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YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago Enhances Remote Access and Security with Check Point Connectra
Technology Category
- Cybersecurity & Privacy - Endpoint Security
- Cybersecurity & Privacy - Network Security
Applicable Industries
- National Security & Defense
Applicable Functions
- Facility Management
Use Cases
- Inventory Management
- Tamper Detection
Services
- Cybersecurity Services
- System Integration
The Challenge
The YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, one of the largest human services organizations in the nation, faced significant challenges related to remote access connections due to its sheer size and the nature of its operations. The organization runs programs in facilities that are not always their own, and a growing number of employees, particularly at the management level, needed to connect to the network from their home or off-site locations. The challenge was to provide these workers with a way to take their laptops off-site or work from home but still be able to connect to the network and access their desktops to retrieve important information. The organization needed a reliable, secure, and cost-effective solution to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of restricted information.
About The Customer
The YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago is the fourth largest non-profit in Chicago and one of the largest human services organizations in the nation. Through its 65 locations and more than 100 extension sites, the YMCA helps children learn and grow, teaches young people to lead, brings families closer, and encourages individual health and well-being. The organization impacts hundreds of thousands of lives annually, helping to strengthen neighborhoods and respond to community needs across Chicagoland. It is also the largest housing and one of the largest childcare providers in Chicago.
The Solution
The YMCA found its solution in Check Point Connectra, a complete Web security gateway that provides SSL VPN access, comprehensive endpoint security, and integrated intrusion prevention in a single, unified solution. With assistance from RKON Technologies, Inc., the YMCA ran a pilot program that was deployed to a dozen people for six months. Once they were convinced that everything was running reliably, they rolled it out to the rest of their laptop users and anyone trying to gain remote access. The number one advantage of deploying Connectra was centralized management, which saved the support staff a lot of time. Connectra offers simple deployment and its management interface allows IT security departments to oversee an entire remote-access system with only one administrator. It is easy to install, simple to manage, and supports several authentication options.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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