Managed detection and response (MDR) has become one of the most prominent network security solutions available today. A great MDR can take all the headaches out of defending your precious digital assets—not by totally making them disappear, but by handing them off to a third-party provider. The ability to hand off security duties like this has led to the total MDR market growing at just a hair under 30 percent year over year.
As implied by the name, the primary defining characteristic of MDR that sets it apart from some other security offerings is its “managed” aspect. This makes it even more important to find the right MDR partner to get the most value from it. Let’s investigate what to look for in a MDR services provider.
What Is MDR?
When you break it down to its most basic levels, MDR is exactly what’s implied by its name: a managed service for finding and halting network security threats. There are a few elements that go into an MDR solution.
First, there needs to be a security operations center (SOC) where analysts are tracking network developments. From there, experts will intervene if they notice any unusual activity while monitoring your network security.
What Are the Benefits of MDR?
Before you start looking for an MDR services provider, you should learn some of the specific benefits of adopting MDR. Here is a brief rundown of a few of the top reasons why MDR services are becoming so universal:
- You’ll have world-class security experts – Even the most competent IT teams aren’t going to match up with dedicated MDR services analysts and engineers. These are going to be some of the most knowledgeable individuals in the entire world of cybersecurity. It’s wise to tap them to defend your networks.
- Quick response times – Time is always of the utmost importance when dealing with an active threat. With a MDR services provider you can trust, it’s easy to rest easy. You can be confident in their automated response playbooks, as well as the know-how of those who will be responsible for triaging threats.
- It pays for itself – When you get a great MDR services provider, such as Open Systems, with its MDR+ offering, your investment will reward you in little time. With MDR+ deployment, you can expect the services to pay for itself in under six months, with 174 ROI over three years. That should be an easy choice for any stakeholder.
So how can organizations find the best MDR services provider for their needs? There are a few things that can clue you into whether a MDR solution will work for you.
What to Look for in a MDR Services Provider
Everyone wants to find a MDR solution like MDR+ that can offer both improved security and capital efficiency. There’s a reason, however, why every MDR product on the market doesn’t achieve these results. What sets a great MDR services provider apart from the rest?
The overarching models used for building the security strategy are a critical element here. Providers that utilize a DevOps approach are typically going to see better results, as there is more continuous feedback for greater improvement. Similarly, you probably don’t want to go with an unproven MDR solution. Your network security is far too important to choose a provider that doesn’t have a long track record of success.
You should also check to see what kinds of other technologies are integrated with the MDR solution. Does the provider partner with other organizations to build more effective security tools? If so, it’s probably going to offer superior services to an organization that doesn’t work with others.
It would be an understatement to say the MDR services are taking the network security world by storm. There’s a reason why MDR solutions are becoming so popular. Regardless, it’s still important to ensure you find the right MDR services provider.
