IBM Releases Virtual Server Security App

IBM on Friday jumped on the virtualization security bandwagon with the release of
Virtual Server Security for VMware vSphere, an application designed to secure workloads
running on virtual servers.

New software from Big Blue promises better security, visibility and scalability for virtual data centers.

Enterprise as well as small and midsized businesses continue to embrace virtualization
technology from the likes of VMware, Microsoft and a raft of open source vendors to cut
datacenter costs, reduce energy and improve efficiency in their IT networks.

But storing and managing all these virtual servers along with hundreds if not
thousands of physical presents a number of security and configuration
headaches for IT administrators.

IBM officials said Virtual Server Security helps address these new concerns by
providing protection for every layer of an enterprise’s virtual infrastructure including
the hypervisor, operating system, network, applications, server-based virtual desktops,
virtual machine and traffic between virtual machines.

The application suite includes a Virtual Network Access Control feature that limits
network access form a virtual server until a security posture is confirmed and rootkit
detection and prevention to increase virtual server uptime.

“Clients are asking for solutions to secure their data centers as they move from a
traditional environment to virtual deployments,” Brian Truskowski, general manager of
IBM’s virtualization security group, said in a statement. “IBM has built this solution
based on the feedback of hundreds of customers looking to answer this urgent need.”

The tight integration with VMware’s vSphere suite
will give Virtual Server Security customers better visibility, security granularity and
scalability for their VMware-based virtual datacenters.

“For data center managers needing security solutions for their virtualized
environments, the combination of IBM Virtual Server Security for VMware, together with
VMware vSphereT, can provide better visibility and control of data down to the finest
granular level, preempting threats before they materialize,” said Shekar Ayyar, VMware’s
vice president of infrastructure alliances.

The new application suite includes virtual infrastructure monitoring and reporting to
identify vulnerabilities as well as virtual network segment protection to control access
to the virtualized workloads.

IBM said Virtual Server Security will be available in December.

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Article courtesy of InternetNews.com