3 key considerations for establishing NetSecOps partnerships
16 November, 2021
As the network engineers and architects who design, build, and manage enterprise networks collaborate more and more with their counterparts in information security and cybersecurity, they face challenges that can impair their efforts.
Unfortunately, only 39% of organizations believe they’ve been fully successful with this collaboration. There are some barriers to NetSecOps partnerships:
1. The need for quality data
2. Lack of common skills
3. Lack of money for resources
4. Architectural complexity
How can network and security teams overcome these challenges?
1. Common data repositories
The first priority is to establish a shared data repository that both teams can rely on for a common view of the network. In many companies, security teams are constantly requesting data from the network team when conducting investigations. If that’s the case, the network team should identify the data that security teams frequently request and establish repositories that are accessible to them.
2. C-level push for better training
The skills gap will be tough to overcome. One team can’t tell the other team what training to acquire. But CIOs and CISOs can. Leadership should recognize how skills gaps are undermine NetSecOps partnerships and lead from the top to close those gaps.
3. Simplify the architecture
Network teams should work to simplify architecture. If complexity is getting in the way, the network team should forego complexity and modernize legacy architecture as much as possible.
One option is to adopt automation solutions that abstract complexity. And as they move into new environments like the cloud and work-from-anywhere, they should design for simplicity as much as possible.