Flowmon helps organisations counter cyber attacks

The number of DDoS attacks and digital security breaches continue to increase at an alarming rate this year. Rapid detection is crucial for this. Flowmon Networks provides solutions for organisations to help counter cyber attacks.



Network monitoring and protection

Since 2007 Flowmon Networks has been providing solutions for network monitoring and protection. Around ten years later the Company has clients and partners in five continents. In 2013 the successful growth was acknowledged by a placement in Deloitte Technology Fast 50 and earlier this year, by inclusion in Gartner Magic Quadrant for Network Performance Monitoring & Diagnostics (NPMD). Frank Dupker is responsible for the daily operations, clients and partners in the Benelux. “Last year we started countering DDoS attacks via our new DDoS Defender solution, because our clients have the most need for this. Both Internet Service Providers, and organisations with critical cloud /web applications.”

Providing more insight into Network traffic, and detecting abnormalities

The heart of the Flowmon Solution consists of software and hardware that makes all network traffic of an organisation insightful in real time, and detects abnormalities. With the aim to respond quickly and proactively to potential cyber attacks, and to optimize network performance. “We are approached by clients for various business problems, in which the prevention of DDos attacks are still very common,” Dupker follows. "But also for detecting abnormalities in a broader sense, network performance monitoring and the monitoring of critical applications. Our focus on the prevention of DDos attacks has led to a strategic partnership with NaWas (Nationale Anti-DDos Wasstraat). Providers such as Cyso, RoutIT and Uniserver also make use of our solutions.”

Performance monitoring and diagnosis

The initial specialization of Flowmon Networks, namely performance monitoring and diagnosis, is an application for which, according to Dupker, there is less budget available, than for cyber security. Obviously both applications are closely intertwined. Organizations to which performance monitoring is very important are financial service providers, internet service providers, retailers and hospitals. Vosko is an active partner in the Netherlands, which provides among others, the Hague Hospital and Amstelland Hospital with Flowmon solutions. With the aim to monitor the performance and continuity of care applications, and based on device and user profiles, detect abnormalities from normal traffic, to take quick and corrective action.

NPMD market

Based on research into the NPMD market, Gartner estimates the scope thereof at about $ 1.1billion, with an annual growth potential of about 10%. They see it as a segment of the much larger network management market. In 2016, the company was positioned in Gartner’s 2016 Magic Quadrant for Network Performance Monitoring & Diagnostics. This indication has also led to large ICT consultancies evaluating and testing their business solutions. “In comparison to most other NPMD providers, we have only been active on the market for a very short time,” Dupker follows up. “From the feedback of larger clients it however appears that we provide similar functionality as ‘leaders’ in Gartner’s quadrant, for only a third of their price.”

Benelux

Because of the initial focus on countering cyber attacks, this is the greatest area of application of Flowmon in the Benelux. Followed by network performance monitoring, and in a broad sense, advanced detection systems. In 2015 Aazoo, Infradata, Quanza and Simac BMS were appointed as new partners, and the revenue was doubled. “Service providers often opt for virtualized solutions, while others companies prefer physical collectors in the form of ‘appliances’,” Dupker explains. “There are however ISP’s who purchase appliances and offer these to their clients, based on a ‘pay-per-use’ service direction. Except providers and hospitals, among other a number of large banks use our network monitoring solutions, however they are not yet ready to communicate about this.”

Other monitoring applications

Other applications for which Dupker is approached by potential clients includes, protecting and optimising VoiP services to telecom providers, and monitoring data center relocations. “Comparable to ISP’s, traditional telecom providers also come across increasingly more cyber criminals and hackers, which threatens to disrupt the continuity of their services. Further, data and voice communication is often processed and managed via the same network infrastructure. The monitoring of all network traffic during the relocation of a data center is a relatively new area of application for us. The request is also received from financial service providers, because they want to prevent security risks and performance dips during the relocation.”

 

Infosecurity Magazine 10/2016