Secure Internet & Email Access
Evolution from Software to Appliances, Now to SaaS
Traditionally, security was delivered as software which was installed on servers. Installation and deployment required time and expertise, prompting the migration to appliances. While the hardware simply plugs into existing infrastructures, multiple appliances must be installed at each gateway and an assortment of point products must be used to provide comprehensive security. Managing multiple user interfaces, policy managers, and log files is expensive, inefficient and incomplete. This had led to the evolution of SaaS, or cloud-delivered, security services.
Security-as-a-Service (SaaS) Offers Better Security at Lower TCO
In a SaaS model, IT administrators define policies and simply forward corporate internet traffic to the cloud service. It allows or blocks the traffic and can be used for all users, including road warriors and mobile phone users. SaaS frees precious IT resources from performing operational security chores of managing and patching boxes, and updating data feeds and signatures. It enables IT to focus on strategic security such as policy and architecture.
Why SaaS Security Makes Sense
- No up-front investment for acquiring multiple point solutions
- No hassle of deploying appliances
- Little on-going management of appliances
- No complex and costly upgrades
- Always current and up-to-date security detection technologies
IDC’s View on SaaS Security Versus Appliances or Software
| |
SaaS | |
Appliances/Software | |
| Cost | No cost to acquire or deploy. Requires OpEx rather than CapEx |  * |
Need significant CapEx to acquire and deploy boxes/software |  * |
| Threat detection | Cloud architecture enables better threat detection and real-time updates | * |
Harder and time-consuming to update each box | * |
| Ease of use & implementation | No need to manage appliances or software; Customers only do policy enforcement | * |
Requires IT to manage hardware, software, database and policies | * |
| IT resources | Fewer IT resources needed | * |
Significant IT resources needed | * |
| Latency due to traffic re-routing | Can lead to higher latency due to traffic re-routing unless the vendor has global presence of data centers |  * |
Little latency (appliance sits on customer premise) unless traffic backhauled to HQ | * |
| Control | Less control | * |
Full control of the environment though employee turn-over can make it hard | * |
| Green IT | Environmental friendly, requires fewer boxes | * |
Dedicated boxes for each customer; more power/cooling | * |
Ordering Information
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Secure Internet & Email Access
