The group started their conversation by talking about where they all are in terms of their analytical capabilities. Almost everyone had some version of a SIM in their organization which allows them to collect operational data and some were in the process of building out things like data reservoirs. Other members of the group were in the process of trying to determine the best tools and methods to take all of their existing SIM and actionize it.
The group then went on to talk about data analytics solutions. The question became, “do you build your own, or do you buy something off the shelf?” The group was somewhat divided on this as some felt building a more customized solution was a better fit for them while others cited success in various product offerings from solution providers. In the end, the group agreed that both approaches are valid and the option any organizations goes with will depend mostly on the size and scope of their security needs.
The group also talked about how they communicate the need for data analytics with their boards. The group members agreed that the one thing that they found most useful when communicating this topic to the board or company stakeholders was bringing up the advantages it provides in terms of overall organizational visibility. Several members cited how sharing use cases from their industry peers had been a great help in getting higher ups on board with utilizing big data analytics.