Q:  We’ve made a significant investment in network-security products, including a firewall and intrusion-detection system. What do I need to do to make sure that our security products are doing what they are supposed to do?

A:  First and foremost, businesses must understand that security is a practice, not a product. The deployment of a range of security solutions represents an initial step in building a secure foundation. However, in today’s high-risk environment, it’s not enough to build a foundation and hope for the best. To maintain network strength, security policies, procedures and best practices must be continuously managed, tested, modified and enforced – often requiring a 24/7 vigilance over your network security.

For most businesses, this constant watch over networks is not feasible due to the required investment of time and manpower. To stay ahead of potential security vulnerabilities and free your staff members to focus on their core competencies, many businesses are turning to outsourced security monitoring and management services. By outsourcing these services to a qualified and competent IT provider, you can maintain a constant state of alert and ensure immediate response to any vulnerabilities. Furthermore, you can eliminate costs associated with recruiting and training on-staff security specialists.

If you have questions for Tom Ewing, please send it to tewing@compuquip.com.