A United Front: How NetOps and SecOps Can Improve Security
Collaboration is key to resolving security issues.
As 2020 didn’t present enough challenges, it also brought an increase in distributed denial-of-service (DDoS), ransomware, and malware attacks.
And as anyone who has suffered through one or more of these network security incidents can attest, they can have a devastating business impact. Not being able to remotely access mission-critical data and systems, losing the ability to collaborate and connect with colleagues and customers, and disruptions to vital commerce can be a death blow to any organization.
As more and more businesses expand their reliance on network and cloud architectures, this trend also has exposed new risks from cyberattacks. To combat this clear and present danger, network operations (NetOps) and security operations (SecOps) teams need to break out of their respective silos and collaborate to meet this rising threat.
It Takes Two to Tango
As networks support an ever-expanding array of applications, devices, and systems, network infrastructure and security concerns are converging. NetOps and SecOps teams have an opportunity to work together to achieve mutually beneficial objectives. With a collaborative effort, they can proactively detect threats, and then investigate and remediate them.
“When NetOps and SecOps use different tools, it slows down collaboration,” explains Eileen Haggerty, assistant vice president of product and solution marketing at NETSCOUT. “Using a single source of truth means they can rectify the situation that much faster.”
By using the same tools, NetOps and SecOps teams gain the advantage of having a unified, holistic view of network performance that streamlines the resolution process. This means that when problems occur, there is less finger-pointing between departments. This in turn allows the teams to save time and identify the source of the threat more quickly, whether in a legacy system or a hybrid cloud environment.
“Network monitoring is the key to maintaining the performance of applications and protecting the business from the myriad threats organizations face each day,” adds Tom Bienkowski, director of product marketing for NETSCOUT. “Having the proper level of visibility across the entire digital infrastructure enables NetOps and SecOps teams to see signs of compromise, which is crucial for rapid response.”
Save Money by Using a Single Set of Tools
In a time of constrained IT budgets, using a single set of tools across NetOps and SecOps teams can be not only highly effective, but also efficient and economical.
Haggerty points out that with the increasing complexity of network environments, a growing number of vendors involved, and escalating security incidents, NetOps and SecOps teams should optimize services, working together more efficiently and cost-effectively to reduce the risk of breaches that could jeopardize the network and harm the business.
Armed with the right network monitoring tools, NetOps and SecOps can stay ahead of today’s malicious actors and tomorrow’s threats in an increasingly hostile digital environment.
To learn more about the tools that can help optimize network performance, visit our solutions page.