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The article reports on the result of the Strategic Security Survey which shows that 27% of companies are increasing their spending on information technology security while 17% are cutting their security spending. Corporate chief executive officers (CEO) are desperate to enter into new business enterprise with less concern for the impact on data security. It provides a diagram which illustrates the percentage of backup encryption, file encryption and secure off-site facility.

The article discusses the reluctance of technology vendors to create a functional and standardized computing technologies. It outlines the blames on large vendors who failed to provide an interoperable programs in storage networking, browser supports, and other computer applications, which resulted to several data breaches and computer crimes. It suggests the need for vendors to work together to provide a cloud computing standards for the information technology area.

The article focuses on control issues surrounding cloud computing. It cites capital and operating expenses reduction brought makes cloud computing a popular choice among business leaders, issues such as data control are often disregarded. Off-load processing to the cloud also complicates the situation as data ownership and responsibility are being questioned. Survey results that indicate the top cloud-related issues among information technology professionals are also given.

The article reports on the use of DNS Security Extensions (DNSSec) to lessen the security risks of domain name server (DNS). DNSSec is a group of Internet protocols which ensure the authenticity and integrity of DNS name resolution. It ensures that users are connected to the proper site wherein SSL is used to authenticate the server. It is also made up of features which confirm the validity of records through public key cryptography.

The article discusses the findings of a survey of customers' selection of Ethernet switch. Although Cisco is the most popular vendor, customers are recognizing other vendors such as Alcatel-Lucent, Extreme Networks and HP ProCurve. 71% of respondents considers improved network security as a factor when upgrading a switch.

The article cites key findings from the 2008 InformationWeek Strategic Security Study regarding the information security risks faced by companies in the U.S. Close to 1,100 business and information technology (IT) were polled about their priorities and plans for ensuring the security of their companies' information assets.

The article offers information about the final stage of the network access control (NAC) Rolling Reviews which focus on host-based NAC. These reviews aim to solve problems like malware propagation and unauthorize access by adding agents to host and controlling access from the source of the problem. In addition, it is stated that centralized management is the critical factor for successful host-based network access control.

The article examines the usefulness of in-line Network Access Controller (NAC) in data protection. In-line NAC calls for the placement of an appliance between edge and distribution switches of a data center. This kind of placement will enable the NAC to evaluate all traffic in a data center. Moreover, in-line NAC systems have the ability to implement policy at a highly granular level.

The article focuses on Cisco Systems Inc.'s dominance of the local area network core. It is largely because of the phenomenal success of its Catalyst 6500 chassis switch. Dell Computer Corp. is moving out of the commodity switch market by its acquisition of Force10 Networks, a switch maker well known in data center networking and high-performance computing circles.

The article focuses on the open network management systems (NMS). It provides a discussion on the benefits and disadvantages of using NMS in the monitoring, operation, administration, maintenance, and provisioning of networked systems. It notes that open source NMS offer advantages such as extensibility and customization at a cost lower than that of commercial offerings. The key providers of NMS such as GroundWork, Hyperic Inc., and Zenoss Inc. are also accounted.

The article reports on 3Com's bid to design a network based on the current needs of TacDoh, a fictional company created for the Rolling Review. 3Com is trying to get back into the enterprise arena via a line of advanced switches that leverage R&D from its Chinese subsidiary. It is said that 3Com's security features are on par with other vendors' offerings and include 802.1X, DHCP, and ARP snooping.

The article evaluates the ProCurve swtich from Hewlett-Packard Co.

The article evaluates the Express line of HD videoconferencing systems from LifeSize Communications.

The article offers information on the network access control (NAC) market in the U.S. It states that enterprises are evaluating the ability of NACs to help in compliance efforts without lost productivity and connectivity. The author mentions that NAC solves a minimal amount of security problems, and its success depends on its architecture.

The article offers some insights into trends pertaining to switch upgrades in information technology in the U.S. as of March 2008. A report from Infonetics predicted a ten percent sales increase in Gigabit Ethernet ports and a doubling of ten Gigabit Ethernet port sales. Developments related to technology and support, reliability and cost are cited.

The article reviews several computer software including the LANShield Controller from ConSentry Networks Inc., the LAN-enforcer from Nevis Networks Inc. and Edgewall from Vernier Networks Inc.

The article discusses the survey which examines the plan of companies to deploy network access control (NAC) in the U.S. Out of 325 information technology (IT) professionals, 44% have been deploying NAC, 41% are planning a NAC deployment, and 15% have no plans for implementation. The survey shows that NAC has evolved in businesses. Several graphs are presented which show the status of NAC deployment plans, deployment time, organizational regulatory compliance.

The article reports on the Wide Area Network (WAN) optimization. According to Forrester Research, many IT groups have had to add more wide-area bandwidth data services which already consume 52 percent of enterprise telecom budgets in the past years. Four systems were evaluated in the Real-World Labs, which includes Blue Coat Systems' SG Appliance, Cisco Systems' Wide Area Application Services, Citrix Systems' WANScaler, and Silver Peak Systems' NX Appliance. All these performed well increasing Local Area Network (LAN) utilization on a bandwidth-constrained WAN connection. INSETS: TERMINOLOGY TIME.;MORE DRIVES TO PROTECT..

The article presents information related to Carrier Ethernet services. Carrier Ethernet has the ability to add new sites to the wide area network (WAN) quickly. With Carrier Ethernet, providers can allocate bandwidth for site-to-site connectivity, which will enable companies to prioritize business. But, the problem is that Carrier Ethernet may require an outlay for infrastructure improvements. One of the advatages of Carrier Ethernet network is that it could be treated like a switch. Carrier Ethernet is sold either as a point-to-point Ethernet link or as a multipoint mesh. INSET: RFI SCENARIO: TAC-DOH.

The article reports on the challenges facing the computer industry concerning the advances in information technology. Enterprises should provide increased network management on the introduction of new technologies including unified communications, network access control and consolidation of networks. The Microsoft Corp. and Cisco Inc. have developed partnership through the integration between Network Access Protection and Network Admission Control (NAC) showing increased interest from among enterprises. In addition, managed computers can be controlled through by associating NAC deployment to computer network architectures. INSET: STANDARDS GROUPS YOU CAN'T IGNORE.

The article discusses the concept of network access control (NAC) in the computer software security system. Base from the survey, the network access control vendors were increasing and it was expected that the revenue for NAC enforcement products would grow to $3.9 billion by 2008. It shows that more than half of organizations surveyed has already deployed some form of NAC. However, the large number of users were in government or financial services while the Information Technology group were at the limited deployments. So, NAC moves toward frameworks which include Network Admission Control, Network Access Protection and Trusted Network Connect to provide access to the network based on factors including host assessment, host and user authentication, and patch level. INSETS: RIPE FOR THE PICKING;ENFORCEMENT TAXONOMY;ARE DHCP MANAGEMENT AND ARP POISONING ENOUGH?.

The article discusses the examination of three Domain Name System and Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DNS/DHCP) appliances which are designed to simplify configuration in remote offices through high availability and seamless failover. A multilocation company which is integrated with voice over Internet Protocol and network access control was created to test the DNS/DHCP appliances. According to DHCP working group co-chairman Ralph Droms, the specification is complex and requires a careful review before it could be submitted to the Internet Engineering Steering Group.

Deals with issues related to computer network security in the U.S. Examples of computer viruses that have emerged in 2003; Tips for choosing security products for computer networks and systems; Significant role of perimeter protection in computer security; Measures that may be taken to address software problems.

Evaluates several Secure Sockets Layer virtual private networks. Neoteris Access 5000 Series 3.3; Nokia Secure Access System 1.0 on IPSO 3.7; Nortel Networks Alteon SSL Accelerator 410 VPN. INSETS: SSL VPNs;HOW WE TESTED SSL VPNS.

Presents tips on testing the performance of computer network devices. Goals and measures of performance testing; Illustration of a network tap to a span port; Critical component of testing tools; Factors to consider in performance testing. INSETS: Hubs, Mirrors and Taps ... Oh, My!;Test Plan Writing 101.

Discusses the role and significance of network intrusion-prevention systems to computer security. Network intrusion prevention test setup; Suppliers of such systems; Details of system tests. INSETS: HOW WE TESTED NIP DEVICES;NIP LEASSONS LEARNED.

Gives advice on the selection of network intrusion-prevention systems. Solution to the fundamental problem of misconfiguration; Features of application-proxy firewalls; Advantages of firewalls over network intrusion-prevention systems; Methods used for detecting malicious computer activities; List of traffic-analysis intrusion prevention products. INSETS: NIP SYSTEMS;FOCUS ON THE ENDPOINT.

Reviews several software that are responsible in monitoring the effectiveness of a computer security policy. bv-Control 7.2 and Policy Operations Center 4.2 from BindView Development Corp.; Configuration Manager 4.0 with Security Update Manager 2.0 from Configuresoft Enterprise; SecurityExpressions 3.0 from Pedestal Software. INSET: HOW WE TESTED SECURITY POLICY MONITORS.

Offers tips on computer security policy monitoring. INSETS: SECURITY POLICY MONITORING;COMPLYING WITH THE FEDS.

Features several computer software for preventing computer attacks. Sygate Secure Enterprise 3.0 from Sygate Technologies; Cisco Security Agent, from Cisco Systems; SafeWord PremierAccess 3.1, from Secure Computing Corp.; SecureComputing Sidewinder G2, from Secure Computing Corp. INSET: PRODUCT OF THE YEAR--Security.

Discusses the types of computer attacks and ways to prevent them. Description of the first phase of the attack; Characteristics of automated attacks and worms; Details of targeted attacks. INSETS: RESOURCES;FULL DISCLOSURE WORKS;REDUCE THE DANGER.

Focuses on functionality of application-level firewalls. Role of firewalls in maintaining network security; Features of the firewall tool developed by Secure Computing Corp. INSETS: APPLICATION-LEVEL FIREWALLS;HOW WE TESTED APPLICATION-LEVEL FIREWALLS.

Presents tips for network computing companies on their network security issues. Need for the identification of the areas that need to be protected; Benefits of outsourcing day-to-day security tasks by the company; Importance of risk management in determining the amount to be spent on security issues; Necessity of the enforcement of a security policy for remote users of the company's resources.

Focuses on various Host Intrusion Prevention (HIP) products available in the market as of October 21, 2002. Functionality of HIP programs; StormWatch 3.0 and StormFront 2.0 developed by Okena Inc.; eTrust Access Control 5.1 by Computer Associates International Inc.; STAT Neutralizer by Harris Corp.; Entercept Web Server deition 2.5 from Entercept Security Technologies. INSETS: BY THE NUMBERS;REPORT CARD;HOW WE TESTED HOST INTRUSTION PREVENTION;HOST INTRUSION PREVENTION VENDORS AT A GLANCE

Discusses the use of patches and Host Intrusion Prevention (HIP) programs to prevent computer network intrusions. Models implemented by HIP vendors; Functionality of Signature-based HIP products; Categories of HIP products; Benefits derived by using HIP products. INSETS: SAMPLE COST OF DEPLOYING A HIP PRODUCT;COST OF DOWNTIME.

Evaluates authentication management software for computer network access control. BioNetrix Systems Corp.'s BioNetrix Authentication Suite; Novell's Modular Authentication Service; Secure Computing Corp.'s SafeWord PremierAccess. INSET: HOW WE TESTED AUTHENTICATION SYSTEMS.

Focuses on the development and implementation of authentication systems to control computer network access. Requirements for authentication; Methods of authentication; Creation of authentication policies; Protection of authentication systems from attacks and sabotage. INSETS: AUTHENTICATION MANAGEMENT;COST FACTOR GOTCHAS;MAKE YOUR CASE.

Discusses the advantages of outsourcing virtual private networking (VPN) needs. Factors to consider in VPN outsourcing; Cost-benefit analysis; Companies providing VPN services. INSETS: MANAGED VPN SERVICES;REAL-WORLD REQUIREMENTS;DOING BUSINESS SAFELY.

Presents an evaluation of virtual private network (VPN) clients for computers according to their management and troubleshooting, VPN configuration, interoperability and advanced features. Description of VPN clients; Comparison of the products, which included F-Secure Corp.'s F-Secure VPN+, Microsoft Corp.'s Windows XP, Network Associates' PGPvpn and SafeNet's SoftRemote VPN clients. INSETS: IPSEC CLIENTS;HOW WE TESTED IPSEC CLIENTS.

Provides advice on purchasing security equipment and supplies for a business. Definition of security as an approach to allowing authorized access to resources; Determining what type of access should be permitted to data; Idea that access should be controlled across the boundary, including that at the local area network (LAN)-wide area network (WAN) edge; Topic of firewalls; Access control for unmanaged users. INSETS: COMPANIES TO WATCH;STANDARDS.

Looks comprehensively at a number of firewall products for businesses. Importance of firewalls to information technology; Trends in firewalls, including functionality, management and reporting, and event logging; Feature of high availability on firewalls, in light of the importance of the ability of users to gain access to critical information at all times; View that centrally managed firewalls are a good fit for Internet service providers and application service providers. INSET: FIREWALLS.

Discusses distributed firewalls and how they can help service providers tap into the managed security market. Review of managed firewall and virtual private network products from a number of vendors; Requirements of testing which call for centrally managed small office/home office firewalls aimed at supporting networks of 50 to 250 nodes; Rating of SonicWall PRO-VX and XPRS2 with Global Management System 2.0 and others.

Presents the results of an experiment in which public key infrastructure (PKI) companies were called on to provide services for a fictional company created by this magazine. Issue of outsourcing a PKI; Issue of security audits for PKIs; Common features to PKIs, including customized designs; Preference of the magazine for VeriSign OnSite 4.6. INSET: PKI SERVICES.

Offers advice concerning computer network security in 2001. Importance of building security into the information technology infrastructure; Role of firewall security, which is expected to remain primary; Predictions about the application service provider industry; Importance of desktop security; Mention of intrusion-detection systems; Other recommendations and expected trends.

Evaluates integrated computer security packages. Check Point OPSEC software; Computer Associates International eTrust software; Network Associates software; Key features; Pros and cons; Costs; Recommendations. INSETS: Security Frameworks;Shunning: Good or Bad?.

Presents advice for the management of remote-office computer networks. Advantages of various connectivity configurations; Importance of maintaining in-bound dial backup for out-of-band management; Security measures, including Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP), for modem connections; Recommendations for firewall configuration; Use of Network Address Port Translation (NAPT) to hide nonroutable Internet addresses from external networks.

Discusses testing of virtual private networks (VPN), which connect remote users to a corporate network over the Internet. Highest rating of Cisco Systems's products based on their excellent network integration and good management, performance, and client support; Test criteria, including integration into an existing network and routing-protocol support. INSETS: IPsec VPNs;Virtualizing IPsec VPN.

Reviews three public key infrastructure, or PKI systems, which are sets of servers, certificate authorities, registration authorities, directories and applications that lets organizations model trust electronically. Entrust Technologies Entrust/PKI 5.0; Xcert International Sentry CA 4.0; Baltimore Technologies UniCERT 3.1.1; Features of the applications; Cost. INSETS: PKI Systems;PKI Systems.

Reviews three public key infrastructure (PKI) systems. Baltimore Technologies UniCERT 3.1.1; Entrust Technologies Entrust/PKI 5.0; Xcert International Sentry CA 4.0; Features; Architecture; Price. INSETS: PKI System Pricing;A PKI Glossary;PKI System Features.

Discusses the use of remote control systems to fix problems in computer networks. Speed of remote control systems; Components of remote control systems, including installation and configuration options, user management, security components and file distribution; Installation of systems such as Symantec Corp's pcAnywhere and Stac Software's ReachOut. INSET: Remote Control on the Cheap.