We eat our own cooking, says Symantec CIO

Stephen Withers
Friday, 11 September 2009 13:08

IT Industry - Market

Symantec believes IT can be used to meet business objectives, and "we eat our own cooking" to prove it to customers, group president and CIO, Symantec Services Group, David Thompson has told iTWire.

The company is a large multinational with some 17,000 employees in 40 countries, and Symantec uses its software to meet its own business needs in terms of protecting its brand and information, as well as ensuring data availability.

"I find it important to be very credible with my peers," Thompson said.

Using a portfolio management methodology along with well-documented processes, he is able to explain to customers how the company achieved its results in this area.

Thompson noted that he asks similar questions of Symantec's suppliers.

A recent project within Symantec has been the deployment of data loss prevention software to help guard the company's intellectual property. The goal was to allow more people to have access to data (which as Thompson pointed out is there to be used) while still protecting it.

The software detects and blocks attempts to take data where it isn't supposed to go, and reports the contravention.

What other 'dishes' is Thompson serving up to his colleagues? See page 2.