Symantec has launched a new version of its Management Center platform for cybersecurity. The version 2.0 release enables organizations to migrate to the cloud or a hybrid network security solution, the company says.
Management Center brings Symantec’s network, security, and cloud technologies under a single umbrella. It allows partners and customers to deploy, manage, and monitor security environments. Key benefits, according to Symantec, include:
- Centralized configuration, deployment, device monitoring, and backup;
- consolidated reporting;
- policy provisioning;
- role-based access control;
- integrated CASB (Cloud Access Security Brokerage) and threat visibility;
- integrated analysis and reporting with policy creation;
- single console for network, security and cloud;
- streamlined management & reporting; and
- lower cost of ownership.
Moreover, organizations can use Management Center 2.0 to deploy hosted virtual machines, Symantec said. This helps organizations transition to Amazon Web Services (AWS) and other cloud-based infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) solutions. An associated Virtual Appliance Licensing model supports up to 1,000 devices.
Symantec Unveils Cloud Workload Protection Suite
In addition to Management Center 2.0, Symantec last month introduced the Cloud Workload Protection (CWP) Suite to help organizations safeguard their cloud workloads and storage against malware and other cyber threats.
The CWP Suite automatically discovers, visualizes and protects workloads across hybrid cloud data center environments via a single-agent, single-console solution, Symantec indicated. It offers a variety of features, including:
- Automated visibility and security for workloads across AWS, Google Cloud Platform and Microsoft Azure.
- Automatic and scheduled anti-malware scanning.
- Development and operations (DevOps) workflow integrations.
- Docker container support.
- Endpoint anti-malware technologies.
- Multilayered anti-malware scanning for Windows and Linux compute instances and servers.
- Support for Chef, Puppet and other orchestration tools.
The CWP Suite is now available, and it can be deployed across physical on-premises servers, virtualized private clouds and public cloud platforms.
Symantec: Cloud Opportunities, Challenges
The Symantec Management Center 2.0 and CWP Suite releases could help the company extend its reach in the global cloud security market.
Global cloud security market revenues are expected to exceed $12.7 billion by 2022, according to industry analyst MarketsandMarkets. The global cloud security market also is projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25.5 percent between 2017 and 2022.
Still, Symantec is navigating a range of challenges. Chief among them: An internal audit investigation into the company's finances. The investigation is ongoing and raises questions about certain quarterly results -- though the potential issues sound limited in nature.
Symantec must also deal with the reality that many security companies (namely Cisco, Sophos, VIPRE Security and Webroot, among others) have purpose-built MSP solutions. Also, many next-generation endpoint protection and network security companies (particularly AlienVault, Barracuda Networks, Cylance, Fortinet and SonicWall, among others) are building partner programs specifically for MSPs and MSSPs.
Additional insights from Joe Panettieri.
