Volume III, Issue 3 (March, 2017)
Industry News
WatchGuard named to CRN’s Top 25 Coolest Network Security Vendors
Network security offerings provide the foundation for many companies’ security portfolios. However, the space has demanded change, as network perimeters disappear and threats continue to penetrate at an ever-increasing pace. To meet that, there has been an emergence of new offerings in the largely mature market segment, including around next-generation firewall, firewall management, cloud, analytics and more. That has driven strong growth in demand for network security offerings, with the enterprise firewall market alone expected to hit $8.41 billion by 2019, according to research firm MarketsandMarkets. As part of CRN’s annual Security 100 list, here are 25 network security vendors that are stepping up their game to meet continued needs for security around the network. WatchGuard Technologies of Seattle, WA, was named to the list. To read more visit the links below:
http://www.crn.com/slide-shows/security/300084000/2017-security-100-25-coolest-network-security-vendors.htm
http://www.crn.com/slide-shows/security/300084000/2017-security-100-25-coolest-network-security-vendors.htm/pgno/0/24
Cisco: New HyperFlex Creates ‘True Separation’ From HPE-SimpliVity, Nutanix
Cisco’s HyperFlex Systems have received a shot in the arm with new capabilities, including high-capacity all-flash nodes, native replication of clusters and new management options, that the company says will leave its hyper-converged competitors in the dust. “As they’re adding these new features, I absolutely think this is a market leading platform,” said Robert Keblusek, CTO of Sentinel Technologies, a Downers Grove, Ill., solution provider and Cisco Gold partner. “Cisco is showing here how they can pretty rapidly add capabilities to this platform with many of these new features very welcoming for partners and our customers.” The San Jose, Calif.-based networking giant says it now has more than 1,100 HyperFlex customers since it began shipping the hyper-converged solution – which consists of Cisco Unified Computing Systems (UCS) servers and software-defined strategy technology — around nine months ago. About 70 percent of those customers already had Cisco UCS in their environment, while one-third are brand new customers to Cisco computing, according to Todd Brannon, Cisco’s director of product marketing for UCS.
VMware wants to help accelerate your company’s digital transformation
Dell Technologies Inc. subsidiary VMware Inc. made several announcements at this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, but they all shared a common theme: Digital transformation. With this week’s launch of vCloud NFV (Network Functions Virtualization) 2.0, AirWatch Managed Services, and a new series of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions developed in collaboration with engineering and design firm Harman International, the enterprise software giant made it clear it wants to help as many companies transfer their operations online as possible. “In the fast-evolving technology landscape, continued success and growth for [communications service providers (CSPs)] depends on transforming from connectivity providers to innovators in delivering rich services, content and personalized experiences,” Shekar Ayyar, executive vice president and general manager of VMware’s Telco Group said in a March 1 statement. “Software-defined, virtualized architectures are the catalysts helping service providers modernize their networks, making them 5G ready, and opening their businesses to new possibilities.”
Best Practices Corner
Low Hanging Fruit Pie for Hackers
This article first appeared on the Secplicity website, run by WatchGuard Technologies. To read the original article, please click the link below:
https://www.secplicity.org/2017/03/02/low-hanging-fruit-pie-hackers/
With many of today’s hacker headlines focusing on big brand breaches, it’s easy to forget that small businesses are under siege as well. As a matter of fact, in 2015, 43 percent of cyberattacks were against small business, according to Symantec. And, 60 percent of those attacked close their doors within 6 months (according to the National Cyber Security Alliance).
To highlight the issue, Inc. recently shared a cyberattack story from a Missouri-based small business called Peggy Jean’s Pies (talk about low hanging fruit). The company’s web presence was hijacked and redirected to an X-rated site. After working with a third-party vendor, and spending hundreds of dollars, the company finally restored its site.
With smaller businesses now being targeted by sophisticated malware and ransomware attacks, more and more people like Peggy Jean find themselves scrambling to understand and implement some level of security or security best practices. What can owners do to mitigate the never-ending flood of threats and phishing scams?
Inc. offers up some great suggestions to prevent hackers from penetrating your system, like advanced bank alerts, regular software updates and multiple backups. All fantastic ideas! Some additional things to consider: Many small businesses still use basic or old legacy firewalls. It’s time to upgrade to more advanced Unified Threat Management appliances that offer a variety of easily deployable and manageable security services, like advanced threat protection. Look for products aimed at SMBs. Also, understand your limitations. If you don’t have resources for IT and security staff, consider outsourcing to an MSSP partner (click here to read an article on this topic by Himanshu Verma, WatchGuard’s Director of Product Management).
Since so many smaller businesses are falling victim to cybercrime, what should be done if an attack succeeds? Inc. encourages organizations to prepare ahead of time. Have a plan for how you inform customers or employees if a worst-case scenario happens. Also, hire third-party experts to solve problems that are out of your depth. The first 48 hours is critical. And finally, if ransomed, think before you pay.
If you want more on the topic, read the entire article from Inc. here:
https://www.inc.com/magazine/201703/victoria-finkle/tipsheet-cybersecurity.html
News & Notes
Only a handful of spots remain for Thursday’s Kitchen Window
Taste of Success Interactive Five-Course Meal event with WatchGuard, Verus
If you’re interested, sign up ASAP for an event for our customers to enjoy a late afternoon/evening at Kitchen Window, where we will be cooking a five-course meal together after learning about what’s new from WatchGuard. The event will be held from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 16, at Kitchen Window’s Cooking School and Event Center in Calhoun Square, 3001 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55408.
The event will begin with a very brief update from representatives of WatchGuard, followed by splitting up into teams to cook the various courses for the meal. Then we will sit down together to enjoy the fruits of our labor. There will also be a special surprise gift for all attendees.
Due to limited capacity, this event is available on a first-come, first-served basis. To register for this event, please email mailto:events@veruscorp.com or call Steve at 763.354.2266 today.
Verus participates in 27th annual ALAMN
Educational Conference and Business Partner Exposition
Verus participated again in the annual ALAMN Educational Conference and Business Partner Exposition last week at the Hyatt Regency Hotel Minneapolis. The conference is for local Legal Administrators, comprised of office admins, IT professionals, and others serving law firms in Minnesota. Verus was thrilled to participate in this year’s event, which had the theme of “Oceans of Opportunity, Waves of Change.”
Verus is a copper business partner sponsor with ALAMN.
Verus joins MMGMA as Silver Sponsor, attends 2017 Winter Conference
Verus recently joined the Minnesota Medical Group Management Association (MMGMA) as a Silver Sponsor, and last week attended the 2017 Winter Conference at the RiverCentre in St. Paul, MN.
Verus has a long history of working with customers in the medical industry, and is excited to now be part of this organization devoted to improving the practice of healthcare.
Verus employees and families pack over 4,700 meals
for Haitian kids at Feed My Starving Children event
Verus employees and family members gathered in February to pack over 4,700 meals for Haitian kids at a company event for Feed My Starving Children. Verus is excited to announce an ongoing plan to actively serve Feed My Starving Children. Beginning in May, Verus will host an adults only night at Feed My Starving Children for our customers and friends to join us. Verus will match the costs of how ever many meals are packed by our group for this event. We will hold these customer invited versions of this event every six months, as a way to help children who need it, and have an enjoyable evening with our customers.
Stay tuned to future issues of Verus Insider for more information on the upcoming event.
Food for Thought
Sweeten your St. Patty’s Day with Slow Cooker Corned Beef
and Cabbage Sliders with Guinness Mustard!
Serves 2-3
Ingredients
- 1 corned beef brisket with spice package
- 4 cups water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup potatoes, diced
- 1 cup white onion, sliced
- 1/2 cup carrots, diced
- 1/2 cup celery, diced
- 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons honey mustard
- 2 tablespoons Guinness (or stout beer)
- 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
- 8 sweet rolls, cut in half to make buns
- 1 cup prepared coleslaw
Instructions
- Place water, sugar, and vinegar in a large slow cooker on high heat. Add brisket and spice packet to mixture. Place potatoes, carrots, onion, and celery on all sides of brisket. Cook on high for 4 hours.
- Whisk together both mustards, Guinness, and brown sugar. Set aside.
- When brisket is fully cooked, slice into 1/4 inch slices.
- Stack 3-4 brisket slices on bottom half of bun, topped with coleslaw. Spread mustard on top part of bun to complete your slider. Serve with the veggie mixture. Enjoy!
Good Medicine
