Tim Greene

Businesses need to embrace service-oriented architectures, outsourced services and flexible network infrastructure to respond effectively to uncertain commercial forces, says Scott Kriens, chairman and CEO of Juniper Networks.

The focus of network security should shift from safeguarding infrastructure to protecting data, and that requires extraordinary marketing measures by IT security staff, according to speakers this month at the Forrester Research Security Conference. Security is such an important issue for Diageo, the parent company for Smirnoffs, Guinness, Bailey

Web application firewall vendor Imperva this month introduced an appliance to help businesses meet strict auditing requirements by figuring out who accesses database information that must be kept confidential. Called SecureSphere Database Monitoring Gateway, the device logs which users have accessed sensitive data.

ConSentry is introducing a new product that incorporates its network access control hardware and software into an Ethernet switch, making it possible to enforce access policies on a port-by-port basis.

Check Point's proposed acquisition of intrusion prevention firm Sourcefire is delayed at least until March 23 while the U.S. government investigates whether it wants the deal to go through.n

Sun, Lucent and Echoworx are banding together to provide an encryption service that can save businesses from having to build their own infrastructure to secure e-mail. Called Sun Secure Mail, the service will be sold to ISPs and other carriers that can sell it to customers, be it businesses or consumers.

When Roger Fahnestock started work in 2002 as IT director of Kane County, Ill., he found a mishmash of antiquated voice and data networks so sorely in need of an upgrade that almost any change would have been an improvement.

An industry group is working toward a best-practices document that will spell out for businesses how to build secure VoIP networks using specific makes and models of equipment. While the report won