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SonicWALL Security and High Availability Create New Foundation for Advanced Learning Network at College Prep Powerhouse

Posted on: Tuesday, 14 August 2007, 09:20 CDT

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Aug. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- SonicWALL, Inc. announced today that it has deployed an advanced learning network at renowned Silicon Valley college prep establishment, Presentation High School, leveraging the complete portfolio of SonicWALL solutions to create a safe, secure and reliable network. The school is now able to offer staff, students and parents all the benefits of the most current Internet-enhanced learning and communications through an enterprise-class network that includes significant new capabilities in network security, wireless networking, remote access, disaster recovery, content filtering and reporting.

Presentation High School (PHS), based in San Jose, California, is known as one of the most academically advanced educational institutions in a highly competitive metro area. In order to combat waves of Internet threats, increase the reliability of the network and introduce new capabilities such as wireless and remote access, the school undertook a complete upgrade of its existing infrastructure based on the full portfolio of SonicWALL's security, connectivity and data protection technology. IT consultant Jeffrey Martin and SonicWALL worked with the school to create an integrated, easily-managed system which not only provides for the school's current needs but will also scale and adapt to meet future requirements.

"The SonicWALL network provides the solution to our major concern, the safety of our students while they are on our network, without compromising the reliability of our network infrastructure," said Mary Miller, Principal of Presentation High School. "Our primary goal for the network upgrade was to enable the school to take advantage of technology while remaining secure and in control of the information entering and leaving the network.

"We are now able to move ahead with a fundamental lifestyle change, using our secure network to meet the on- and off-campus needs of students, staff, faculty, parents and even guests. Faculty and staff can now access the school network remotely without fear of online threats. We use wireless connections in the classroom and common areas. The flood of spam has been reduced to a mere trickle and we have precise control over access to Internet content. In addition, our information is backed up on an ongoing basis without need for manual intervention. The new network has opened up a wealth of new opportunities for us to help students meet their academic goals."

"The physical installation of the network is just the first step in deploying a secure and stable network," said Douglas Brockett, vice president and general manager at SonicWALL. "The true benefit comes from developing policies to control and protect the school network while at the same time providing the user community with simple access to the tools and resources they need. The PHS environment, with its mixed user base of students, faculty, parents and visitors, requires special attention to who can access the network and how they are authenticated. We are very pleased to continue our work with

the school and Jeff Martin as they set policies and explore the potential of this unique network."

Jeffrey Martin said, "This advanced deployment brings together SonicWALL's entire product set, and provides a good illustration of the breadth and depth of the company's current offerings. In just three years, through technology development, acquisition and organic growth, SonicWALL has transformed itself from a network security hardware company to a broad-based security solutions provider."

Network configuration

The PHS network comprises seven distinct security areas which combine into a complete secure network solution: network security, dynamic threat protection, secure wireless, remote access, email security, content management, and backup and recovery.

Network Security

Four powerful security appliances are installed in redundant high-availability pairs to protect the network from external and internal threats. Two SonicWALL PRO 5060 gigabit security firewalls are deployed at the network perimeter, running Unified Threat Management (UTM) services including gateway anti-virus, anti-spyware and intrusion prevention. Two SonicWALL PRO 4100 appliances provide internal workgroup security, monitoring traffic between critical servers such as email and parent connections, and all the desktops and laptops in classrooms, offices and computer labs.

Dynamic Threat Protection

The core network security solution provides several layers of anti-virus, spyware and malware protection. SonicWALL's Unified Threat Management services run on the PRO Series units, monitoring traffic coming into and out of the network. For layered protection, the SonicWALL/McAfee desktop and server anti-virus programs have been installed on all computers on the network

Secure Wireless

A controlled release approach was used for deployment of the wireless network in order to ensure stable deployment delivering high performance and secure, authenticated access. 66 SonicWALL SonicPoint G access points have been installed throughout the PHS campus to provide for secure WiFi Internet access with multiple SSIDs, all with unique security policies. SonicWALL's secure wireless system does not require a separate, parallel network, as policies for all access points are managed and monitored through the PRO Series firewalls.

Remote Access

Three SonicWALL SSL-VPN 2000 appliances provide secure remote access to internal network resources including email and work groups. Users can log into the network securely from any computer via a web browser.

Email Security

PHS staff had been plagued by a high level of spam. Formerly comprising about 90% of all emails received by staff and faculty, spam levels have been reduced to a mere trickle following the installation of two 2 x SonicWALL Email Security 500 appliances providing protection from inbound and outbound e-mail threats such as SPAM, phishing, viruses, and zombies.

Content Management

Among the most significant new capabilities in the PHS network are the content filtering and website access controls now available to the school. Two SonicWALL Content Security Manager 3200 content management appliances deliver precise control and monitoring capabilities, enabling administrators to block access to objectionable, illegal or unproductive sites including social networks. ViewPoint Internet traffic reports give the school visibility into access patterns for the school, allowing the staff to make judicious policy decisions as needed.

Data Backup and Recovery

Two SonicWALL Continuous Data Protection 3440i data backup and recovery appliances with offsite data archiving services now protect the school's electronic data. This simple solution backs up data on a continual basis, without the need for manual intervention. A simple user interface enables fast retrieval of current and previous file versions. The risk of permanent data loss is reduced because backup occurs on an ongoing basis rather that at fixed time intervals. SonicWALL CDP detects and automatically saves new or changed files in real time, even when files are open.

About SonicWALL, Inc.

Founded in 1991, SonicWALL, Inc. designs, develops and manufactures comprehensive network security, email security, secure remote access, and continuous data protection solutions. SonicWALL is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California and trades on the NASDAQ under the symbol SNWL. For more information, contact SonicWALL at +1 (408) 745-9600 or visit the company web site at http://www.sonicwall.com/ .

Safe Harbor Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements include but are not limited to statements regarding SonicWALL's ability to provide broad-based security solutions, minimize the risk of permanent data loss, increase visibility into content access patterns and to provide protection from email security threats. These forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the time the statements are made and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. In addition, please see the "Risk Factors" described in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005, and our reports on Form 10-Q for interim periods thereafter, for a more detailed description of the risks facing our business. All forward-looking statements included in this release are based upon information available to SonicWALL as of the date of the release, and we assume no obligation to update any such forward-looking statement. All forward-looking statements included in this release are based upon information available to SonicWALL as of the date of the release, and we assume no obligation to update any such forward-looking statement.

NOTE: SonicWALL is a registered trademark of SonicWALL, Inc. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

SonicWALL, Inc.

CONTACT: Mary McEvoy of SonicWALL, Inc., +1-408-962-7110,mmcevoy@sonicwall.com; or Erin Collopy of The Hoffman Agency, +1-408-975-3041,ecollopy@hoffman.com, for SonicWALL, Inc.

Web site: http://www.sonicwall.com/

Source: PRNewswire-FirstCall

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