Cisco taps security services partners

SAN JOSE - Cisco last week announced 11 new service provider partners for delivering managed security services to companies that want outside help in securing their networks.

These services, such as managed VPNs, intrusion-detection and managed firewalls, could help companies guard their networks against internal or external hacking, and establish secure site-to-site VPNs without having to increase staff costs for network deployment and management. The new list of carriers and integration firms gives companies a broader choice for deploying managed security services with Cisco gear.

Launched in February with eight partners, Cisco's managed security services program now includes large carriers and systems integrators such as AT&T, Sprint and Unisys (see chart for full list). The new providers will be designated as certified to sell and manage security services based on Cisco products.

Outsourced intrusion-detection services are being used by VoteHere, an online voting service, which offers a Web site for conducting private online elections, such as corporate board votes and union elections. The Bellevue, Wash., company plans to expand into local and state government elections next year, which makes securing electronic election data from hackers an imperative, says Scott Axworthy, vice president of IT.

"We're a potential hacking target from every side: the good guys trying to prove if 'Net voting is ready for prime time or the bad guys who have reason to compromise an election," he says.

VoteHere went with Cisco-based service provider Counterpane, which monitors VoteHere's Cisco network for patterns that might signal an intrusion or denial-of-service attack. Leaving security concerns to a service provider lets the 50-person company concentrate on other things.

"We really want to focus on the application security of our product and the parts we know best," Axworthy says. "As for our network, we need it to be monitored 24-7; we don't have the resources or staff to do that." And the $5,000 per month the company pays for Cervalis' service is much less than a trained full-time network security expert would command, he adds.

Managed security services involve the installation of Cisco customer premise equipment and the remote monitoring and management of the CPE by the provider.

For VPNs, Cisco VPN-enabled routers and remote access equipment are installed on a customer's site setting up encrypted tunnels over the Internet to link remote sites or users.

An intrusion-detection system service would have Cisco IDS software agents running on customer servers and monitored by a service provider. A Cisco IDS hardware appliance could also be deployed. For managed firewall services, PIX firewalls are installed at a customer site, with management and monitoring of the device handled by the provider.

Contact Senior Writer Phil Hochmuth

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