Challenges with Cloud Edge Security Software?
There are some challenges IT teams can encounter with cloud edge security software.
Potential design flaws: With edge computing comes devices that can take virtually any form, from micro-data centers at remote locations, or a vast array of IoT devices. An example is the rapid shift to hybrid work models in response to the global pandemic, where millions of distributed remote offices and BYOD devices suddenly had to be managed simultaneously.
However, the design of these edge devices prioritizes functionality and connectivity over security. A poorly designed cloud edge security software approach by buyers does not secure the edge and makes it vulnerable to zero-day threats.
Increased cybersecurity risks: Edge computing increases the risk of cybersecurity threats entering the corporate network. Deploying hundreds of edge computing devices creates hundreds of potential entry points for security attacks and breaches. Cloud edge security solutions must have a 360-degree view of the attack surface and provide a built-in security stack to protect against zero-day threats, malware, and other vulnerabilities at the point of access.
How to Buy Cloud Edge Security Software
Requirements Gathering (RFI/RFP) for Cloud Edge Security Software
If an organization is just starting and looking to purchase cloud edge security software, g2.com can help select the best one.
Most business pain points might be related to all the manual work that must be completed. If the company is large and has a lot of networks, data, or devices in its organization, it may need to shop for cloud edge security platforms that can grow with its organization. Users should think about the pain points in security to help create a checklist of criteria. Additionally, the buyer must determine the number of employees who will need to use the cloud edge security software and if they currently have the skills to administer it.
Taking a holistic overview of the business and identifying pain points can help the team springboard into creating a checklist of criteria. The checklist serves as a detailed guide that includes both necessary and nice-to-have features, including budget features, number of users, integrations, security staff skills, cloud or on-premises solutions, and more.
Depending on the deployment scope, it might be helpful to produce an RFI, a one-page list with a few bullet points describing what is needed from cloud edge security software.
Compare Cloud Edge Security Software Products
Create a long list
Vendor evaluations are essential to the software buying process, from meeting the business functionality needs to implementation. For ease of comparison, after all demos are complete, it helps to prepare a consistent list of questions regarding specific needs and concerns to ask each vendor.
Create a short list
From the long list of vendors, it is helpful to narrow down the list of vendors and come up with a shorter list of contenders, preferably no more than three to five. With this list, businesses can produce a matrix to compare the features and pricing of the various solutions.
Conduct demos
To ensure the comparison is comprehensive, the user should demo each solution on the short list with the same use cases. This will allow the business to evaluate like for like and see how each vendor stacks up against the competition.
Selection of Cloud Edge Security Software
Choose a selection team
Before getting started, creating a winning team that will work together throughout the entire process, from identifying pain points to implementation, is crucial. The software selection team should consist of organization members with the right interest, skills, and time to participate in this process. A good starting point is to aim for three to five people who fill roles such as the main decision maker, project manager, process owner, system owner, or staffing subject matter expert, as well as a technical lead, head administrator, or security administrator. The vendor selection team may be smaller in smaller companies, with fewer participants multitasking and taking on more responsibilities.
Compare notes
The selection team should compare notes, facts, and figures noted during the process, such as costs, security capabilities, and alert and incident response times.
Negotiation
Just because something is written on a company’s pricing page does not mean it's final. It is crucial to open up a conversation regarding pricing and licensing. For example, the vendor may be willing to give a discount for multi-year contracts or for recommending the product to others.
Final decision
After this stage, and before going all in, it is recommended to roll out a test run or pilot program to test adoption with a small sample size of users. If the tool is well used and well received, the buyer can be confident that the selection was correct. If not, it might be time to go back to the drawing board.
What does Cloud Edge Security Software cost?
Cloud edge security software is considered a long-term investment. This means there must be a careful evaluation of vendors, and the software should be tailored to each organization's specific requirements. Once cloud edge security software is purchased, deployed, and integrated into an organization’s security system, the cost could be high, so the evaluation stage of selecting the right tool is crucial. The notion of rip-and-replace cost can be high. The cloud edge security software vendor chosen should continue to provide support for the platform with flexibility and open integration. Pricing can be pay-as-you-go, and costs may also vary depending if cloud edge security is self-managed or fully managed.
Return on Investment (ROI)
Organizations decide to purchase cloud edge security software with some type of return on investment (ROI). As they want to recoup the money spent on the software, it is critical to understand the costs that will be saved in terms of efficiency. In the long run, the investment must be worth preventing the downtime and loss of revenue that would be caused by a security breach.
