Defining the security need matters as much as technology selection. A short requirements brief makes an initial technical discussion more focused. This guide offers preparation questions, rather than replacing a security assessment.
What are you trying to protect?
List critical applications, business data, users and externally accessible services. Identify the assets that matter most to the business and situations that would disrupt operations.
How is access managed?
Separate employee, guest, supplier and remote access scenarios. Identify process owners, approval mechanisms and review requirements.
How visible is the current environment?
Record products, licences, log sources and management tools. Naming the unknowns helps discovery focus on the right questions.
Who will run the operation?
Define responsibilities for day-to-day management, notifications, changes and incident communication. Service hours and response conditions should be explicit in proposals and agreements.