January 19, 2004 (Computerworld) --
Sure, there are other enterprise networking issues, including Gigabit Ethernet and voice over IP. But talk to network managers these days and they'll say the No. 1 thing keeping them awake at night is the prospect of security breaches, from hackers grabbing credit card numbers to viruses infecting thousands of desktop PCs. After suffering the worst year of malicious code outbreaks in the 20-year history of computer viruses, it's not surprising that network managers are spooked.
Surveys show that security is the top IT spending priority for this new year, and that's why we've focused this special report on network security. But instead of running the same old advice you've read a dozen times, we examined new areas:
• Some companies -- figuring security isn't their core competency -- are outsourcing security chores to managed security service providers. They provide experts who can stay on top of the latest vulnerabilities, but you've got to know how to manage the relationship.
• The technologies used to monitor and guarantee network quality of service are merging with security technologies -- a powerful combination.
• The weakest link in your corporate network is that laptop sitting on a table at Starbucks or in a telecommuter's spare bedroom.
We hope there's something here that will help you plug the gaps and sleep better. And if you have trouble getting funds to pay for tighter security, be sure to read ex-CIO Doug Lewis' shrewd ideas for selling security to the CFO .
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