With a view to tackle today’s enterprise security challenges Cisco has evolved a new architecture for enterprise security that will help enable business users to access information from any device and any location with a high degree of ease and security, The Secure Borderless Network architecture focuses on four critical anchors: enterprise end-points (mobile or fixed), the Internet edge, the data centre, and policy that is context- and location-aware.
Tom Gillis, VP and general manager, Security Technology business unit, Cisco says, “The security needs of businesses are changing and becoming more complex, as more employees spend time out of the office accessing the corporate network via their smart phone or laptop. As a result, enterprises need a solution that will not hamper employee productivity, while helping to ensure that the network is not exposed to hackers, malware and other threats. AnyConnect Secure Mobility is the solution that our customers have been demanding, enabling them to strike that balance between providing consistent security and supporting access from individuals using any device to connect to the network from anywhere in the world.”
As the first proof point of this architecture, Cisco is releasing the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility solution and expanding Cisco TrustSec to provide businesses with identity and granular control over policy to maximise persistent security and protection. This is especially important as workforces are increasingly mobile and are using new forms of Web-based collaboration and communication, making traditional security approaches insufficient.
Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility integrates functionality across the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client, the Cisco IronPort S-Series Web Security Appliance and the Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance firewall. The next-generation remote access, advanced Web security and threat-intelligence capabilities of this solution helps allow enterprises to extend their corporate policy and controls to mobile users.
Alec Edworthy, Remote Access Service manager, Loughborough University, “Our mobile workforce has made securing our corporate network extremely challenging, as we have to support multiple brands of laptops and phones, as well as cloud-based applications. These business-critical communications must be as secure as possible no matter how and where our employees connect across the globe. Cisco clearly recognised that changes in where business takes place significantly expand the network security problems we face. Cisco’s AnyConnect Secure Mobility Solution gives us the confidence that we can improve our employees’ productivity by enabling them to work anywhere at any time, without sacrificing our security policies.”
Future plans call for extending the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility solution to include hybrid enforcement delivered through the Cisco IronPort S-Series appliances and cloud-based security delivered through Cisco ScanSafe. By combining the end-point, the network and the cloud within one solution, Cisco will provide great flexibility and scalability for enterprises.
Anders Henriksson, networking department manager of TeleComputing says, “Cisco security technologies complement our focus on architecture and best practices to help secure our networks and data more effectively. Our company offers cloud computing services and our security policy requires 802.1X on LAN switches at customer premises for authentication. Cisco 802.1X technology not only allows us to implement our policy but it further helps us create and deliver the Managed LAN service for our customers.”
