Compliance Management, Critical Infrastructure Security, Privacy, Security Strategy, Plan, Budget

IT-GRC: Agiliance

And so we reach the end of this year's batch of innovators. But, as we look at this subcategory, we find that it wraps the whole shebang into a neat package, defining what needs to be done to secure the enterprise (and prove it) and why. IT-GRC (governance, risk and compliance) management is the framework around which the entire notion of the secure enterprise is built. It is both the “why” and the “how” of information assurance.

Agiliance was ahead of the curve in 2005 when it started out, but today the market is beginning to catch up. That forward vision by itself would be enough to make them an innovator. But knowing that something is necessary is not enough if you cannot deliver on the vision.

Agiliance has a few things in its background that have helped it realize its vision. First, there is a heritage of automation that taught it to attach to other devices, tools and management frameworks that are measuring asset controls. This allows a global view with appropriate granularity.

Second, their flagship product is purpose-built from the ground up to what it is intended to do – provide IT-GRC management. Since it is not a suite of glued together products, it does not need to be integrated to work. From the beginning, sophisticated risk intelligence and management went into the product. The system is built on the dual foundations of security and compliance. Still, the market has its challenges and opportunities.

The economic climate, an ongoing theme for most of our innovators, requires that customers see benefits in the shortest possible time. Thus, customers need to be educated as to the benefits of IT-GRC. This education needs to extend to vendors and consultants as well. Since customers need a quick hit economically, they often think about consultants. Consultants, in turn, need to deliver quick results. Tools such as those from Agiliance are enablers in that regard.

Agiliance expects, as do I, a new wave of regulatory requirements. These will form a major driver for their products and that, in turn, will be driven by customer insistence on automated processes. That, it turns out, is right in Agiliance's sweet spot.

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