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What endpoint security systems do companies need?
This week, bloggers look into advances in endpoint security systems, achieving greater functionality with AirCheck G2 and the continued role of the command-line interface in an API era.
Jon Oltsik, an analyst at Enterprise Strategy Group in Milford, Mass., sees both traditional and next-generation endpoint security systems coming on the market from a variety of vendors. Among newly announced endpoint security systems, Symantec Endpoint Protection vies with other comprehensive products from Cylance, CrowdStrike and Carbon Black. As vendors compete to offer endpoint security suites, Oltsik said that the industry needs clearer definitions and a better sense of what customers want.
Oltsik's fellow analyst, Doug Cahill, set out to better define endpoint security systems a few years ago. He identified features such as machine learning, next-generation antivirus, advanced detection and layered security controls. According to Oltsik, subsequent research indicates that endpoint security suites will offer flexible services, crossover between endpoint security and endpoint management and perhaps a single-agent design like the one premiered by Symantec. "It seems like endpoint security suites will proliferate over the next few years," Oltsik said.
Dig deeper into Oltsik's thoughts on endpoint security systems.
Extending AirCheck G2 functionality
Lee Badman, blogging in Wirednot, said "it's easy to want to gush," talking about the NetScout AirCheck G2 testing tool. Badman said he's equally excited about another gadget, a G2 test accessory that can be used to add iPerf-based throughput testing throughout the network.
The G2 is able to quickly discover the test adaptor, which runs off Power over Ethernet and is easily added to the network. Taken in combination with other test report data, iPerf functionality adds additional troubleshooting for WLAN testing. "Testing is as push-button simple as anything else on the G2, and multiple test accessories can be deployed in different parts of the network for testing a variety of paths," Badman said.
Read more of Badman's thoughts on NetScout AirCheck G2.
APIs vs. CLI: The debate continues
Ivan Pepelnjak, writing in IP Space, took a moment to "debunk vendor myths" regarding the future of command-line interface (CLI). "Is CLI a living dead and kept alive only because grumpy old men continue to use it?" Pepelnjak asked. Pepelnjak said application programming interfaces (API) are great for accessing devices, systems or software packages from an upstream orchestration or provisioning system. On the other hand, many program-to-program APIs like gRPC or REST are difficult for human operators to work with, making CLI a sought-after necessity.
For many applications, having CLI atop an API is convenient practice. Pepelnjak points out that Juniper's Junos OS had a CLI option for 15 years and both Amazon Web Services and OpenStack API offer CLI versions. "In short: a CLI which talks to the API allows humans to tweak and optimize the systems directly (without going through an umbrella orchestration system UI) without the human being bogged down with the minutia of URL components, HTTP cookies, or JSON syntax," Pepelnjak added.
Explore more of Pepelnjak's thoughts on APIs and CLI.
