Advanced network security solutions enable University to realize new levels of security and control over network resources
With a diverse set of users requiring network access, Bryant University needed to be able to track activity and manage the resources to which specific users had access. This led Jonathan Domen, an IT support analyst for Bryant, to begin his search for a robust Network Access Control (NAC) solution.
“Our previous NAC tool was home-grown, developed by a student to identify who was on our network. While it worked, it had limitations,” explains Domen. “We really needed more automation, greater security and more visibility into what was going on in the network.”Domen also hoped to automate the process of registering new users and devices and evaluating potential risks they might introduce on the network.
“We looked at the end stations that were most exposed and asked, how can we mitigate that exposure?” Domen notes. “Security comes in layers, and we needed to apply a secondary layer to those end stations.”
Given the pervasive nature of its network, the University also looked for new ways to leverage its technology for other communication purposes—in particular, to be able to send campus-wide alerts in the event of an emergency.
As they considered which NAC solution would best serve the University’s needs, Domen and his team quickly decided that “must-haves” included automating registration and enforcing access policies without requiring intervention by IT staff. “Before we implemented our current solution we had to send someone to ready each port,” says Domen. “This was very time-consuming, especially at the start of the new semester.”
It was also essential that the NAC solution they chose have an easy-to-use interface, be compatible with the University’s infrastructure, and be non-disruptive for users. Finally, the solution needed to be flexible and scalable enough to adapt to the University’s evolving technology needs and offer a high value at a modest price point.
NETWORK PROFILE
- Wired and wireless access to 3,600 full- and part-time students, all with laptops; 500 faculty, and 300 staff.
CHALLENGES
- Track and manage the resources to which each network user has access.
- Automate the process of registering new users and devices and evaluating potential risk.
- Reduce burden on IT staff who per formed many tasks manually.
SOLUTION
- Campus Manager, with Network Sentry Foundation, Access Manager, and Endpoint Compliance
RESULTS
- Use a single system to control every entry point on the network, register all devices, authenticate all users, and automatically control network access—saving time and resources.
- Leveraged Network Sentry’s persistent agent to ensure continuous compliance with anti-virus and anti-spyware requirements.
- Extended the University’s emergency notification system to include all computers, all offices, common areas, dorm rooms and wireless areas, ensuring consistent, prompt information in the event of an emergency.
- Enforce role-based access control across wired and wireless LANs and the VPN environment.
- Automated software updates on network switches; ensures quick recovery of lost or stolen computers.