This is the second blog of a two-part series. Read the first blog here. The blog is authored by Dhiman Deb Chowdhury, product management, distributed services switches, HPE.
Secured edge to cloud
To manage the evolving and growing network demands. organizations need to shift from having diverse infrastructures with multiple tools and policies to execute daily operations. To deliver the speed and scale required, businesses need to invest in a modern network infrastructure that is secure, reliable and decreases complexity. HPE Aruba Networking’s Edge Services Platform (ESP) not only offers seamless connectivity from edge to cloud, but also provides effective security mechanisms to protect scalable network infrastructure while orchestrating it through HPE Aruba Networking Central. The foundational block of this framework is a security envelope that adheres to the zero trust construct and utilizes AIOps for enhanced visibility and optimization from day one.
From device onboarding to network operations, Central delivers unparalleled AIOps for network optimization and management. For example, the AI search capability of Central extends analytics and AI-based suggestions for improved design decisions at new and existing sites during device onboarding. Similarly, its AI engine automatically records support cases once an anomaly is detected that may result in adverse network condition if not intervened.
AI-driven threat detection and response
AI-powered threat detection and response mechanisms continuously analyze vast amounts of network data in real time, identifying patterns and anomalies that may indicate potential security threats. By leveraging machine learning algorithms, these solutions can:
- Identify Zero-Day threats: AI models trained on diverse data sets can detect new, previously unknown threats based on their behavior, even before signature-based systems recognize them.
- Automate responses: When a threat is detected, the system can automatically initiate pre-defined response actions, such as isolating affected network segments, blocking malicious traffic, or alerting security personnel, thus minimizing response times and reducing potential damage.
HPE Aruba Networking has long been a leader in behavioral and signature-based analysis through network insights. With the addition of AI and machine learning, these insights are more dynamic, allowing pattern modelling that can be shared across multiple operators.
Additional AI-powered features in Central are designed to simplify time-to-resolution and improve administrator confidence. These features include: a Natural Language Processing (NLP)-based search, event-driven AI Assist, and Application Insights.
Dynamic segmentation and microsegmentation
Dynamic segmentation and microsegmentation technologies ensure that security policies are enforced at the most granular level and limit the lateral movement of attackers within the network by compartmentalizing different parts of the network into isolated segments. HPE Aruba’s award-winning ClearPass Policy Manager and Central NetConductor utilize dynamic segmentation to enforce robust Network Access Control (NAC) and further examine traffic through a firewall implemented in the mobility controller or other gateways. Traffic is then tunneled to its destination, whether an application or other endpoints, through dynamic overlays.
In addition, switches like the HPE Aruba Networking CX10000 bring microsegmentation and other network services capabilities to the edge of networks via embedded DPU technology within the switch. Microsegmentation can augment the security posture of campus and data center networks, limiting the blast radius to a specific microsegment within the network in case of a successful attack.
The CX 10000 also offers service chaining capabilities, adding features such as workload group policy for tagging applications and associated policies, DDoS protection, IPSEC, NAT, and firewall, to name a few.
Conclusion
While traditional security models like zero trust and centralized firewalls are foundational, they are often insufficient in isolation against the sophisticated threats faced by modern networks. HPE's security-first, AI-powered networking solutions offer an integrated, adaptive, and scalable approach that provides comprehensive protection. By leveraging AI-driven threat detection, dynamic segmentation, and centralized management, these solutions not only enhance security but also improve operational efficiency, making them a critical component of any advanced cybersecurity strategy.
In the next part of this series, we will delve deeper into real-world applications and case studies showcasing how organizations have successfully implemented HPE's security-first, AI-powered networking to transform their cybersecurity posture. Stay tuned for practical insights and examples of these technologies in action.
Related resources
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