Strengthening Security and Telecommunication Infrastructure: A Case Study of Quala

• Cybersecurity & Privacy - Network Security
• Networks & Connectivity - Gateways

• National Security & Defense
• Telecommunications

• Quality Assurance
• Sales & Marketing

• Construction Management
• Tamper Detection

• System Integration
• Testing & Certification

Quala, a leading manufacturer of mass-market products in Latin America, faced a significant challenge in renovating and strengthening its security and telecommunications infrastructure. The company's internal communications were heavily reliant on the internet, including VoIP, video conferencing, business applications, collaboration tools, file transfer, and instant messaging. This reliance necessitated high-performance networks and a robust security strategy. The company aimed to strengthen its security perimeter to prevent unauthorized users from accessing the network, eliminate conventional telecommunications based on unsafe connections, reduce communication costs while increasing network capacity, and simplify the administration and monitoring of network events and incidents.

Quala is a leading manufacturer of mass-market products in Latin America. Founded in 1980, the company employs nearly 6,000 people and manufactures 9 million units of finished products supplied to over 180,000 direct customers. Quala's internal communications are heavily reliant on the internet, including VoIP, video conferencing, business applications, collaboration tools, file transfer, and instant messaging. The company operates offices in Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic.

Quala turned to Check Point's integrated security solutions to address its security and network challenges. The company implemented the Check Point Software Blade Architecture to secure communication among its offices in Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic. Dedicated channels were replaced by the Check Point IPSEC VPN, a virtual private network that operates over the internet and is centrally administered by Check Point Security Management. Quala also used the Advanced Networking blade to prioritize traffic and optimize the network. In cooperation with Etek International, a Check Point business partner and distributor in Latin America, Quala deployed Software Blades based on the Secure Platform Operating System. The company bundled the Advanced Networking blade, Acceleration and Clustering blade, and the IPSEC VPN blade to create a security gateway. The Check Point SmartEvent Software Blade for Event Analysis and SmartReporter Software Blade for Event Reporting were used to convert the data accumulated by security and network devices into understandable information.

• The implementation of Check Point's integrated security solutions led to a significant improvement in Quala's security and telecommunication infrastructure. The company was able to replace its costly dedicated channels with a VPN operating via the internet, leading to a reduction in communication costs. The solution also allowed Quala's systems administrators to assign an order of priority for each service offered, ensuring quality and timely service at every point on the network. The Check Point SmartEvent Software Blade for Event Analysis and SmartReporter Software Blade for Event Reporting provided valuable security management, enabling the company to analyze bandwidth capacity and quality of service available, administer and monitor network events and incidents, and collect network activity data and automatically generate simple, easy-to-understand reports. The strengthened security infrastructure supports the ERP system and corporate applications, and will be able to deploy antivirus, antispam, and centralized security updates.

• Return on investment was accomplished in one year
• Increased network transmission capacity by 500%
• Reduced communication costs