There are some pitfalls for companies when migrating security solutions. Here are best practices for planning and executing from Tim Bandos, Chief Information Security Officer at Digital Guardian.
Organizations familiar with the process of migrating to a new security solution know how difficult and time-consuming the task is. However, keeping up with evolving cybersecurity requirements is a must to protect a company's most important assets - its data and intellectual property. Establishing a migration plan must be done correctly, otherwise it can lead to costly downtime and business disruption. Therefore, here are a few points that companies should consider before embarking on a migration strategy.
Catalysts for changing a security technology
The decision to change a security solution provider should not be taken lightly. However, existing partnerships must be checked to see whether the solutions of the current provider are still powerful enough or whether they are using outdated technologies. If so, it poses a potential risk to customer data and other assets. Agility is another point to consider. Today's companies are in a constant state of flux, so that security solutions that work according to the motto "set up and forget" are no longer an option. Added to this are the constantly changing legal requirements, which force companies to continuously reassess their existing security solutions.
Step 1: Define Request for Proposal
A quick Google search offers a wealth of security solutions, so choosing a suitable provider can be difficult. Those responsible should therefore consult their industry colleagues about which solutions they are currently using. Analyst recommendations are another good source for a detailed assessment of security providers and solutions.
The best place to start is to take the time to define a structured Request for Proposal (RFP) that prompts leading vendors to submit formal proposal plans. In addition, companies should put together a cross-functional project team whose job it is to refine the broader organizational requirements, evaluate potential providers and assess their required skills.
RFP preparation is critical
The RFP preparation process is critical. It should include that all requirements are recorded in cooperation with those involved and coordinated with the corporate strategy. Managers should develop a rating or weighting system that forms the basis for decision-making, including a ranking of desired skills. As part of the selection methodology, it should be ensured that more comprehensive holistic considerations flow into the process: Is the solution intuitive for users? How is the return on investment (ROI) measured? Is the solution agile enough to keep up with the pace of change in the company?
Ideally, companies create a shortlist of no more than three vendors and use the RFP process to test their capabilities. As part of the review and evaluation of the providers, those responsible should run a targeted proof-of-concept program to ensure that the selected solution fits into their environment.
Step 2: Migration plan for deploying the new solution
Once those responsible have chosen a solution provider, they should develop a migration plan for their deployment. This begins with the assessment of the data requirements, the classification, the business logic and internal dependencies, the definition of a schedule with a pilot test and the design of a network topology in preparation for the deployment. As part of the
During the transition process, clear intermediate goals should be set for release management, validation, the controlled transfer of the IT solution to operations and the decommissioning of the old solution.
Develop a post-migration strategy
After the migration has been successfully completed, those responsible should go one step further and develop a strategy for the time after the migration. This includes frequent reviews together with the security provider, which focuses on improving the use of the solution and the associated increase in benefit.
Common Migration Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
Several pitfalls can cause any migration program to fail. The most obvious case is the lack of a long-term migration roadmap with understandable results and a plan to engage stakeholders. Another mistake is the failure to create a contingency plan in the event that members of the migration team drop out in the middle of the project. In addition, a solution should never be deployed until it has been tested and internal experts have been involved.
However, the most important measure for a successful migration project is to think long and hard about which assets the company really needs to protect. In fact, a variety of market-leading tools will not make the business secure if not properly integrated into the overall security strategy. To achieve this, those responsible need to know exactly which company data and applications are critical for value creation.
Analysis: which data stocks need to be protected most urgently
A risk-oriented approach when introducing a new security solution therefore begins with a deep understanding of which data sets need to be protected most urgently. Asking the right questions early in the migration program will help determine the depth, scope, and level of service you need - and whether the security provider in question is up to the challenge.
More at DigitalGuardian.com
Via Digital Guardian Digital Guardian offers uncompromising data security. The data protection platform provided from the cloud was specially developed to prevent data loss from insider threats and external attackers on the Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems. The Digital Guardian Data Protection Platform can be used for the entire corporate network, traditional endpoints and cloud applications. For more than 15 years, Digital Guardian has made it possible for companies with high data volumes to protect their most valuable resources using SaaS or a fully managed service. With Digital Guardian's unique policy-less data transparency and flexible controls, organizations can protect their data without slowing down their business.