NGDC is the current buzz word to describe the new technology data centers; ones that particularly use virtualization to improve performance and lower costs, and move the data center from simply storage and retrieval to being cloud-based and service-centric. According to Crossbeam, however, deployment of these data centers has stalled “with virtually no progress anticipated in the next 12-18 months.”
More than 40% of the Crossbeam’s respondents specifically say that network security is the biggest obstacle to the successful deployment of these NGDCs. Only 15% and 14% cite storage and application servers respectively as their major concerns. The suggestion is that network security technology remains mired in a ‘last generation data centre’ approach, due largely to a lack of understanding of how to virtualize the network security infrastructure.
Steve Whitfield, sales director at OrangeIS Enterprise Solutions, sees the problem as largely one of perception. He believes that the attraction of the OPEX model of an NGDC makes the ‘cloud infrastructure’ initially attractive, but the problem is that virtualization platforms are based on a shared network and storage infrastructure. “After a more detailed technical inspection of NGDCs,” he says, “the perceived risk of data and network security breaches scare off many organizations from embracing the NGDC service.”
However, he adds, “Most modern organizations have already moved to a virtual server environment in house so already have a private cloud.” In-house, the IT department provides readily accessible staff responsible for smooth-running and “to shout at when things go wrong. This is not the case when the Infrastructure is located in a data center and managed by a faceless third party, irrespective of SLAs agreed in a contract...”
“For all the documented efficiencies and green benefits of the NGDC, virtualized environments are much more fluid by nature, which opens the potential for threats due to the ease with which applications and data can be moved around,” said Jim Freeze, chief marketing officer of Crossbeam. “IT organizations realize that bringing network security into the NGDC must be a priority. Yet the survey results reveal a troubling lack of progress.”