Anti-virus Performance in VMware ESX Virtual Environments

As IT architects scale deployments of virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) solutions, they must be aware of the resource requirements of “always on” and high-use components such as endpoint security systems. In virtual environments, vendors can implement their solution as a client-based agent where all processing for each client takes place on the client, an virtual appliance that handles the a/v workload or, possibly, some hybrid of the two approaches.

Symantec Corp. commissioned Tolly to benchmark the performance within virtual environments of its new Symantec Endpoint Protection 12.1 vs. comparable solutions from McAfee and Trend Micro. Specifically, this testing focused on the disk input/output requirements of each solution when performing on-access scan, on- demand scan and virus definition updates.

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Examining the security approaches employed in Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android

The mass-adoption of both consumer and managed mobile devices in the enterprise has increased employee productivity but has also exposed the enterprise to new security risks. The latest mobile platforms were designed with security in mind—both teams of engineers attempted to build security features directly into the operating system to limit attacks from the outset. However, as the paper discusses, while these security provisions raise the bar, they may be insufficient to protect the enterprise assets that regularly find their way onto devices. Finally, complicating the security picture is the fact that virtually all of today’s mobile devices operate in an ecosystem, much of it not controlled by the enterprise—they connect and synchronize out-of-the-box with third-party cloud services and computers whose security posture is potentially unknown and outside of the...

I'm going to be controversial for a minute. Will cloud actually make IT cheaper? Public cloud service providers often state that their costs are lower, using criteria such as Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) to show how they can run services more cost-effectively than the in-house equivalents.

Indeed, such providers have the benefit of scale - and can therefore negotiate cheaper deals with equipment suppliers; its also in their commercial interests to be architecting and running IT as efficiently as possible. Without a doubt, it is possible to take specific examples of workloads and demonstrate how running them in the cloud costs less than running them in-house.

Cost is a movable feast, however. If equipment already exists, under-utilised, in the data centre, it might be cheaper to use it rather than rent processor cycles from a third party. There's also the operational overhead - but in a...

Following on from Darren’s first three minute video in which he talked about his role as the EMEA CTO at Symantec, this second instalment looks further at some of the methodologies and best practices being put in place to allow organisations to improve operational efficiency whilst maintaining an appropriate risk posture.

Please watch the video by clicking on the link below.