Know your enemies Where is your business most vulnerable? Do you exchange critical private information by email and thus need email protection? Do you store customer, financial, or proprietary technical info on your server and so need protection from hackers? Just what are the biggest threats to your system?

I recommend:  GreenPages offers vulnerability assessment services that find weak spots in your security, and Saint vulnerability scanner software similarly analyzes your systems to identify threats. AlertSite offers a 30-day free trial of its online vulnerability scanning.

Compare McAfee products Once you know what to worry about, explore the McAfee family. Depending on your security needs, you may need only one or more standalone products for countering specific threats, such as viruses, or you may opt for an all-in-one package designed to cover every known risk. Get as much security as your budget will bear.

I recommend:  Check out an overview of all McAfee security products, and examine the chart that compares different versions of its all-in-one 'Total Protection' solution. View the Total Protection demo for small business.

See what others say Even if you're already sold on McAfee, it makes sense to learn as much as you can about its strengths and weaknesses. Are there problems you need to be on the lookout for? Is there another product you should deploy with McAfee to make it work better?

I recommend:  Read a PC World review comparing McAfee to other options and PC Magazine review analyzing McAfee itself. See what folks are saying in the users group.

Take a trial run You can try any McAfee solution free for 30 days. Make sure you try before you buy.

I recommend:  Download the Total Protection package for small business 30-day trial.

Shop around Prices for all McAfee products vary by retailer.

I recommend:  See what Pricegrabber.com comes up with for Total Protection at various retailers.