INTRODUCTION: Digital Transformation Mandates a Network Security Rethink
The IT landscape is rapidly evolving to meet the demands of our digitally transforming world and a radically changed business environment that calls for always-on performance and agility at scale. As a result, client-server computing has given way to disruptive IT architectures that reshape business and ownership models. These include private and public cloud services, ‘bring your own device’ (BYOD), mobility and the Internet of Things (IoT). This shift has given rise to new, innovative market leaders and provided additional opportunities for existing businesses and their stakeholders.
Yet, digital transformation has also created unique security challenges which traditional solutions were never designed to address. Foremost among these challenges is the erosion of the corporate network perimeter. As users, devices and apps constantly interact within and beyond corporate firewalls, IT can no longer secure a defined network perimeter. The situation will only intensify with the continuous proliferation of IoT devices. According to IDC, the number of IoT devices will increase dramatically over the next several years and reach 55.7 billion by 2025.
As executive teams call for more operational and business agility, IT leaders must apply a modern, unified security solution that dynamically segments the new corporate network to secure users, devices, workloads and apps – regardless of their location. Doing so is a critical step toward the adoption of a true Zero Trust security posture.