Security in the Network Cloud By and large, our associations with “cloud” are positive ones: distributed, flexible, lightweight. But the emergence of the network cloud presents some major challenges for both telcos and their enterprise customers to grapple with. The #1 shared challenge in the list is, without question, security. WIth cloud there is no longer a perimeter that can be used to keep the bad guys out. Meaning that traditional security practice is no longer enough. On the plus side, we see a new, multi-billion dollar growth opportunity for CSPs and suppliers over the next five years in addressing this problem. However, from our discussions with communications service providers, it is clear that established frameworks for thinking about security are rapidly dissolving. Telecom services re-engineered as virtual functions running in a cloud is just one new factor. Another is enterprise’s use of public cloud as part of an overall service provided by a CSP. Enterprises themselves are experiencing radical change. Not only does a typical CIO face a bewildering range of security offerings and suppliers, but they also must embrace situations previously considered intolerable: large-scale remote working, connection to third party networks and continuous changes in configurations. It’s time […]