Guest Columnist: Donald Massaro, Sendmail, Inc.
Content Monitoring/Data Leak Prevention: A Product Illusion?
In the world of information technology, standalone products tend to devolve over time, eventually collapsing into applications running on some other device. A myriad of examples range from dedicated word processors, to GPS tracking devices, and now to cell phones—all formerly introduced to the marketplace as individual gadgets, but over time morphed into applications running on some other platform.
This metamorphosis is what I call a Product Illusion. Today, this phenomenon is occurring in the message security space, specifically with regard to Content Monitoring/Data Leak Prevention (CM/DLP). In the past few years, DLP products have been the must-have solution to help enterprises eliminate the dissemination of potentially damaging information. Larger companies have recently snapped up several companies in the space (Symantec Corporation's acquisition of Vontu, Inc. for example) because the acquirer sees DLP as being part of a bigger secure messaging solution. It shouldn't take long for the DLP product to take on the characteristics of an application that becomes incorporated onto some other common foundation.
Enter the "Message Processor"
A message processor is basically a platform designed to handle and manage high volumes of messages using a common policy framework that controls a virtually unlimited number of filters, or policies. Message processors are intended to incorporate multiple inbound and outbound messaging applications, which then allow customers to build scalable, customized solutions for their particular set of requirements. In this view of the world, a DLP application becomes an important addition to a messaging framework, no more or less valuable than encryption or any other compliancemandated solution.
Historically, message gateways were adept at (SMTP) email routing and policy enforcement, but fell short when it came to other modalities (IM, Webmail, FTP) and endpoint management. While newly funded companies came into the market to fill these gaps with stand-alone products, the integration and management of these additional solutions has created new headaches for already-frustrated IT management. Now these products become "application layers" that can be easily added to a message processing system. As this happens, enterprises will be able to reap all the technology benefits from these innovative solutions, while decreasing the cost and complexity of maintaining their data centers.
As a life-long student of history, I am always amazed at how history repeats itself. It was only a few years ago that we could spend several thousand dollars to get a proprietary navigation system in a luxury automobile. Today you can get a GPS navigation system for US$9.95 a month that runs on your PDA. Products are going to continue to turn into applications that run on more powerful multi-use platforms that give the customer more flexibility, choice and cost-savings than ever before. And when that happens, we all win. DM/TMP