Data center providers are finding that as they implement virtualization and SDN their existing security network infrastructure could be a new source of revenue, says IHS Infonetics. Data center providers that responded to IHS Infonetics' Cloud and Data Center Security Strategies and Vendor Leadership: Global Service Provider Survey said they favored a multi-layered approach to deploy security in the data center. A number of respondents revealed they are already deploying a mix of hardware appliances, virtual appliances and per-VM (virtual machine) software.
"As virtualization and SDN (software-defined networking) deployment increases, it becomes easier and easier for service providers to provide protection for their virtualized infrastructure and deliver customized for-revenue security services to customers," said Jeff Wilson, senior research director for cybersecurity technology at IHS, in a release.
However, data center providers cited various reasons to deploy virtual appliances for security: adding cloud-based services for security, deploying SDN and improving agility when deploying new security services. While there is no shortage of security vendors, data center providers are deploying or are evaluating security product from what IHS Infonetics says is "a massive list of vendors, and there is no clear leader." Release