NETWORK PROFILE
Wired and wireless access across a 166-acre campus.
CHALLENGES
In 2010, the IT team at Essex Aggie was under increasing pressure to allow faculty- and student-owned devices on the campus network. In the face of reduced state funding, the concept of complementing school-owned technology with personal devices had broad appeal, but there were questions about the risk unsecured personal devices would pose for the campus network, as well as whether the school’s aging infrastructure could handle the load. “I was new to Essex Aggie, but understood immediately the desire for ubiquitous connectivity,” says Kyle Jones, technology manager at Essex Agricultural & Technical High School. “The school needed to first address a challenge that is not uncommon in education: finding a balance between access and security.”
- Expand network access to faculty- and student-owned devices
- Ensure comprehensive network security across the wired and wireless networks
- Automate network security to ensure that only authorized users access the network and that all endpoint devices meet compliance requirements
SOLUTION
Network Sentry Solution, with Network Sentry Foundation, Access Manager, Device Tracker, and Endpoint Compliance
“Our evaluation showed that Network Sentry is scalable and flexible, as well as easy to implement and manage. Plus, once a device—whether personal or school owned—is registered, Network Sentry is completely invisible to our users. This makes Network Sentry ideal for an organization like ours.” – Kyle Jones, Technology Manager
RESULTS
The most significant change Jones and his colleagues have noted is a shift in the Essex Aggie culture. “Students have always been early adopters of technology, but we’ve seen real growth in student interest. They’re visiting the technology office and engaging with the staff on a regular basis. They’re looking for ways to leverage the new capabilities, proposing applications to highlight sports schedules and the cafeteria menu, for example. As educators, this new level of engagement is very exciting and we’re looking forward to building on it.”
- Minimized the time and effort required to identify users and devices and ensure compliance
- Fully automated solution ensured rapid deployment—Network Sentry was up and running in just two days
- Reduced the need for greater investments in school-owned devices