Gaining Visibility and Control Over Your Network Devices, Endpoints and End-Users

BOSTON, MA--(Marketwire - October 14, 2010) - Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company (NYSE: HHS) today announced new research which outlines Five Key Capabilities for Gaining Visibility and Control over Your Network Devices, Endpoints and End-Users. Successfully managing the mobility and diversity of the enterprise's computing platforms, network connectivity, applications and data -- while simultaneously balancing the needs of multiple constituencies -- requires organizations to have a greater degree of integration, visibility and control over their network devices, endpoint systems and end-user identities. Capabilities essential for success in this dynamic environment manifest themselves in the ability to address the following five questions:

What devices are on our network?

Which end-users are on our network?

Prior to connection, are the devices in compliance with our established policies?

Post-connection, have the devices sustained compliance with our established policies?

Do we have enterprise-wide visibility into the current status of our network devices, endpoints and end-users, a common management view of relevant information and events, and the ability for automated enforcement of policies?

"Most organizations get started with point solutions for network security, endpoint security and identity and access management which are managed independently, with no integration and independent implementation of policies," said Derek E. Brink, vice president and research fellow for IT Security, Aberdeen Group. "The highest level of maturity is characterized by full integration of network devices, endpoint systems and end-user identities, enterprise-wide visibility based on the aggregation and correlation of relevant information and events, and the ability to automate the enforcement of flexible, multi-dimensional policies."

Aberdeen's research demonstrates that an automated approach leads to enhanced security, higher scale and lower overall cost. To be successful, the automated approach requires not only accuracy in identifying resources, but also standardized responses to incidents, systematic elimination of root causes, and clear and effective communication of remediation results to the owners of the business risks who are impacted.

A complimentary copy of this report is made available in part by Bradford Networks. To obtain a complimentary copy of the report, visit: http://www.aberdeen.com/link/sponsor.asp?spid=30410182&cid=6875&camp=2

For additional access to complimentary Information Technology research, please visit http://research.aberdeen.com/index.php/-information-technology

To view complimentary 30-minute webcasts highlighting findings from this and other Aberdeen IT Security research, visit www.brighttalk.com/channel/290.

About Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company

Aberdeen provides fact-based research and market intelligence that delivers demonstrable results. Having queried more than 30,000 companies in the past two years, Aberdeen is positioned to educate users to action: driving market awareness, creating demand, enabling sales, and delivering meaningful return-on-investment analysis. As the trusted advisor to the global technology markets, corporations turn to Aberdeen for insights that drive decisions.

As a Harte-Hanks Company, Aberdeen plays a key role of putting content in context for the global direct and targeted marketing company. Aberdeen's analytical and independent view of the "customer optimization" process of Harte-Hanks (Information - Opportunity - Insight - Engagement - Interaction) extends the client value and accentuates the strategic role Harte-Hanks brings to the market. For additional information, visit Aberdeen or call (617) 854-5200, or to learn more about Harte-Hanks, call (800) 456-9748.

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