Intelligent Data Centres Issue 15 | Page 20

DATA CENTRE PREDICTIONS than half of organisations want to move to a model of shared responsibility in the next three to five years, where IT security architecture (58%), cloud security (43%) and threat hunting response (51%) is shared between IT and security teams; but that calls for much closer collaboration than exists today. “The exponential rise in connectivity, the adoption of multi-clouds to build, run, manage and secure apps, and the enabling role in delivering this, from the data centre to the public cloud and Edge cloud, is the network,” Van Doorn continued. “Core to all this is the possibility that the network can be used to protect data across the entire organisation, from origin to user. This is only possible if the network is delivered in software and only via a cohesive, collaborative approach within IT. The virtual cloud delivers consistent, pervasive connectivity and security for apps and data wherever they reside.” Denis Onuoha, Chief Information Security Officer, Arqiva, UK communications infrastructure provider, said: “It is critical that IT and security teams work 84% OF SECURITY AND IT TEAMS ADMIT THEY DON’T HAVE A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER. in harmony to ensure every touchpoint of the IT infrastructure remains secure. The network forms a critical part of the business in delivering the best and most efficient services to customers. We recognise the importance of the network and therefore ensure security is embedded into the fabric of its infrastructure from the beginning and not bolted on as an afterthought. As we navigate a growing number of cloud and Edge environments and the network remains the connector between them all, it has become business critical for us to keep network security a top priority.” “Security should increasingly be seen as a team sport, but we’re still seeing organisations continuing to take a functionally siloed approach. The key to the success of modern IT and security is working together collectively with shared accountability, shared plans and ensuring that every element of security, including networking, is built into the foundation of your strategy from the very beginning. “However, many of the issues that arise from being siloed can be mitigated, at least to some extent, by adopting a software-first approach, as embodied by the principles of a virtual cloud network. This will help organisations to connect and secure applications and data across private, public and Edge/branch clouds, delivering consistent connectivity and security for apps and data wherever they reside, independent of underlying physical infrastructure. Wherever you are on your Digital Transformation journey, this should be your next step,” said Van Doorn. ◊ 20 Issue 15 www.intelligentdatacentres.com