Network Governance System, the key role of the network in finance

Assessing risks correctly and operating with maximum security are two key priorities for all organizations, especially those active in finance and insurance. Addressing these points with awareness means carefully evaluating all potential risk elements, starting from the network, the backbone of all modern hybrid infrastructures. Having a secure and stable network allows financial organizations to reduce the risk of outages and losses and, as a result, to remain competitive in a digital ecosystem that is evolving at an ever-increasing pace. In addition, the complex regulations that banking & finance players must comply with emphasize the need to constantly have up-to-date and timely network documentation available. In this case, if the information is not readily available, processing times are often lengthened and operations require considerable effort from the teams involved.

The solution

For an optimized approach to the network, even in the finance area, the starting point is visibility into the infrastructure. In this regard, IP Fabric is a plug-and-play Network Assurance Platform, executable both on-premises and in the cloud, that enables the generation of a digital model of the network and quickly identifies both known and unknown devices. Through a non-invasive discovery process, IP Fabric creates a network topology available in multiple time snapshots. Thus, it eliminates the need to manually enter data into the Configuration Management Database (CMDB), saving resources and time devoted to this task. IP Fabric's numbers are impressive - We are talking about more than 3,000 network infrastructure nodes discovered and 2,000 pieces of configuration data collected every hour.

The benefits

The benefits of IP Fabric for financial organizations are numerous, spanning several areas of expertise involving the IT area, but also more generally business. Here is a summary of these benefits:

1. Security at scale. The network infrastructure is more diverse and complex than ever, and network and security teams require tools to continuously validate security policy at scale for the whole infrastructure end to end, including private and public cloud, to eliminate potential firewall bypasses or unexpected exit paths.
2. Effective collaboration. Observability across internal silos is critical to the success of the technical teams as collaboration cannot be effective without sharing detailed insights. IP Fabric represents the complete network infrastructure as a single database, including every technical detail necessary for effective collaboration.
3. Precise and up-to-date inventory. It is estimated that approximately 75% of downtime is caused not so much by the failure of technology, but rather by how that technology is configured, administered, and utilized. The technical debt of legacy IT and the need to upgrade to manage the increase in digital banking services is a challenge for organizations in the financial services space. IP Fabric provides a fast and secure tool for documenting enterprise infrastructure across legacy and hybrid networks.
4. Operational Support. Possessing details of the network topology over time allows you to understand what has changed and how you can ensure the right degree of resilience for your network.

The right tool for setting up an effective Network Governance System, therefore, allows for broad visibility into the network infrastructure that, even for the finance world, is the foundation for building an increasingly effective and competitive business.