Choosing a security information management (SIM) solution can be a confusing, challenging process for today’s security-conscious organizations. Worse yet, companies often lack the insight needed to make sound choices in a SIM solution – one that will protect their valuable assets today and in the future, and do so cost effectively. Whether talking about SIM, security event management (SEM), or the catchall phrase security information and event management (SIEM), companies know that the objective is to secure corporate data and ensure regulatory compliance. So regardless of the terminology, companies are faced with a daunting task in determining which SIM technology is appropriate for the information security issues they are trying to resolve.

This paper can help companies searching for a SIM solution to narrow their options and assist in determining which technology is the right one for their IT environment and security objectives. The following list of 10 pitfalls organizations make when choosing a SIM product can help prevent companies from making these same costly errors, which can lead to unnecessary security risks, complex implementations, user challenges, a lack of scalability, hidden costs, and more. This list of pitfalls is by no means all-inclusive, but offers useful information that can aid in making the right decision in a SIM solution.