Part 1: What it takes to make your network more secure (Hint: Education is key)

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By Rebekah Harvey, Director, Learning Product Management (AKA CertDoctor)

What I know about network security is pretty much limited to the error message I sometimes get that goes something like this: You cannot do [whatever it is you’re trying to do]. This may be due to firewall restrictions or network problems. That’s why I decided to talk to a couple of my colleagues about network security and the role of security certifications in educating security professionals.
 

For this two-part blog, I interviewed Eric Holton, technical marketing engineer, and John Trollinger, product marketing manager, for HP’s Firewall Technologies. I figured since they are in marketing and I am in marketing, they would be able to break the topic down for me in a way that I could understand.  However, lest you think either of them is “just” marketing guys, let me tell you a little bit about their respective security chops. Eric has worked in network security at HP for more than ten years. He is HP ExpertONE MASE certified and holds CISSP and CCNP credentials. John recently joined HP. He spent more than ten years at Cisco in security-focused roles.

As I was prepping for my interviews, I stumbled on Chris Whitener’s recent blog, Tips for making your network more secure. After talking with Eric and John, I’d like to add a few tips to Chris’ list:

Start with well-educated security professionals

Both Eric and John agree that an educated security team is an essential component for delivering a secure data center.  While this may be a given, it’s more complicated than it sounds these days. “Twenty years ago,” Eric says, “network security was just about the firewall—it was all about securing the perimeter.  Today it’s no longer good enough just to secure the perimeter. You have multiple layers in the network now and you have to have security at every level.   It’s really the combination of all of that that secures the network… You have to have people who know how to do that.”
  

John echoed this sentiment: “Education is absolutely important as it relates to the industry we’re in.  Customers want certified professionals who can solve their problems. The federal government requires certifications if you’re going to do business with them. Certification is required for credibility.”

To be continued...with more tips on what it takes to make your network more secure.

>> More information on HP ExpertOne here.