The Open-Source Business Strategy: 8 Simple Rules

Today, networking, security, and the internet comprise a large portion of our daily lives. Vast amounts of data are transmitted, as we trust and rely on communications to deliver day after day. If it moves from point A to point C, do we care about how it got there? Could it have been faster? Could it have been more secure? What is point B? Is it secure? Is it vulnerable? Is it stable? Is it necessary? Does it matter? For most people, it doesn't matter and it will be overlooked. If it works, there's no problem, and if it's not broken, there's nothing to fix. But how easily can it be broken?

Wireless networks work great without encryption methods. An un-patched server functions normally and without any cause for alarm. The outdated firmware on your internet gateway for which there is a known denial of service or buffer overflow, performs as usual on a daily basis. No problem. But when an individual in the parking lot, across the US, or in another country port scans your network and now knows, BIG PROBLEM.

Reality is that internet attacks are on the rise. New viruses are released daily. System vulnerabilities are exposed and patches deployed weekly. Telecommuters need secure access into the corporate network. Salespeople need roaming wireless access within the corporate office. Servers need bandwidth availability for large data transfers. Internet connections, e-mail services, and applications must be reliable and secure.

The achievement of reliable and secure communication in this digital age is an ongoing process and Open Consulting is your ally.