When a business customer comes to you and apologetically explains that today, more than ever before, he simply cannot afford surprises that cost him money, you should immediately agree.

Because if a customer is that serious about wanting to avoiding costly surprises, he will agree that investing in a comprehensive IT security strategy that protects business data at multiple points is a wise move.

Ask him to imagine the impact of an attack on his organization's network that not only breaches security defenses and disrupts network operations, but also advances to the application layer, where it destroys critical data backup routines, erases data restore points and blocks security web sites that deliver real-time virus updates, all while crippling network bandwidth and slowing remediation.

This is the Conficker worm.

More Than Just a Worm
First detected in November 2008, Conficker uses a combination of advanced malware techniques that make it tough to beat, but how the worm causes havoc is pretty simple. The Conficker worm finds a vulnerable computer, turns off the automatic backup service, deletes any previous restore points, disables security services and then blocks access to a number of security websites. Then it contacts other infected computers to receive additional programs from whoever created it.

All this makes Conficker the largest worm infection since the 2003 SQL Slammer attack, and it's just one example of the increasing threats that organizations face today. When you understand the complexity of these advanced threats, it becomes evident that a single approach to stopping them might not be the most effective way.

The Suite Approach
This is why leading security vendors such as Symantec are making the move to comprehensive suites of security and data protection solutions. This shift to a strategy that bundles proactive endpoint security, desktop backup and recovery, and messaging security technology not only enables you to offer a deeper set of security and data protection resources, but also gives your customers better protection at a lower overall cost when compared to point products.

For example, the new Symantec Protection Suite Enterprise Edition and the new Symantec Protection Suite Small Business Edition now include backup and recovery technology for desktops and laptops. This backup and recovery solution gives your customers the ability to backup and recover critical information that is often created at the individual user level. With the addition of Backup Exec System Recovery Manager, it gives you a way to centrally manage your customers' fleet of PCs and laptops from Symantec's Backup Exec console. This makes it easier to protect your customers and their employees. With the market-leading technology in the Symantec Protection Suite, you can cast a wider net of protection over your clients to help prevent complex attacks such as Conficker.

The move towards security and data protection suites also simplifies licensing for Symantec partners. The new Symantec Protection Suite Enterprise Edition now has built-in network access control (NAC) self-enforcement. This NAC capability has always been part of Symantec's stand-alone endpoint protection capabilities, but now partners no longer need to license it separately. Why not make it easier to have a wider conversation about security, with a simpler licensing process and built-in security compliance?

And there's more. For small business customers with fewer than 100 employees, Symantec partners can now deliver the additional peace of mind of endpoint protection. New Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition delivers comprehensive endpoint protection through antivirus and anti-spyware protection, intrusion prevention and firewall -- all in an easyto- install and easy-to-use console that is built on the technology and performance in the award-winning Symantec Endpoint Protection, but specifically designed for small business customers. This new product is included in the new Symantec Protection Suite Small Business Edition and includes desktop backup and recovery as well as messaging security for Microsoft Exchange -- all in a small business suite that would cost significantly more if sold as standalone products.

Symantec Protection Suite is the foundation for growing your business and protecting your customers' network and endpoints. The cross-sell opportunities are where you can realize unlimited potential. Return to your customers 90 days or six months after they move to the Protection Suite, and add on the BrightMail Gateway or Symantec Network Access Control Appliance, Enterprise Vault, BESR Server and Manager to complement BESR Desktop. And don't forget Altiris CMS or SMS to pull it together in the management of your customer's infrastructure.

Only Symantec can offer this opportunity to build on a suite and significantly grow your business.