What is Cloud Network Security as a Service?
Traditional cloud network security can be a labor-intensive process, requiring the set-up and administration of network infrastructure components in complex cloud environments. In contrast, Cloud NSaaS provides automated security solutions for cloud networks. Where Firewall as a Service (FWaaS) solutions automate cloud firewalls, Cloud NSaaS supports a range of technologies including firewalls, intrusion prevention systems (IPS), virtual private networks (VPNs), anti-virus and anti-bot.
Traditional cloud network configuration places the overhead associated with managing and securing network infrastructure on the organization. This requires significant expertise, time, and resources to ensure that the network is properly configured and protected from cyber threats. With Cloud NSaaS, the organization can supplement its own network security capability with automated tools provided by third-party cloud providers, reducing the burden of managing network security in-house.
Although traditional cloud network configuration is more labor intensive and requires skilled staff to implement and run, it does have some advantages over Cloud NSaaS. With full configuration access, traditional cloud networks permit total control and customization as well as integration with any system or service an organization might wish to consume. The network security automation and scale advantages of Cloud NSaaS come at the cost of control to some extent – like most cloud services, you consume the service as is and enjoy the convenience it offers while accepting that some configuration elements are automated by the security vendor.
How Does it Work?
Cloud network security as a service transfers most of the overheads associated with the deployment, configuration, maintenance, upgrade, and update of network security solutions from the customer to the security service vendor. The architecture of Cloud NSaaS includes a cloud-based security management platform that controls and manages network security services. The cloud-based platform manages the security services by configuring policies and rules, monitoring network traffic, and generating alerts and reports.
When a customer subscribes to Cloud NSaaS, they select the security services required, and the cloud-security platform provisions them on demand. The customer can then manage their cloud security services through a web-based portal offered by the Cloud NSaaS provider. Using this platform, it is easy to commission new services, as well as scale existing services up or down as organizational requirements change without the need for additional hardware or software. The use of such commissioning technologies also reduces the burden on experienced network security personnel.
The Main Features of Cloud NSaaS
Network security as a service solution manages specific aspects of cloud network security. This is accomplished by providing a few key features, including:
- Automated Deployment: With network security as a service solution, all security components are under the security vendor’s control. This allows the security vendor to select and deploy all necessary components and configure the required routing between them, on the customer’s behalf. This moves the responsibility for the complex deployment process from the customer to the service provider. The automated deployment also takes care of the complex routing and connectivity of traffic to be inspected by the security components.
- Security Policy Creation: The network security as a service solution allows for the configuration of security policies via a wizard. This enables the customer to define their desired security policies without the complexity associated with manual cloud-based gateway configuration.
- Updates and Maintenance: Security solutions provide optimal performance only when properly maintained and updated. With a service-based network security model, the security vendor has the access required to perform maintenance and install updates on their customers’ cloud network gateways.
Benefits of Cloud Network Security as a Service
Cloud NSaaS offers several benefits to organizations that adopt it, including:
- Scalability: Cloud NSaaS solutions can easily scale up or down based on an organization’s changing network security needs. This allows organizations to easily adjust their security provision as their business grows or changes.
- Cost-effectiveness: Cloud NSaaS eliminates the need for organizations to invest in expensive hardware and software, as well as reducing the cost of maintenance and upgrades. Additionally, some solutions provide consumption-based pricing, so customers pay only for what they use.
- Flexibility: Cloud NSaaS solutions can be accessed from anywhere thanks to their admin portals, allowing the network security personnel that manage them to work from any location. This flexibility also enables easy collaboration and communication between team members.
- Improved security: Cloud NSaaS providers typically offer advanced security features and are better equipped to handle security threats than individual organizations. This can provide greater protection against cyberattacks and data breaches.
- Reduced maintenance: With cloud NSaaS, organizations no longer need to worry about maintaining and updating their security systems, as the provider handles this. This reduces the operational overhead on specialist network security personnel and the change management processes that accompany cloud network maintenance activities.
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