Data Sheet
Managed Security Services
Executive Summary
Corporations of all sizes are concerned with the challenges of managing a security and VPN infrastructure. Many organizations are looking for outsourced solutions.
Cisco is embracing Managed Security Services as a way to add value to our service provider partners and their enterprise end customers. Commercial services for managed firewall, VPN, and intrusion detection are becoming readily available on a worldwide basis. For recent examples of commercially available services, please visit http://www.cisco.com/go/managedsecurity/providers
Providers who offer these services may be traditional carriers, tier 1 ISPs, CLECs, regional providers, specialty players, or the new breed of managed service providers (MSP). Cisco is adapting to the evolving service delivery requirements of each of these constituencies by offering two new programs and business unit support from the VPN and Security Business Unit (VSEC).
Benefits
Cisco is the leader in enterprise networking, and providers have recognized that Cisco security solutions offer them a competitive differential advantage. Managed services based on Cisco technologies allow the end customer to migrate to a new deployment model, while preserving their confidence with a trusted solution set.
This is especially important as many enterprises increase their dependency on managed services, and move from pilot phase to broad deployment. Cisco-branded solutions are uniquely positioned to offer a competitive selling advantage to providers who standardize on them.
Cisco Systems recognizes that service providers need more than point products. As a result of the sweeping introduction of services hitting the market, new programs have been established to augment existing programs and to help managed service providers meet customer demand and successfully deploy solutions in today's rapidly changing environment.
In general, participation in these programs offers the following benefits for service providers:
The benefits to enterprises that procure services through affiliated partners include:
Vendor Selection: Success Breeds Success
Only Cisco offers the complete range of product solutions for delivering managed security services. Enterprises who manage their own security infrastructure have placed their trust in Cisco. Consequently, Cisco is a market share leader in firewall, VPN, and intrusion detection.
In many cases, these Cisco customers represent the target accounts for service providers who offer managed security services. Providers who offer Cisco-based services will enjoy greater market acceptance and sales penetration.
Cisco Solutions for Managed Security Services
As corporations continually expand their mission-critical networks with new intranet, extranet, and e-commerce applications, network security technologies are becoming increasingly vital in preventing corruption and intrusion, and eliminating network security vulnerabilities. Without the proper safeguards in place, organizations could experience major security breaches, resulting in serious damage or loss. With the heightened importance of network security, more and more companies are looking to service providers for easy and reliable access to advanced security technologies and expertise, and to offload management functions so that they may focus on their core competencies.
Cisco provides a comprehensive suite of network security solutions, allowing service providers to meet the security requirements of any customer.
Managed VPN
The Internet Protocol Virtual Private Network (IP VPN) is rapidly becoming the foundation for the delivery of New World services. Along with well-known services like Access VPN, Intranet VPN (site-to-site), and Extranet VPN, providers today are offering value-added IP-based applications atop their VPN transport networks. Two unique and complimentary VPN technologies, IP Security (IPsec) and MultiProtocol Label Switching (MPLS) can be used to deliver VPN services. Service Providers can choose one or the other, or both of these technologies, based on customer demand and network design requirements.
For more information on Cisco VPN solutions, please visit: http://www.cisco.com/go/vpn
For more information on Cisco VPN products, please visit: http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/44/jump/vpn_devices.shtml
Managed Firewall
The Internet's growth has resulted in increased security risks to corporate and government networks. Existing solutions such as proxy-based firewalls that run at the application level have many limitations, including slow performance, the need for high-end, costly, general-purpose platforms running a UNIX operating system, and the security risks inherent in using an open system such as UNIX. The Cisco PIX Series Firewalls overcome these limitations with a unique combination of high performance and strong security, backed by Cisco worldwide 7x24 service and support organization.
Managed Service Providers may also offer a router-based service using the Cisco IOS Firewall. This add-on module to Cisco IOS software is available for a wide range of Cisco routers and switches. It enables advanced firewall capabilities, intrusion detection and authentication, allowing service providers to bolster IOS router functionality with advanced security services.
For more information on Cisco PIX Firewall, please visit: http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/cc/pd/fw/sqfw500
Managed Intrusion Detection
The Cisco Intrusion Detection System (IDS) market leading products detect unauthorized activity traversing the network, respond to such activity, and send alarms back to a management console. An array of Cisco IDS components is available to match any managed customer environment or service provider infrastructure.
For more information on Cisco IDS, please visit:
http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/cc/pd/sqsw/sqidsz/
The Importance of Ecosystems
Ecosystem partnerships allow Cisco to offer comprehensive solutions to our customers. This philosophy extends to both service partners and technology partners. Ecosystem partners benefit by leveraging the market reach of Cisco and our immense installed base.
For more information on Cisco Ecosystems, please visit:
http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/779/servpro/programs/ecosystem
http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/779/largeent/partner/esap
New Programs for Managed Service Providers
Two new marketing programs are highlighted here. Extensions of well-established programs with a proven track record of success, they are the latest additions to Cisco's drive towards excellence in ecosystem development.
Cisco Powered Network: Managed Security Services
The popular Cisco Powered Network program has been extended to recognize partners who offer managed security services based on Cisco Systems' industry-leading VPN firewall and intrusion detection products.
For more information on Cisco Powered Network Program, VPN and Managed Security Services, please refer to http://www.cisco.com/go/cpn/
Cisco AVVID Partner Program
The Security and VPN Solutions category under the recently announced AVVID Partner Program is of particular interest to providers who deliver managed security and VPN services.
The Security and VPN Solutions category has two components. The Service component is for providers who offer managed services. The Product component is for third party vendors who offer complementary solutions to the Cisco portfolio. These products may be appropriate for enterprises that are deploying their own security infrastructure, or service providers who are delivering a managed security and VPN offering.
Security Services
The Security Services umbrella provides eight offerings to assist enterprises in fortifying their networks:
The Outsourced Security Monitoring and Management Services category is particularly designed to help partners provide best-in-class managed security services to enterprise end-customers.
Partners in the Outsourced Security Monitoring and Management category may offer services such as alarm and incident tracking. Others may provide complete turnkey services for deployment, management and maintenance of the customer's security and VPN infrastructure.
Security and VPN Solutions (Products)
AVVID partners who provide third-party products help Cisco deliver comprehensive security solutions. This program provides interoperability and integration validation as deemed appropriate.
The product categories for Security and VPN Solutions are:
- Identity solutions - which include authentication, authorization and PKI solutions such as smart cards, hard and soft tokens, authentication servers, and certificate authority servers
- Application Security solutions - which include server and host protection applications
- Perimeter Security solutions - which include URL filtering, email scanning and virus scanning applications
- Security Monitoring and Management solutions- which include products that support syslog analysis, event analysis, reporting and secure remote administration
- Secure Connectivity solutions - which include products such as VPN client software and wireless VPN products
For more information on the AVVID Partner Program, Security and VPN Solutions, please refer to:
http://www.cisco.com/go/securityservices/
Additional Resources: The VPN and Security Business Unit (VSEC)
In early 2000, Cisco formed a business unit for developing and marketing a strategic portfolio of security products. These include the Cisco PIX Firewall, Cisco 7100 VPN Router, and Cisco VPN 3000 Series Concentrator.
A Service Provider Marketing team was established to assist all types of providers in their efforts to design and deploy managed security services. This assistance can be especially useful while pursuing entry into one of the established programs.
Service providers and technology partners may contact this team for the following services:
For more information, please send email to managedsecurity@cisco.com . A field marketing representative will review your inquiry and reply promptly.
For more information on the topics discussed in this data sheet, please visit:
http://www.cisco.com/go/managedsecurity
Conclusion
Cisco is embracing Managed Security Services as a way to add value to our service provider partners and their enterprise end customers.
Commercial services for managed firewall, VPN, and intrusion detection are becoming readily available on a worldwide basis. A diverse group of providers may offer these services.
Cisco is adapting to the evolving service delivery requirements of each of these constituencies by offering a broad range of programs, the latest of which are highlighted in this datasheet.