7/19/2007 -- Unless you were off napping in a networking closet somewhere, you probably know that Cisco Systems Inc. kicked off its much-ballyhooed Self-Defending Network version 3.0 launch late last month.

But is there more to Self-Defending Network 3.0 than an acronym and its associated marketing collateral? Analysts think so.

"[Cisco] is now able to offer its customers broader threat protection technology in the form of leading anti-spam solutions...[and] is on the path toward supporting security technology that is further integrated into its network architecture," wrote Charlotte Dunlap, a senior analyst for enterprise security with consultancy Current Analysis. "Cisco will eventually support e-mail and Web security that is more deeply embedded into the infrastructure. Most competitors, other than Secure Computing, are going to be hard-pressed to demonstrate this same level of integration ability."

Self-Defending Network 3.0 isn't a complete slam dunk, however. Dunlap noted that Cisco must "follow through and deliver within the next 12 months."

Timing is, in fact, key. By any standard, Dunlap said, Cisco's Self-Defending Network vision is an ambitious one. Cisco plans to integrate its network-level security products with IronPort's e-mail, Web and IM technology, she pointed out.

And the networking giant's timetable for doing as much is no less ambitious: Over the next 12 months, Cisco expects to integrate IronPort's reputation service with its own Adaptive Security Appliances firewalls.

"This will provide a better understanding of the reputation of the site the firewall is logging into and a more holistic view of network traffic," Dunlap said.

Elsewhere, Cisco plans to integrate IronPort's reputation services with its Cisco Integrated Services Routers (ISR) and MARS and NAC products.

Cisco's competitors aren't exactly sitting still, of course.

"Cisco's closest competitor in this space, Secure Computing, has not lost any time integrating the reputation services of CipherTrust into its flagship products. Cisco also faces continued integration efforts within Symantec Mail Security, recently enhanced as a unified solution that integrates e-mail, Web and IM security with its flagship archiving product," Dunlap said.

On the whole, however, Dunlap is optimistic about Cisco's Self-Defending Network push.

"After paying a hefty price for its most recent acquisition, Cisco has everything in place to augment and enhance its infrastructure products significantly. If the company can successfully achieve its integration plans while continuing to innovate in the secure messaging arena, it will shake up the network security market," she said. --Stephen Swoyer