11/17/2009 -- No surprise here: Cisco Systems Inc. is tops in the content security segment.

That's according to market watcher Infonetics Research, which says that few shops seem happy with the content security status quo. In fact, Infonetics reports, the complexity involved in managing mixed security threats is actually prompting many organizations to pursue (virtual) cloud deployments.

"When we asked companies what kind of products they are using to combat viruses, spyware and adware, most said they use a mix of host products, gateway appliances and gateway software, including purchased standalone software products and licensed SaaS clients," said Jeff Wilson, principal analyst for network security at Infonetics Research, in a statement.

"This phenomenon is one of the biggest drivers for many companies to move to hosted and cloud-based solutions; appliance sprawl and large and unwieldy client deployments are time-consuming and expensive, and the promise of moving that headache into the cloud is very tempting,"

Overall, three-fifths of shops that plan to go with a SaaS content security solution are doing so because of complexity concerns. "The combination of the high cost of multi-box solutions and the current economic environment has driven cost to the top of the list," Infonetics points out.

In addition to SaaS offerings, shops are turning to virtual appliances, which are perceived as cheaper and more manageable than physical (standalone) offerings.

Cisco is the highest-rated content security vendor, according to users, followed by Symantec. Users were asked to assess vendors based on eight criteria: technology, product roadmap, security, manageability, price-to-performance, cost, vendor financial stability and service. The gap between Cisco and Symantec is particularly narrow, Infonetics concedes.

Interestingly, few if any shops seem to be cutting back on security spending, even in the midst of a protracted economic downturn.

"The majority of respondents say the current global economic climate is not forcing them to cut content security spending," Infonetics reports, citing both regulatory pressure and a "fundamental need to protect confidential information and contain threats." --Stephen Swoyer