| A dedicated server is a sign of success for any | | | | and block malicious traffic while allowing legitimate |
| SMB. The reasons to move into a dedicated | | | | traffic through. It does this in a way that |
| server are varied - a high volume of web traffic, | | | | minimizes latency and slowdowns, so that the |
| a transaction heavy database, complex application | | | | process is transparent to end users. |
| requirements, or a combination of those and | | | | Intrusion protection takes a slightly more |
| other requirements- but whatever the reason, a | | | | sophisticated approach to this, blocking harmful |
| dedicated server brings powerful capabilities to | | | | traffic at the source, placing compromised hosts |
| growing and established businesses alike. | | | | in quarantine and routing qualified user traffic |
| That power comes with an additional level of | | | | quickly and efficiently. If your firewall represents |
| responsibilities. Protecting your server from being | | | | your front line defenders, your IPS (intrusion |
| hacked is a serious concern requiring complete | | | | protection service) in effect goes behind enemy |
| attention. In most cases you're going to need | | | | lines. The combination lets you shift your security |
| help, and if you've chosen your server provider | | | | measures from reactive to proactive, but there's |
| carefully, you're going to have it. | | | | a catch. |
| Securing any network attached web or application | | | | Having firewall and IPS protection in place is only |
| server (and really, a web server is just a | | | | the first step. This isn't "set it and forget it" stuff, |
| specialized application) is a tricky proposition. It | | | | staying ahead of hackers and corporate |
| needs to be accessible to legitimate users and | | | | saboteurs requires constant vigilance and regular |
| locked down to the malicious ones. Consider a | | | | updates to blacklists, filters, patches and more. It's |
| large concert or sporting event. | | | | one thing to purchase and install a couple of |
| The idea is to have a large attendance of happy | | | | security appliances, it's quite another to properly |
| fans, but every step taken to bolster security | | | | manage them, and for too many SMBs, it's a |
| usually has a negative impact on the experience- | | | | budget busting proposition. This is where your |
| long lines for screenings, no bags or carry-alls | | | | service provider comes in. |
| allowed and so on. As with secure e-mail service, | | | | The overlooked word for too many dedicated |
| it would seem that the two goals of access and | | | | server providers is 'managed'. If your provider |
| security are somewhat diametrically opposed, but | | | | offers managed services, you are a step ahead |
| a solid server protection scheme will actually work | | | | of the game. A high end provider already has 24 |
| to support both ends. | | | | 7/365 staffing. They already have a massive |
| It starts with a two layer "bullet proof vest" of | | | | investment in hardware and network resources. |
| technology in the form of a managed firewall and | | | | Most importantly, they already have a team of |
| an intrusion protection service. A firewall is needed | | | | highly trained, certified engineers who can help |
| to help stop brute force, denial of service style | | | | you stay running at peak optimization, fully |
| attacks. Typically emanating from multiple | | | | protected. If your provider offers managed |
| unsecured servers located overseas, a DoS | | | | firewall and intrusion protection, it's a no brainer to |
| attack will pound your server with useless traffic, | | | | add those services to your IT arsenal. If your |
| overwhelming resources and rendering the server | | | | provider doesn't offer firewall and IPS, maybe it's |
| unavailable for real users. | | | | time to start looking at other providers. |
| A quality firewall uses rules based access to filter | | | | |