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Cisco’s Network Security enables enterprises to confidently extend the network to customers, partners, and remote/mobile employees. This protection helps organization to take better advantage of the intelligence in their network resource, thus improving business processes, cutting costs, increasing revenue and improve employee productivity. As sensitive information transverses public and private networks, security controls and policies for risk mitigation (and that display due diligence) are necessary to ensure that this information is protected according to higher-level privacy policies and regulatory requirements.

Solutions
Cisco’s answer to Network Security is not only a range of products, but a complete strategy: The Self-Defending Network (SDN) . The SDN provides systems-based solutions that allow customers to use their infrastructure in new ways to reduce windows of vulnerability, minimize the impact of attacks, and improve overall infrastructure availability and reliability. This provides a flexible, cost-effective, and comprehensive approach to secure today’s extended network.
Can a network really defend itself? The answer is “yes, it can”: Network security has evolved from independently deployed products such as firewalls into the realm of system-wide solutions. And Cisco is at the forefront of the technology development that is making self-defending networks a reality.

The foundation for the self-defending network is integrated security – security that is native to all aspects of an organisation. Every device in the network – from desktops through the LAN and across the WAN – plays a part in securing the networked environment through a globally distributed defense. There are 3 characteristics of SDN:

The integration of security throughout all aspects of the network
Collaborative processes between the various security and network elements, as to be adherent and responsive to the organisation’s security policy.
The ability of the network to adapt to new threats and changing network conditions as they arise. This will ensure that that the adaptive defences remain active at all times, perform unobtrusively, minimize propagation of attacks and respond quickly to as-yet unknown attacks.

Cisco’s Self Defending network consists of 4 building blocks:

“Protection” Threat Defense System; Threat defense provides security threat detection, defense and containment for the network. It represents the protection that one must have in order to prepare for any attack or vulnerability.
- Guarding the Edge (firewalling)
- Patrol the interior (intrusion detection/prevention)
- Protect the desktops and servers
“Privacy” Secure Connectivity System; converged and wireless networks create a great deal of interesting issues related to securing communication as with increased network connectivity comes increased exposure. As organisations adopt the use the Internet for Intranet, Extranet and teleworker connectivity, such as broadband ‘always-on’ connections, maintaining security, data integrity and privacy across these connections is paramount
“Control” Trust and Identity Management system or Identity-based networking: Verify the User and Device. This allows a company to be able to mitigate the risk associated with unauthorised individuals or devices accessing the company’s network. This level is akin to security badges and providing varied levels of access for different individuals.
“Management, Monitoring and Analysis” Security Management Solutions. Network and security management tools allow one to offensively detect, prioritize, and respond to perceived threats. Having the ability to direct and control the network activities is a critical element in a successful security program. Without the tools to identify and prioritise potential issues, one will not be able to leverage the investment made in all of the robust defense equipment.