IoT devices, network segmentation won’t allow the attack to spread to other parts of the network. Conducting firewall analysis and continuously auditing firewall rules ensures that the barriers between network segments remain viable even if peripheral assets (like IoT devices) are compromised. Microsoft Windows Environments Organizations that rely on extensive Microsoft Windows deployments need to augment the built-in security capabilities that Windows provides. On its own, Windows does not offer the kind of in-depth security or visibility that organizations need. Firewall traffic analysis can play a major role helping IT decision-makers deploy technologies that improve the security of their Windows-based systems. Troubleshooting and Forensic Analysis Firewall analysis can provide detailed information into the causes of network problems, enabling IT professionals to respond to network issues more quickly. There are a few ways network administrators can do this: Analyzing firewall logs. Log data provides a wealth of information on who connects to network assets. These logs can help network administrators identify performance bottlenecks and security vulnerabilities that would otherwise go unnoticed. Investigating cyberattacks. When threat actors successfully breach network assets, they can leave behind valuable data. Firewall analysis can help pinpoint the vulnerabilities they exploited, providing security teams with the data they need to prevent future attacks. Conducting forensic analysis on known threats. Network traffic analysis can help security teams track down ransomware and malware attacks. An organization can only commit resources to closing its security gaps after a security professional maps out the killchain used by threat actors to compromise network assets. Key Integrations Firewall analysis tools provide maximum value when integrated with other security tools into a coherent, unified platform. Security information and event management (SIEM) tools allow you to orchestrate network traffic analysis automations with machine learning-enabled workflows to enable near-instant detection and response. Deploying SIEM capabilities in this context allows you to correlate data from different sources and draw logs from devices across every corner of the organization – including its firewalls. By integrating this data into a unified, centrally managed system, security professionals can gain real-time information on security threats as they emerge. AlgoSec’s Firewall Analyzer integrates seamlessly with leading SIEM solutions, allowing security teams to monitor, share, and update firewall configurations while enriching security event data with insights gleaned from firewall logs. Firewall Analyzer uses a REST API to transmit and receive data from SIEM platforms, allowing organizations to program automation into their firewall workflows and manage their deployments from their SIEM. Schedule a demo Related Articles Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Convergence didn’t fail, compliance did. Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

The cloud's come a long way, baby.  Remember when it was just a buzzword tossed around in boardrooms? Now, it's the engine powering our... Cloud Network Security The shocking truth about Network Cloud Security in 2025 Iris Stein 2 min read Iris Stein Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 2/10/25 Published The cloud's come a long way, baby. Remember when it was just a buzzword tossed around in boardrooms? Now, it's the engine powering our digital world. But this rapid evolution has left many cloud network security managers grappling with a new reality – and a bit of an identity crisis. Feeling the heat? You're not alone. The demands on cloud security professionals are skyrocketing. We're expected to be masters of hybrid environments, navigate a widening skills gap, and stay ahead of threats evolving at warp speed. Let's break down the challenges: Hybrid is the new normal: Gartner predicts that by 2025, a whopping 90% of organizations will be running hybrid cloud environments. This means juggling the complexities of both on-premises and cloud security, demanding a broader skillset and a more holistic approach. Forget silos – we need to be fluent in both worlds. The skills gap is a chasm: (ISC)²'s 2022 Cybersecurity Workforce Study revealed a global cybersecurity workforce gap of 3.4 million. This talent shortage puts immense pressure on existing security professionals to do more with less. We're stretched thin, and something's gotta give. Threats are evolving faster than ever: The cloud introduces new attack vectors and vulnerabilities we haven't even imagined yet. McAfee reported a staggering 630% increase in cloud-native attacks in 2022. Staying ahead of these threats requires constant vigilance, continuous learning, and a proactive mindset. Level up your cloud security game So, how can you thrive in this chaotic environment and ensure your career (and your company's security posture) doesn't go down in flames? Here's your survival guide: Automate or die: Manual processes are a relic of the past. Embrace automation tools to manage complex security policies, respond to threats faster, and free up your time for strategic initiatives. Think of it as your force multiplier in the fight against complexity. Become a cloud-native ninja: Deepen your understanding of cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, and GCP. Master their security features, best practices, and quirks. The more you know, the more you can protect. Sharpen your soft skills: Technical chops alone won't cut it. Communication, collaboration, and problem-solving are critical. You need to clearly articulate security risks to stakeholders, build bridges with different teams, and drive solutions. Never stop learning: The cloud is a moving target. Continuous learning is no longer optional – it's essential. Attend conferences, devour online courses, and stay informed about the latest security trends and technologies. Complacency is the enemy. Introducing AlgoSec Cloud Enterprise (ACE): Your cloud security wingman Let's face it, managing security across a hybrid cloud environment can feel like herding cats. That's where AlgoSec Cloud Enterprise (ACE) steps in. ACE is a comprehensive cloud network security suite that gives you the visibility, automation, and control you need to secure your applications and keep the business humming. Gain X-Ray Vision into Your Hybrid Cloud: See everything, know everything. ACE gives you complete visibility across your entire environment, from on-premises servers to cloud platforms. No more blind spots, no more surprises. Enforce Security Policies Like a Boss: Consistent security policies are the bedrock of a strong security posture. ACE makes it easy to define and enforce policies across all your applications, no matter where they reside. Conquer Compliance with Confidence: Staying compliant can feel like a never-ending struggle. ACE simplifies compliance management across your hybrid environment, helping you meet regulatory requirements without breaking a sweat. Accelerate App Delivery Without Sacrificing Security: In today's fast-paced world, speed is key. ACE empowers you to accelerate application delivery without compromising security. Move fast, break things – but not your security posture. Proactive Risk Prevention: ACE goes beyond basic security checks with over 150+ network security policy risk checks, proactively identifying and mitigating potential vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. Ready to unlock the true power of the cloud while fortifying your defenses? Learn more about AlgoSec Cloud Enterprise today and take control of your cloud security destiny. Schedule a demo Related Articles Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Convergence didn’t fail, compliance did. Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

Behind every important business process is a solid network infrastructure that lets us access all of these services. But for an efficient... Application Connectivity Management Understanding network lifecycle management Tsippi Dach 2 min read Tsippi Dach Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 7/4/23 Published Behind every important business process is a solid network infrastructure that lets us access all of these services. But for an efficient and available network, you need an optimization framework to maintain a strong network lifecycle. It can be carried out as a lifecycle process to ensure continuous monitoring, management, automation, and improvement. Keep in mind, there are many solutions to help you with connectivity management . Regardless of the tools and techniques you follow, there needs to be a proper lifecycle plan for you to be able to manage your network efficiently. Network lifecycle management directs you on reconfiguring and adapting your data center per your growing requirements. The basic phases of a network lifecycle In the simplest terms, the basic phases of a network lifecycle are Plan, Build, and Manage. These phases can also be called Design, Implement, and Operate (DIO). Now, in every single instance where you want to change your network, you repeat this process of designing, implementing, and managing the changes. And every subtask that is carried out as part of the network management can also follow the same lifecycle phases for a more streamlined process . Besides the simpler plan, build, and manage phases, certain network frameworks also provide additional phases depending on the services and strategies involved. ITIL framework ITIL stands for Information Technology Infrastructure Library, which is an IT management framework. ITIL put forth a similar lifecycle process focusing on the network services aspect. The phases, as per ITIL, are: Service strategy Service design Service transition Service operations Continual service improvement PPDIOO framework PPDIOO is a network lifecycle model proposed by Cisco, a learning network services provider. This framework adds to the regular DIO framework with several subtasks, as explained below. Plan Prepare The overall organizational requirements, network strategy, high-level conceptual architecture, technology identification, and financial planning are all carried out in this phase. Plan Planning involves identifying goal-based network requirements, user needs, assessment of any existing network, gap analysis, and more. The tasks are to analyze if the existing infrastructure or operating environment can support the proposed network solution. The project plan is then drafted to align with the project goals regarding cost, resources, and scope. Design Network design experts develop a detailed, comprehensive network design specification depending on the findings and project specs derived from previous phases. Build The build phase is further divided into individual implementation tasks as part of the network implementation activities. This can include procurement, integrating devices, and more. The actual network solution is built as per the design, focusing on ensuring service availability and security. Operate The operational phase involves network maintenance, where the design’s appropriateness is tested. The network is monitored and managed to maintain high availability and performance while optimizing operational costs. Optimize The operational phase gives important data that can be utilized to optimize the performance of the network implementation further. This phase acts as a proactive mechanism to identify and solve any flaws or vulnerabilities within the network. It may involve network redesign and thus start a new cycle as well. Why develop a lifecycle optimization plan? A lifecycle approach to network management has various use cases. It provides an organized process, making it more cost-effective and less disruptive to existing services. Reduced total network ownership cost Early on, planning and identifying the exact network requirements and new technologies allow you to carry out a successful implementation that aligns with your budget constraints. Since there is no guesswork with a proper plan, you can avoid redesigns and rework, thus reducing any cost overheads. High network availability Downtimes are a curse to business goals. Each second that goes by without access to the network can be bleeding money. Following a proper network lifecycle management model allows you to plan your implementation with less to no disruptions in availability. It also helps you update your processes and devices before they get into an outage issue. Proactive monitoring and management, as proposed by lifecycle management, goes a long way in avoiding unexpected downtimes. This also saves time with telecom troubleshooting. Better business agility Businesses that adapt better thrive better. Network lifecycle management allows you to take the necessary action most cost-effectively in case of any quick economic changes. It helps you prepare your systems and operations to accommodate the new network changes before they are implemented. It also provides a better continuous improvement framework to keep your systems up to date and adds to cybersecurity. Improved speed of access Access to the network, the faster it is, the better your productivity can be. Proper lifecycle management can improve service delivery efficiency and resolve issues without affecting business continuity. The key steps to network lifecycle management Let us guide you through the various phases of network lifecycle management in a step-by-step approach. Prepare Step 1: Identify your business requirements Establish your goals, gather all your business requirements, and arrive at the immediate requirements to be carried out. Step 2: Create a high-level architecture design Create the first draft of your network design. This can be a conceptual model of how the solution will work and need not be as detailed as the final design would be. Step 3: Establish the budget Do the financial planning for the project detailing the possible challenges, budget, and expected profits/outcomes from the project. Plan Step 4: Evaluate your current system This step is necessary to properly formulate an implementation plan that will be the least disruptive to your existing services. Gather all relevant details, such as the hardware and software apps you use in your network. Measure the performance and other attributes and assess them against your goal specifics. Step 5: Conduct Gap Analysis Measure the current system’s performance levels and compare them with the expected outcomes that you want to achieve. Step 6: Create your implementation plan With the collected information, you should be able to draft the implementation plan for your network solution. This plan should essentially contain the various tasks that must be carried out, along with information on milestones, responsibilities, resources, and financing options. Design Step 7: Create a detailed network design Expand on your initial high-level concept design to create a comprehensive and detailed network design. It should have all the relevant information required to implement your network solution. Take care to include all necessary considerations regarding your network’s availability, scalability, performance, security, and reliability. Ensure the final design is validated by a proper approval process before being okayed for implementation. Implementation Step 8: Create an implementation plan The Implementation phase must have a detailed plan listing all the tasks involved, the steps to rollback, time estimations, implementation guidelines, and all the other details on how to implement the network design. Step 9: Testing Before implementing the design in the production environment, starting with a lab setting is a good idea. Implement in a lab testing environment to check for any errors and how feasible it is to implement the design. Improve the design depending on the results of this step. Step 10: Pilot implementation Implement in an iterative process starting with smaller deployments. Start with pilot implementations, test the results, and if all goes well, you can move towards wide-scale implementation. Step 11: Full deployment When your pilot implementation has been successful, you can move toward a full-scale deployment of network operations. Operate Step 12: Measure and monitor When you move to the Operational phase, the major tasks will be monitoring and management. This is probably the longest phase, where you take care of the day-to-day operational activities such as: Health maintenance Fault detection Proactive monitoring Capacity planning Minor updates (MACs – Moves, Adds, and Changes) Optimize Step 13: Optimize the network design based on the collected metrics. This phase essentially kicks off another network cycle with its own planning, designing, workflows, and implementation. Integrate network lifecycle with your business processes First, you must understand the importance of network lifecycle management and how it impacts your business processes and IT assets. Understand how your business uses its network infrastructure and how a new feature could add value. For instance, if your employees work remotely, you may have to update your infrastructure and services to allow real-time remote access and support personal network devices. Any update or change to your network should follow proper network lifecycle management to ensure efficient network access and availability. Hence, it must be incorporated into the company’s IT infrastructure management process. As a standard, many companies follow a three-year network life cycle model where one-third of the network infrastructure is upgraded to keep up with the growing network demands and telecommunications technology updates. Automate network lifecycle management with AlgoSec AlgoSec’s unique approach can automate the entire security policy management lifecycle to ensure continuous, secure connectivity for your business applications. The approach starts with auto discovering application connectivity requirements, and then intelligently – and automatically – guides you through the process of planning changes and assessing the risks, implementing those changes and maintaining the policy, and finally decommissioning firewall rules when the application is no longer in use. Schedule a demo Related Articles Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Convergence didn’t fail, compliance did. Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... 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