Nanoteq, the managed security services arm of JSE-listed Comparex Holdings, has established a Security Operations Centre in a bid to grab a slice of what analysts see as a booming managed security services market.
Nanoteq`s Security Operations Centre (SOC) in Centurion will see a team of security experts provide companies with a managed security services portfolio, which includes remote management, support and in future around-the-clock monitoring of technology ranging from intrusion-detection sensors, Firewalls and VPN devices to Operating Systems.
A recent study by The Yankee Group in Boston, USA, estimated that the market for managed security services could reach $2.6 billion by 2005. A deepening skills shortage, the vast complexity of managing enterprise security environments and simple economics are the primary drivers behind the push by most companies to outsource their network security.
"There aren`t enough smart security people in South Africa for all companies to have their own network defence centres," said Nanoteq`s Pieter Pretorius. "Companies - especially those running e-business ventures - are finding that they don`t have the time to focus both on their business and the intricacies of security at the same time.
The SOC`s benefits include active management and timely response to problems, with the bulk of the client`s security functionality being managed from a central, secure point.
"Companies also get weekly and monthly reporting, and the advantage of staying on the leading edge of technology without having to invest in the technology themselves," said Pretorius. "Managed security service providers are also in a position where they can respond to threats across their entire client base, often before the clients themselves become aware of an issue."
The new SOC is product and platform agnostic, and its first offering, NanoCare, delivers an innovative pricing model for managed services, based on the complexity of the clients` infrastructure rather than traditional fixed rates based on product cost.
Pretorius is quick to allay the fears of companies that are hesitant to outsource their internal information security out of fear that their proprietary information will be lost at the hands of a third party.
"You can never outsource things like your standards, governance and security policy and accountability, but companies are finding they simply don`t have the skill sets to put in place services like firewall management, intrusion detection and planning, building and maintaining security architectures." Being the first ICT Security Company in South Africa, Nanoteq has developed a trust relationship model over its 13 years of existence, which works effectively to the benefit of its clients and Nanoteq. Today our clients trust some of their most sensitive information in the hands of Nanoteq. SOC clients can reap the benefit of this trust model.
What`s more, says Pretorius, companies who use the SOC`s services get far more than just support service. They also get assistance along every step of the security journey, from assessing risk to developing policy, from implementing security to measuring its effectiveness.
"Customers want information security solutions to seamlessly integrate into their infrastructure, ensure scalability and provide a measurable return on investment," said Pretorius.
"Our approach has always been that when implemented correctly, IT security delivers genuine business value. We see the SOC as a vital extra channel for delivering this kind of value."
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