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Enabling Modern Workplace for 70,000 Users with Zscaler™ in the Largest Local Government Agency in the U.S.
Technology Category
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Public Cloud
- Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Application Development Platforms
Applicable Industries
- Cities & Municipalities
- Telecommunications
Use Cases
- Cybersecurity
- Intrusion Detection Systems
Services
- Cybersecurity Services
- Training
The Challenge
The largest local government agency in the U.S., a California County government, was faced with the challenge of rapidly adopting a scalable zero trust network access solution to enable a smooth transition to a Work-From-Anywhere (WFA) model due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The County, with 110,000 employees and over 12 million citizens, had to secure data for a significant number of remote employees almost overnight. The County operates as 36 autonomous groups, each with its own IT staff and technology applications, except for services like cybersecurity. The challenge was to quickly secure access to thousands of applications, for which the cybersecurity team had no prior visibility.
About The Customer
The customer is the largest local government agency in the U.S., a California County government, with 110,000 employees and over 12 million citizens. Established in 1850, it is one of the nation’s largest Counties geographically and demographically at 4,084 square miles. With approximately 27 percent of California’s population, the County is charged with providing services including law enforcement, tax collection, public health protection, social services, elections and flood control. The County operates as 36 autonomous groups, each supporting its own IT staff and technology applications, with the exception of services like cybersecurity.
The Solution
The County selected Zscaler as a holistic zero trust network access solution. Initially, they deployed Zscaler Private Access (ZPA), a VPN-free solution, to meet its immediate WFA needs. ZPA uses two lightweight applications, Client Connector and App Connector, to accomplish its zero-trust mission. Once Client Connector was on user devices, the cybersecurity team could see what internal applications each user needed, and then App Connector was implemented accordingly. The County then expanded its Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange™ platform deployment by adopting Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA) to protect cloud-based applications accessed via the Internet. Zscaler’s direct peering connection to Microsoft was a plus for accelerating, simplifying and securing Office 365 access. The County also utilized Zscaler’s professional services to meet the compressed deadline for migrating approximately 70,000 workers from an existing solution to ZIA.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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