Internet Solutions (IS) has become the first Cisco Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) outside the US and has recently been acknowledged for its advanced technology security solutions, beating ISPs in Europe and the Far East. This week IS was certified as a Cisco Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP).
"It`s a significant accolade," says Anthony Southgate, general manager, Security Solutions, IS. "We are the first and only Cisco certified MSSP outside of the US."
The Cisco Powered Network (CPN) programme is a joint agreement between Cisco and a select group of service providers. The CPN-MSSP brand associates IS with the worldwide leaders in Internet security.
"The certificate is designed to guide customers to qualified, top class service providers for outsourced firewall, managed intrusion detection systems, remote access and site-to-site VPN services," says Southgate.
Says Thorsten Freitag, managing director, Cisco Systems, Sub-Saharan Africa: "This certification within the Cisco Powered Network programme demonstrates to individuals and businesses IS` ability to provide high levels of security services based on Cisco solutions."
To qualify for the CPN-MSSP certificate, members must maintain industry-leading levels of service quality and customer satisfaction and represent at least one of the major managed service types based on industry leading Cisco security equipment.
Says Southgate: "The number of hackers, viruses and threats to Internet security grows by the day. Organisations are concerned about their security posture, but at the same time security is not their core competency and it becomes more and more difficult to keep up with changing technologies.
"Outsourcing security requirements to an MSSP therefore becomes a popular route to counter risks and threats," says Southgate.
IS employs more than 25 Cisco certified engineers who maintain and support the outsourced solutions.
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Internet Solutions (IS) is SA`s leading provider of infrastructure foundations for electronic business and the forerunner in providing companies with effective connectivity solutions. At present, it connects over 1 500 organisations to the Internet and over 3 000 sites through its range of VPN solutions, thus forming the primary electronic business community in SA.
IS offers a fully managed environment together with expertise in areas such as Internet access, VPNs, hosting, dial-up, security and data management. Its best-of-breed infrastructure is without equal and has been the preferred choice of leading companies since 1993.
As the Internet industry leader, IS is also dedicated to sharing its success with others by providing improved access to education and information to all South Africans, particularly previously disadvantaged communities.
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