OK 2014, Now What

So I've been staring at this blinking cursor for the last 5 minutes wondering what story to tell.  'Once upon a time, there was a....'  No that won't work.  'It was a dark and dreary night as our protagonist grudgingly dragged his feet toward the impending...'  No, not that either.  How about, 'The waves were big, mean and fast that day...the kind of day where Eddie would go.'   Nah, too local boy.
After a few weeks break and with so much going on within information technology, I sometimes find it difficult to zero in on something interesting with so many choices.  So I decided to do a mini blog buffet....the best in town, I say!
The big news this week seems to be the Consumer Electronics Show (CES).  From connected and driverless cars to interactive kitchens to wearable technology to the massive ultra HD televisions to even toothbrushes, the internet of things is certainly posed to take over the world in 2014.  There are, of course, risks with all these embedded systems.
There was the Target breach right at the height of the holiday shopping season nailing 40 some million (now 70 million) credit and debit cards in the process.  I had a browser tab The 10 Worst Data Breaches of 2013 saved since before the new year for an article but this most recent debacle will certainly make all of 2014's lists.  I was in Target a couple days ago retuning something and the person in front of me was asked, 'Do you want cash or credited back on the card?'  He dryly answered, 'Well, I got a letter from my bank this week saying they are replacing my card due to your breach, so I'll just take the cash.'  Mine was an even exchange.
There was the FireEye - Mandiant deal struck slightly before the ball dropped and announced after the 12th ding.  Interesting blend of attack detection along with attack response.  The timing seemed perfect in the wake of the Target news.
There was the Snapchat breach, the Yahoo malware, the WoW attack and certainly all the 'national security' news.
And finally, our very own John McAdam earned Puget Sound Business Journal Executive of the Year for 2013.  I first met John when I joined F5 in 2004.  We had less than 1000 employees at the time and our sales conference that year was at a local Seattle hotel.  During one of the breaks, Ken Salchow took me over to introduce me to McAdam, who was sitting in a chair fiddling with his blackberry.  Now you'd think that the first time meeting your CEO you'd be all proper, business-like...Sir.  Not me.  As Ken did the formalities, the first words out of my mouth were, 'What's your high score on brick breaker?'  John's face lit up with a smile, a determination in his eye and without missing a beat, shoved his phone in my face and taunted, 'Can you beat that?'  It was wonderful and crushing at the same time since his score trounced mine.  This was well before internet on planes and playing brick breaker was a way to pass time in the air.  For the next several months as we did our individual business travel, we would send each other our high score(s) wrapped in a bit of bragging.  There was actually a few of us on the thread, all hoping to blast the others.  Then one day, one of the competitors (who had been on an overseas flight if I remember correctly) sent a score that blew everyone away.  That was it, game over.  But I'll never forget how the CEO included a relatively new guy into a fun little group of folks trying to one up each other.  I've been here ever since. 
Welcome to the Year of the Horse!
ps
Related:

• Top 10 products revealed at CES 2014 so far
• Customers paying the price after Target breach
• The 10 Worst Data Breaches of 2013
• The Internet of Things and DNS
• Looking to 2014
• Executive of Year: F5 Networks CEO John McAdam strikes the perfect balance

Technorati Tags: 2014,breach,security,target,mcadam,f5,malware,ces,IoT,silva,attacks

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BYOD Policies – More than an IT Issue Part 2: Device Choice

#BYOD or Bring Your Own Device has moved from trend to an permanent fixture in today's corporate IT infrastructure. It is not strictly an IT issue however. Many groups within an organization need to be involved as they grapple with the risk of mixing personal devices with sensitive information.  In my opinion, BYOD follows the classic Freedom vs. Control dilemma. The freedom for user to choose and use their desired device of choice verses an organization's responsibility to protect and control access to sensitive resources. While not having all the answers, this mini-series tries to ask many the questions that any organization needs to answer before embarking on a BYOD journey.

Enterprises should plan for rather than inherit BYOD. BYOD policies must span the entire organization but serve two purposes - IT and the employees. The policy must serve IT to secure the corporate data and minimize the cost of implementation and enforcement. At the same time, the policy must serve the employees to preserve the native user experience, keep pace with innovation and respect the user's privacy.  A sustainable policy should include a clear BOYD plan to employees including standards on the acceptable types and mobile operating systems along with a support policy showing the process of how the device is managed and operated.

Some key policy issue areas include: Liability, Device choice, Economics, User Experience & Privacy and a trust Model.  Today we look at Device Choice.

Device Choice

People have become very attached to their mobile devices. They customize and personalize and it's always with them, to the point of even falling asleep with the device. So ultimately, personal preference or the 'consumerization of IT' notion is one of the primary drivers for BYOD. Organizations need to understand, what devices employees prefer and what devices do employees already own. That would could dictate what types of devices might request access. Once organizations get a grasp on potential devices, they then need to understand each device's security posture.

About 10 years ago, RIM was the first technology that really brought the Smartphone into the workplace. It was designed to address the enterprise's needs and for years was the Gold Standard for Enterprise Mobility. Management control was integrated with the device; client certificate authentication was supported; Active Directory/LDAP servers were not exposed to the external internet; the provisioning was simple and secure; organizations could manage both Internet access and intranet access, and IT had end point control.

When Apple's iPhone first hit the market, it was purely a consumer device for personal use and was not business centric, like the BlackBerry. Initially, the iPhone did not have many of the features necessary to be part of the corporate environment. It was not a business capable device. It did not support applications like Exchange, which is deployed in many organizations and is critical to a user's day-to-day activities. Over time, the iPhone has become a truly business capable device with additional mechanisms to protect end users.  Android, very popular with consumers, also offers numerous business apps but is susceptible to malware.

Device selection is also critical to the end user experience. Surveys show that workers are actually more productive when they can use their personal smartphone for work. Productivity increases since we prefer to use our own device. In addition, since many people like to have their device with them all the time, many will answer emails or do work during non-work hours. A recent survey indicated that 80% of Americans work an extra 30 hours a month on their own time with BYOD. But we are much happier.

A few blogs ago, I wrote about Good Technology’s BYOD survey, found that organizations are jumping on the phenomenon since they see real ROI from encouraging BYOD.  The ability to keep employees connected (to information) day and night can ultimately lead to increased productivity and better customer service.  They also found that two of the most highly regulated industries - financial services and health care - are most likely to support BYOD.  This shows that the security issues IT folks often raise as objections are manageable and there's major value in supporting BYOD.  Another ROI discovered through the survey is that since employees are using their own devices, half of Good’s customers don't pay anything for the employees' BYOD devices – essentially, according to Good, getting employees to pay for the productivity boost at work.

As part of the BYOD Policy the Device Choice Checklist, while not inclusive, should:

· Survey employees about their preferences and current devices

· Define a baseline of acceptable security and supportability features

· Do homework: Read up on hardware, OS, and regional variances

· Develop a certification program for future devices

· Work with Human Resources on clear communication to employees about which devices are allowed–or not–and why

ps

Related

• BYOD Policies – More than an IT Issue Part 1: Liability
• BYOD–The Hottest Trend or Just the Hottest Term
• FBI warns users of mobile malware
• Will BYOL Cripple BYOD?
• Freedom vs. Control
• What’s in Your Smartphone?
• SmartTV, Smartphones and Fill-in-the-Blank Employees
• Evolving (or not) with Our Devices
• The New Wallet: Is it Dumb to Carry a Smartphone?
• Bait Phone
• BIG-IP Edge Client 2.0.2 for Android
• BIG-IP Edge Client v1.0.4 for iOS
• New Security Threat at Work: Bring-Your-Own-Network
• Legal and Technical BYOD Pitfalls Highlighted at RSA

Technorati Tags: F5, data breach report, threats, Pete Silva, security, malware, technology, smartphone, cyber-threat, social engineering, attacks, virus, vulnerability, web, internet, cybercrime, identity theft, scam, data breach

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Oracle OpenWorld 2012: BIG-IP ASM and Oracle Database Firewall Integration

Peter Silva meets with F5 Business Development Solution Architect, Chris Akker to show the BIG-IP ASM integration with Oracle's Database Firewall. A layered, defense-in-depth approach along with the contextual information needed for digital forensic gathering. Security best practices at its best.  #oow

 

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Related:

• Oracle OpenWorld 2012: Find F5
• Oracle OpenWorld 2012: Gimmie 90 Seconds
• Oracle OpenWorld 2012: BIG-IP Solutions for Oracle Enterprise Manager
• F5 YouTube Channel

Technorati Tags: F5, oracle openworld, integration, Pete Silva, security, business, education, technology, application delivery,cloud,oracle, oow2012

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F5 Agility Summit 2012 - Infoblox

I meet with Infoblox's Senior Product Manager, Andy Voltmer about the F5/Infoblox partnership, the importance of DNS and the security around DNSSEC.  Reporting from the F5 Agility Conference in Times Square.

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Resources:

• F5 Rethink Your World
• F5 Agility Summit 2012 - Welcome to New York
• F5 Agility Summit 2012 – Splunk
• F5 Agility Summit 2012 - Infoblox
• F5 Agility Summit 2012 - Welcome to Shanghai
• Rackspace uses F5 to create a hybrid platform to meet customer needs
• Using F5, Future Com helped Sysco unify its network
• MLB Network, uses F5 to achieve zero downtime for its cable programming
• F5 Friday: Infoblox and F5 Do DNS and Global Load Balancing Right.
• Upcoming Event: F5 Agility Summit 2012
• F5 Announces Winners of 2012 Agility Customer and Partner Awards
• F5 Networks Selects Westcon Group as First Global Distributor
• F5 YouTube Channel

Technorati Tags: F5, big-ip, agility summit, cloud computing, Pete Silva, security, new york, times square, partners, network firewall,internet,dnssec, big-ip, dns, analytics, infoblox, video

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In 5 Minutes or Less - Enterprise Manager v3.0

In my 21st In 5 Video, I show you some of the new features available in Enterprise Manager v3.0, in 5 Minutes or Less.  We cover the Centralized Analytics Module, iHealth integration and Multi-device configuration comparison.

As a follow-up to release of BIG-IP v11.2, Enterprise Manager v3.0 is now available.  In addition to support of v11.2, this release provides some key new capabilities that will help monitor and understand application performance across all BIG-IP devices.  Simplify and automate the management of your F5 ADN infrastructure.

 

In 5 Minutes or Less - Enterprise Manager v3.0

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Resources:

• F5 Enterprise Manager Overview
• Application Delivery Network Platform Management
• In 5 Minutes or Less Series (21 videos – over 2 hours of In 5 Fun)
• F5 Youtube Channel

Technorati Tags: F5,big-ip,security,management,infrastructure,big data,cloud,em,enterprise manager, analytics,ihealth,video

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Dreaming of Work

Say What?!?  Instead of counting sheep, I can count how many emails I need to answer in the morning?  Sure can…at least according to a recent Good Technology survey that indicates that we are working more – an average of 7 hours more per week - but it’s on our own schedule.  More than 80% of working adults in the U.S. continue to work when they have left the office adding another 30 work hours per month.  Most say it’s to stay organized, but others feel they must due to customer needs and the fact that workers find it hard to switch to off work mode when they get home.  Half of us even take the mobile device to bed and answer emails under the covers.  Amazingly, over half of those surveyed also noted that there was no argument from the significant other about the additional home-work.  The mix of personal and work lives are blurring even more.

Our mobile, always-on lifestyle is appreciated by both organizations and workers alike.  Organizations see increased productivity while workers like the freedom to get their work done wherever and whenever.  Of course, data security is always paramount and John Herrema, Good’s SVP of Corporate Strategy said, “When it comes to supporting a ‘bring your own device’ environment, it’s important to take an approach that ensures data security without compromising the employee's privacy or personal experiences. By shifting their management focus from 'devices' to 'apps' and 'data', enterprises can allow employees to get work done on the go whenever they want, and still keep personal information private, separate and safe.”

The study also revealed:

• 68 percent of people check their work emails before 8 a.m.
• The average American first checks their phone around 7:09 a.m.
• 50 percent check their work email while still in bed
• The work day is growing – 40 percent still do work email after 10 p.m.
• 69 percent will not go to sleep without checking their work email
• 57 percent check work emails on family outings
• 38 percent routinely check work emails while at the dinner table

…and the Infographic:

 

ps

References:

• Good Technology Survey Reveals Americans are Working More, but on their Own Schedule
• 80 Percent Of Americans Spend An Extra Day A Week Working After Hours, New Survey Says
• Smartphones Add Hours to the Work Week
• 80% of Americans work an extra 30 hours a month on their own time
• Device-free Days Off: 3 Tips for Powering Down
• Work and personal life blend as people stay in the loop while on the go
• Will BYOL Cripple BYOD?
• What’s in Your Smartphone?
• Freedom vs. Control
• BYOD–The Hottest Trend or Just the Hottest Term

Technorati Tags: F5, smartphone, integration, byod, Pete Silva, security, business, education, technology, application delivery,ipad,mobile device, context-aware,android, iPhone, web, internet, security

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Cloud vs Cloud

The Battle of the Clouds

Aloha!  Welcome ladies and gentleman to the face off of the decade.  The Battle of the Clouds.  In this corner, the up and comer, the phenom that has changed the way IT works, wearing the light shorts - The Cloud!  And in this corner, your reigning champ, born and bred of Mother Nature with unstoppable power, wearing the dark trunks - Storm Clouds!  

You’ve either read about or lived through the massive storm that hit the Mid-Atlantic coast last week.  And, by the way, if you are going through a loss, damage or worse, I do hope you can recover quickly and wish you the best.   The weather took out power for millions including a Virginia ‘cloud’ datacenter which hosts a number of entertainment and social media sites.  Many folks looking to get thru the candle-lit evenings were without their fix.  While there has been confusion and growing pains over the years as to just what ‘cloud computing’ is, this instance highlights the fact that even The Cloud is still housed in a data center, with four walls, with power pulls, air conditioning, generators and many of the features we’ve become familiar with ever since the early days of the dot com boom (and bubble).   They are physical structures, like our homes, that are susceptible to natural disasters among other things.  Data centers have outages all the time but a single traditional data center outage might not get attention since it may only involve a couple companies – when a ‘cloud’ data center crashes, it could impact many companies and like last week, it grabbed headlines.

Business continuity and disaster recovery are one of the main concerns for organizations since they rely on their system’s information to run their operations.  Many companies use multiple data centers for DR and most cloud providers offer multiple cloud ‘locations’ as a service to protect against the occasional failure.   But it is still a data center and most IT professionals have come to accept that a data center will have an outage – it’s just a question of how long and what impact or risk is introduced.  In addition, you need the technology in place to be able to swing users to other resources when a outage occurs.   A good number of companies don’t have a disaster recovery plan however, especially when backing up their virtual infrastructure in multiple locations.  This can be understandable for a smaller start ups if backing up data means doubling their infrastructure (storage) costs but can be double disastrous for a large multi-national corporation. 

While most of the data center services have been restored and the various organizations are sifting through the ‘what went wrong’ documents, it is an important lesson in redundancy….or the risk of lack of.  It might be an acceptable risk and a conscious decision since redundancy comes with a cost – dollars and complexity.  A good read about this situation is Ben Coe’s My Friday Night With AWS.

The Cloud has been promoting (and proven to some extent) it’s resilience, DR capabilities and it’s ability to technologically recover quickly yet Storm Clouds have proven time and again, that it’s power is unmatched…especially when you need power to turn on a data center. 

ps

Resources

• Virginia Storm Knocks Out Popular Websites
• Millions without power as heat wave hammers eastern US
• Amazon Power Outage Exposes Risks Of Cloud Computing
• My Friday Night With AWS
• Modern life halted as Netflix, Pinterest, Instagram go down
• Storm Blamed for Instagram, Netflix, and Foursquare Outages
• (Real) Storm Crushes Amazon Cloud, Knocks out Netflix, Pinterest, Instagram

Technorati Tags: F5, cloud research, integration, cloud computing, Pete Silva, security, business, technology, cloud, aws,disaster recovery, web,internet

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