| Greetings,
Enclosed please find our latest bi-monthly e-newsletter. This month we focus on IT related topics and, in particular, Network Security.
In addition to Network Security, other topics include:
- Solutions Showcase: Fortinet’s Unified Threat Management (UTM) solutions are highlighted.
- Educational White Papers: There are several new white papers (as well as case studies) highlighted in our education section and available at the PTS Media Library.
We also present several new articles and upcoming events related to data center design and management that may be of interest to you.
As always, please think of us for your next data center project — whether it is infrastructure, facility, or IT related.
Pete Sacco
President & Founder
PTS Data Center Solutions, Inc
Experts For Your Always Available Data Center |
| PTS Story: Network Security Becoming More Complex with Web 2.0 Applications |
| It used to be that network security was rather straightforward. When network administrators configured a firewall they blocked potential threats to their networks via port blocking (I.e. port-80 blocking would block Web access and, therefore, hackers) and URL filtering.
However, the days of protecting a network via stateful firewalls only appears to be over. Today, multiple applications, many of which are necessary for employees to do their jobs, share the same port while some Web 2.0 applications use multiple ports. Malicious applications can use non-standard ports and SSL encryption to avoid detection and control. Even the definition of “application” has changed as some applications run inside Web browsers as plug-ins while others run within host applications.
Therefore, visibility and control over application use within an enterprise has become difficult and these Web 2.0 applications, some of which are necessary and some of which are harmful, must be filtered, managed, and verified as permissible within the network. Application control is no longer simply managed by allowing or blocking the ability of users to “run” an application. And, with the advent of social network use within businesses, multiple layers of protection are needed.
Beyond network security, Web 2.0 applications accessed from inside the enterprise (I.e. streaming video) can consume a excessive network bandwidth. And, with the ability to easily share your desktop and files, Web 2.0 applications use can lead to inadvertent sharing of confidential information across the internet.
To prevent data loss and network security threats, organizations must, therefore, effectively control legacy applications as well as the new breed of Web 2.0 internet-based applications. Detection, monitoring, and applications control must be completed at network gateways as well as endpoints throughout the network. In addition, it is important to tie applications to users so correct access rights can be assigned through an enterprise security policy.
Moving forward, we suggest network administrations consider the following:
- Does you have a comprehensive enterprise network security policy and plan?
- What means do you have to monitor and block malicious Web 2.0 applications threats?
- Are end users able to effectively perform their job functions without putting corporate information at risk in terms of attacks and/or confidentiality?
- Would a way to effectively control the use of internet-based applications improve overall enterprise network security?
To learn more contact PTS or visit the the PTS website to learn more about network security. Thanks to Fortinet for content contributed to this article. |
| The PTS Data Center Solutions Showcase:Fortinet Unified Threat Management Solutions |
| Fortinet provides a comprehensive portfolio of security gateways and complementary products to protect against traditional network security threats and the latest threats from Web 2.0 applications and social media sites. However, the real magic provided by the Fortinet product family is the integrate Unified Threat Management (UTM) approach.
Unified Threat Management (UTM) is a comprehensive solution that has recently emerged in the network security industry as a comprehensive approach to network security management.
The advantages of unified security lies in the fact that rather than administering multiple systems that individually handle anti-virus, content filtering, intrusion prevention and web filtering functions, organizations now have the flexibility to deploy a single UTM appliance that takes over all their functionality into a single rack mountable network appliance.
In theory, it is the evolution of the traditional firewall into an all-inclusive security product capable of performing multiple security functions in one single appliance that is the key differentiator for the Fortinet product line. The following diagram shows primary (blue) and secondary (red) threat protection provided by UTM devices:
In essence, when you purchase a Fortinet UTM device you a host of applications built into one solution. This allows you to eliminate other devices, concentrating applications such as firewall, anti-virus, spam filtering, web filtering, and wireless access into one enterprise-level device. In addition, the family can support small-, mid-, and enterprise level developments.
To learn more about the Fortinet family of products, visit here orcontact PTS. |
| PTS Education & White Papers |
Check out the latest white papers added to our website by signing in or joining our new PTS Media Library! We’re sure there will be some interesting content for your reading pleasure. For up-to-the-minute educational information don’t forget to check out the PTS Blog – Data Center Design and consider joining the LinkedIn Computer Room Design Group.
Beyond UTM – The Value of a Purpose-Built Network Security Platform by Fortinet
Providing comprehensive protection for computing systems and associated information assets is mandatory today. What constitutes “comprehensive”, however, has expanded significantly in recent years. The white paper discusses the value of a purpose-built network security platform. Download
Vulnerability Management for the Distributed Enterprise by Fortinet
All organizations face the threat of vulnerabilities to critical systems. To mitigate those threats, organizations deploy vulnerability management (VM) technology to discover and scan systems. Large distributed enterprises, however, face an additional challenge of deploying VM in dozens or even thousands of remote locations. These organizations need a VM solution that is low-cost, easy to install, scalable, yet able to effectively provide policy compliance in large enterprises. Download
Data Center Energy Efficiency – Looking Beyond PUE by No Limits Software
The PUE metric has become the de Facto standard for measuring data center energy efficiency. PUE compares the total power going into a data center with the amount of power used to power IT equipment. There is increasing pressure to measure PUE but the proper usage is often misunderstood. This white paper addresses this core issue for data center managers. Download
Best Practices Guide for Energy-Efficient Data Center Design by US Department of Energy, Federal Energy Management Program
This guide provides an overview of best practices for energy-efficient data center design which spans to categories of IT systems and their environmental conditions, data center air management, cooling and electrical systems, on-site generation, and heat recovery. Download
Architecting Low Latency Cloud Networks by Arista
As data centers transition to next generation virtualized & elastic cloud architectures, high performance and resilient cloud networking has become a requirement for delivering always-on, always-available applications. This white paper reviews one switching architecture which allows ultra-low latency across the cloud. Download |
| In the News |
| Improving Energy Efficiency in Data Centers
Data Center Knowledge
April 28, 2011
With the high costs of power, energy efficiency has rapidly become a critical consideration when evaluating data centers. It is, perhaps, second only to performance when deciding upon data center facility and information technology (IT) network design.
To Read the Article, Please Click Here
Best Practices in Building a New Data Center
The DCIM Advisory
April 12, 2011
Peter Sacco, founder and CEO of PTS Data Center Solutions and partner with nlyte Software, was recently interviewed by Barbara Morris, Editor, of The DCIM Advisory, nlyte’s monthly online trade journal.
The article focuses on how to avoid the pitfalls many experience in mission critical facilities and centers around Pete’s experiences visiting 50 to 60 data centers every year and having designed many more.
To Read the Full Article, Please Click Here
To Learn More About nlyte’s DCIM Solutions, Please Click Here
Brocade VDX 6720 Wins “Most Important Enterprise IT Product for 2010” Award
IT Business Edge, CTO Edge
January 11, 2011
To Read the Article, Please Click Here
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