There's an added benefit to floating towards non-basic solutions: It opens up your market. "We are now building security practices with which we can go global," says Gupta. "We are undertaking assignments outside India with Websense DLP," he says.

Data is the Key

Over the past few years, organizations have traversed the security gamut starting from network security, through Web security and application security, and now to data security. The growing focus on data is apparent from the 73 percent of Indian organizations who say they will increase investments in data protection enhancement during the coming year, according to Indian Information Security Survey 2012. That's a development Prabhakar from Esteem Infotech was tracking for a while before he decided to get into the data security game. Four years ago, the Bangalore-based company moved to DLP, encryption and application control. "Though customers were conservative, we foresaw the best opportunity with these new technologies," says Prabhakar. Two years ago, the company deployed 20,000 licenses of McAfee Application Control for Mphasis' offices across the globe. And today, DLP and encryption contribute to over 40 percent of the Rs 11 crore in revenues it made in the last financial year, says Prabhakar.

Esteem Infotech is definitely an early-mover. But if you missed that first boat, don't worry, it still isn't too late. According to the survey, over 72 percent of Indian organizations plan to implement DLP as a way to protect data in next 12 months.

This sharpening focus on data security is a transition channel partners are beginning to see among their customers. "They (CIOs) cannot control what happens in the network but what's happening to the data is their concern, says ACPL's Bindra. Earlier, he says, HR and business development managers weren't really interested in application or network security. But, now, more data is being owned by company stakeholders and others. "When we talk of DLP, DRM (digital rights management), and BYOD, these groups are much more involved," he says.