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Securing Multi-Agency Network: Ada County's IoT Solution
Technology Category
- Cybersecurity & Privacy - Network Security
- Networks & Connectivity - Gateways
Applicable Industries
- Electronics
- National Security & Defense
Applicable Functions
- Maintenance
Use Cases
- Inventory Management
- Tamper Detection
Services
- Cybersecurity Services
The Challenge
Ada County, Idaho, is responsible for managing and maintaining security for multiple departments across several cities. The county's multi-agency network includes Emergency Management, Parks and Waterways, Juvenile Court, Paramedics, Waste Management, and more. The challenge was to maintain separate network zones for each agency and specific policies for departments and individuals. The primary focus for the Ada County IT organization was robust integrated security, consolidation of technologies, and centralized management. They needed to integrate the latest network protection strategies for a strong security posture, manage a large distributed security infrastructure, eliminate the administrative burden associated with operating a multi-vendor security solution, and simplify network security management, administration, and reporting.
About The Customer
Ada County, located in Idaho, was named after Ada Riggs, the daughter of H.C. Riggs, one of the founders of Boise. The county includes the cities of Boise, Eagle, Garden City, Kuna, Star, and Meridian. Ada County is responsible for managing and maintaining security for multiple departments across these cities, including Emergency Management, Parks and Waterways, Juvenile Court, Paramedics, Waste Management, and more. With a multi-agency network under its jurisdiction, the county has to maintain separate network zones for each agency as well as specific policies for departments and individuals.
The Solution
Ada County selected Check Point's solutions to address their challenges. The Check Point 12400 and 4600 appliances, along with the UTM-1 appliances, were deployed across the county's network. These appliances provided robust security with up to 30 Gbps of throughput for the largest part of the county’s network. The county also utilized a comprehensive set of Software Blades on each appliance, including Application Control, URL Filtering, Identity Awareness, IPS, DLP, and more for a layered security strategy. The Check Point Software Blade Architecture allowed Ada County to consolidate multiple technologies onto a single gateway. With DLP, the county was able to eliminate unintentional distribution of confidential information over email. The county also used Application Control and URL Filtering Software Blades to block or limit access to web-based applications and websites. Identity Awareness allowed the county to provision its network policy rules based on individual users and groups rather than the PC. All Check Point Software Blades were managed centrally from a Smart-1 management appliance, simplifying administration and reporting.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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