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Small
business entrepreneurs are always looking for cost-effective business
solutions. In a very aggressive market it is necessary to do things
cheaper and faster then the competition. Being among so many organizations
conducting business on the web, a powerful and secure Internet presence
is essential to success.
With Internet
attacks continuing to rise, network security is no longer a luxury.
Smaller organizations have the same security requirements and productivity
requirements as large enterprises but are consumed with limited
budgets. Digitize, Inc. is a small but dynamic electronic manufacturing
company in New Jersey. With 23 employees, Digitize, like any organization,
was concerned about the security and efficiency of their network.
As the only IT administrator on staff Harold Westra was interested
in finding an easy to use secure way to optimize the productivity
of their employees and network. Turning to Guardian Digital for
a solution, Westra was introduced to Internet Productivity Suite.
Problem:
Control Limitations
Looking to abandon the outdated firewall appliance
and older version window based mail server they had in place, Westra
began exploring alternatives. "In an effort to increase the efficiency
of our network as well as our employees, I wanted to find a system
that would give me more control over the company's email and Internet
usage. It was also important that we found a product that would
supply us with VPN services so that our mobile users could securely
access internal information," states Westra.
Customer Requirements
Before choosing
products to evaluate, Westra did extensive research on possibilities
based on the stringent selection criteria of Digitize. Besides more
system control capabilities, security was another necessary factor.
Housing sensitive data on their network, the threat of virus and
intrusion attacks was a key concern. Engineered to be secure, Internet
Productivity Suite virtually eliminates common Internet threats
with its multi-layered network defense features. More then just
a firewall, Internet Productivity Suite contains intrusion detection,
authentication mechanisms, access controls, spam and virus protection
to consistently protect the integrity of the network.
"We depend
on email and our website tremendously to communicate and provide
information to our customers. A compromise of our system would cause
a dramatic loss in sales and customers, writes Westra. We really
needed to find a rock-solid security system," he continues.
Being solely
responsible for system administration and maintenance, Westra needed
to chose a system that also included quality support services. Guardian
Digital Secure Network (GDSN) is the best way to maintain and continue
securing a corporate network. The GDSN is the most proactive means
to keep the systems updated while at the same time receiving authoritative
advice, information, and additional services from the experts. Providing
automatic updates, customized security improvements, rapid response
from tech support and many more services, the Guardian Digital Secure
Network delivers the comprehensive support services required by
Digitize.
Internet
Productivity Suite
Guardian Digital
Internet Productivity Suite is an all-in-one security and productivity
management system. Designed specifically for smaller organizations,
such as Digitize, IPS includes all the features necessary to create
and maintain a powerful Internet presence. Features include:
- Core Internet
Services Including WEB, DNS & FTP
- Secure Message
Management
- Network &
Host Intrusion Detection
- Secure Proxy
Management
- Secure Wireless
Integration
- Windows File
& Print Services
- Secure Virtual
Private Networking
The Competition
Considering
many small business applications including Suse Open Exchange Server
and E-Smith, Westra found Internet Productivity Suite to be the
most complete, feature rich system available. "Internet Productivity
Suite had more features including an auto-back up scheduler, customizable
email rules and quality support services of any system we examined.
The totality of the system truly impressed me," said Westra.
The Perfect
Solution
Possessing
everything Digitize needed in a small business server, Internet
Productivity Suite was the clear choice. "The benefits we received
after implementing the IPS have been numerous. We are now more adept
to enforce company policies in regards to email and Internet usage;
we can block unknown attachment extension to prevent email born
viruses, limit attachment size to protect network and mail server
resources and much more. Webmail and VPN services allow our mobile
users to access email and other important information from anywhere
while system and vulnerability scanning ensures our network remains
secure.
Easy Implementation
Running Internet
Productivity Suite on a Windows-based system was an easy transition
for the 2 server network. "After testing, it took only 1 day to
secure IPS on our network, states Westra." Using Internet Productivity
Suite for secure messaging and proxy management, Digitize has enjoyed
many new features not available on their previous systems. Email
rules, spam controls and proxy authentication have proven to be
invaluable assets to the company.
Customer
Conclusion
Internet Productivity
Suite has enhanced the security and productivity at Digitize, Inc.
"We were able to receive everything we required without having to
purchase costly hardware appliances. With Internet Productivity
Suite on our network we can now better enforce company policies,
regulate email for security purposes, save time managing spam and
allow mobile users to access internal information from outside the
LAN," said Westra.
Guardian Digital
vulnerability scanning and detailed reports ensure Digitize consistently
has the information necessary to keep their network secure. Continuing
to providing comprehensive support services has also reinforced
their purchasing decision. "We are very satisfied on the level of
support we have received. On the day our server went live, response
time and eradication of issues could not have been faster," writes
Westra.
"Overall, Internet
Productivity Suite has addressed all our requirements and then some.
With multiple solutions being offered in an all-in-one cost-effective
system we are confident our company will realize a strong return
on investment in a short amount of time."
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