This document discusses network security and provides information on how businesses can protect their networks. It explains that network security technologies guard against internal and external threats by monitoring network activity, flagging abnormal behavior, and making appropriate responses. The document also outlines benefits of network security such as increased customer trust, improved productivity, and reduced costs. It provides considerations for businesses to assess their current security level, assets, information transfer needs, growth plans, and risk tolerance to determine the best security solutions.

1. What You Need to Know about
Network Security
Robert S, B.E

2. What Is Network Security?
How Businesses Use Security Technologies
Getting Started with Network Security
Top 5 Questions to Ask Your Partner

3. Network security technologies protect your
network against the theft and misuse of
confidential business information and guards
against malicious attacks from Internet-borne
viruses and worms.
Protects against internal and external
network attacks.
Ensures privacy of all communications,
at any place at any time
Controls access to information by
accurately identifying users and their
systems.
Makes you more reliable.

4. Threats can originate both inside and outside the four
walls of your business. An effective security system
monitors all network activity, flags aberrant behaviour
and makes the appropriate response.
Protects against internal and
external network attacks.
Ensures privacy of all communications,
at any place at any time
Employees can access the network from home or on
the road with the assurance their communications
remain private and protected.

5. Businesses can set their own rules around data access.
Denial or approval can be granted based on user
identities, job function or other business-specific
criteria.
Controls access to information by
accurately identifying users and their
systems.
Makes you more reliable.
Since security technologies let your system prevent
known attacks and adapt to new threats, employees,
customers and business partners can be confident their
information remains secure.

6. Network security has become a requirement for
businesses, especially those that rely on the Internet. Your
customers, vendors and business partners probably expect
you to protect any information they share with you.
While network security has almost become a prerequisite
to running a business, it also pays off in multiple ways.
Here are some of the benefits businesses gain from a
secured network:
Customer trust
Mobility
Improved productivity
Reduced costs

7. Privacy is assured
Collaboration is encouraged
A strong security stance assures customers that
sensitive information, such as credit card numbers or
confidential business details, will not be accessed and
exploited. Your business partners will feel more
confident sharing data such as sales forecasts or pre-
release product plans. In addition, the same
technologies that keep intruders out can give your
partners secure access to information on your network,
helping you collaborate and work together more
effectively.

8. Secure access on the road
Promotes productivity while out of the office
Strong network security lets your employees safely
access your network from the road or from home
without introducing viruses or other threats. Secure,
convenient network access means that employees can
use critical information when they need it, making
them more productive when they're away from their
desks.

9. Less time wasted on spam
Better employee morale and collaboration
An effective network security program can boost
productivity across your organization. Employees spend
less time on non-productive tasks such as sifting
through spam or dealing with viruses. Your network and
your Internet connection remain safe, ensuring you and
your employees have regular access to the Internet and
e-mail.

10. Service disruption is avoided
Advanced services safely evolve
Network downtime is costly to all types of businesses. By
ensuring your network and your Internet connection are
safely up and running, you can be sure that customers can
reach you when they need you. Effective security allows
your business to add new services and applications without
disrupting the performance of your network. Taking a
proactive approach to safeguarding your data ensures your
business remains up and running when it needs to be.

11. Matching the needs of your business with the right security
technologies is the first step to launching a network
security project.
Use the following list of considerations to get you started:
Your current security level
Your assets
Information transfer
Plans for growth
Risk assessment
Ease of use

12. Does it offer firewalls, a virtual private network,
intrusion prevention, virus protection, a secured
wireless network, anomaly detection, and identity
management and compliance validation?
Do these features communicate with one
another?
Take an inventory of the security features your network
already has. This list will help identify gaps in your current
protection methods.

13. Within your particular business, what assets are
the most critical to your success?
Is protecting your internal information most
important, your customer’s information or both?
How much are these assets worth?
Where do these assets reside within you system?
Make a "laundry list" of your assets to determine how
many levels, or layers, of protection your system needs.

14. Do your employees need quick access to internal
information in order to do their jobs?
Do you share data outside the four walls of your
business?
How do you control who has access to this
information?
Do you provide varying levels of access to
different network users?
Assess how information is shared inside and outside of
your company.

15. Is your company planning on adding advanced
features to your system? How adaptable and flexible
will your system need to be? Your security solution
should be able to accommodate increased network
traffic or advanced applications without disrupting
service.

16. How regulated is your business environment?
What are the risks of non-compliance?
How much downtime can your business tolerate
before financial or reputation losses accrue?
Determine if the consequences of a security breach
extend beyond lost productivity or an interruption in
service.

17. The best security technology will do you no good
if it can't easily be installed or used. Make sure
you have the resources to manage the system you
install.

18. A channel partner is an important ally in choosing and
using network security. A knowledgeable partner who can
assess your current level of protection and guide you to
the right solution will help you develop a safe and flexible
network.
Do you specialize in working with small and
medium-sized businesses (SMBs)?
What type of service and support do you offer
after the sale?
How will this new solution integrate with my
existing IT environment?
How will this solution help me save money and
control my costs?
What do we need to do to prepare?

19. http://www.cisco.com/c/en_sg/solutio
ns/small-business/products/security-
small-business-main-page/security-
primer.html#1
Robert S, B.E