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Clark County School District Relies on Enterasys Solution for Wired and Wireless Network Access That Drives Innovative Learning Programs

Posted on: Tuesday, 20 March 2007, 15:00 CDT

ANDOVER, Mass., March 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Enterasys Networks, Inc., the Secure Networks Company(TM), announced today that the Clark County School District in Kentucky has deployed an Enterasys Secure Networks(TM) infrastructure to provide secure, reliable network access to more than 6,000 students, faculty and administrators. The district chose to deploy the Enterasys infrastructure based on its ease-of-use for educators and the performance, flexibility, visibility and control delivered by the Secure Networks open architecture.

Clark County developed its technology vision and network design within the budget limits facing most school districts in the country. Because it has a limited number of laptops and PCs available, the district permits students to bring their own devices to school for use on the network. This innovation puts Clark at the forefront of K-12 districts that are using network technology to expand learning opportunities for students and operating their networks in the same open way that colleges and universities do.

The district has deployed Enterasys Matrix(TM) flow switches at the distribution layer and SecureStack switches at the network edge for granular control of user and application traffic. RoamAbout(R) wireless switches and access points ensure "anytime, anywhere, always-on" connectivity across the district's 12 schools and five administrative and maintenance buildings. The district depends on Enterasys NetSight(R) Policy Manager to enforce priority, assure performance and automate protection of critical IT assets.

The most visible aspect of the Enterasys network to students and teachers throughout the county's schools is the Classroom Control solution, which brings the benefits of the Internet to students and teachers without overwhelming the learning experience. "We believe that technology and the network are critical enablers of education," said Marty Park, chief information officer and district technology coordinator for the Clark County School District, "yet this philosophy only works if our teachers can integrate technology into the curriculum. Enterasys' Classroom Control solution literally opens the door to technology in the classroom by putting control into the hands of our teachers, who can now feel confident about using technology in their lessons."

Classroom Control's Web interface makes the technology easy and intuitive for teachers to use, without requiring them to be technology experts. "With just one click, an instructor can open access to video streaming, research data, and other valuable online resources," said Park, "and a single click can turn off student access to unwanted applications, such as e-mail and instant messaging, so everyone can stay focused on the task at hand. Classroom Control is an amazing resource for our educators and delivers tremendous benefits to our students."

All Clark County teachers have been trained on how to use Classroom Control, and the goal is to deploy the solution in every classroom that has five or more computers. Park says the response from both teachers and students is very enthusiastic. "While all teachers recognize the value of technology, not everyone is comfortable using it in the classroom. Classroom Control means that teachers don't have to worry that students are misusing technology and wasting valuable class time," he said. "We've also found that students appreciate the solution as well. We're giving them access to the power of the Internet while removing distractions and ensuring that everyone in the classroom is on the same page."

The Clark County School District also realizes significant benefits from their deployment of RoamAbout secure wireless switches and access points. "We're committed to a district-wide wireless network," Park said, "and our RoamAbout solution ensures that administrators and educators can move from building to building throughout the district and remain on the same wireless network." RoamAbout also gives the district the ability to extend network connectivity where it might not otherwise be available. "Recently one of our schools moved a classroom and office to an adjacent building that had no telephone or network access," Park said. "With our new infrastructure and Enterasys support, I was able to set up a new point-to-point wireless bridge quickly and easily, resolving what could have been a very problematic issue."

In the future, the district plans to leverage its Enterasys network to support voice-over-IP technology. "A year ago, we couldn't have even contemplated where we are today or any of the technology goals we've established for 2007 and beyond," Park said. "Enterasys has really delivered for us. With our Secure Network in place, we can accomplish virtually anything, including voice and data convergence. While a major VoIP deployment could be intimidating to many IT teams, we feel confident we've laid the groundwork to achieve the performance, security, and reliability in a converged network that we have come to expect from Enterasys."

About Enterasys Networks

Enterasys Networks -- the Secure Networks Company -- is privately owned by an investor group led by The Gores Group, LLC and Tennenbaum Capital Partners, LLC. Enterasys' unique Secure Networks solutions secure any network from any vendor and ensure the integrity and performance of IT services and the business users that rely on them. Thousands of leading companies, government agencies and educational institutions in more than 70 countries rely on Secure Networks solutions to maintain business continuity and protect vital information. The company's culture is centered on the principle "There is nothing more important than our customers." Delivering on that commitment, Secure Networks provides granular, policy-based command and control of individual user, application, device, port and flow performance, and security. Enterasys' architectural approach to network security offers a long technology lifecycle and significant operational and business benefits, while reducing total cost of ownership. Information about Enterasys' award-winning policy- enabled switches, routers, wireless products, security software, and services is available at http://www.enterasys.com/.

About The Gores Group

Founded in 1987, The Gores Group is a private equity firm focused on acquiring controlling interests in mature and growing businesses which can benefit from the firm's operating experience and flexible capital base. The firm combines the operational expertise and detailed due diligence capabilities of a strategic buyer with the seasoned M&A team of a traditional financial buyer. The Gores Group has become a leading investor, primarily in the technology and telecommunications sectors, having demonstrated over time a reliable track record of creating substantial value in its portfolio companies alongside management. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, The Gores Group maintains offices in Boulder, Colorado and London. For more information, please visit http://www.gores.com/.

About Tennenbaum Capital Partners, LLC

Tennenbaum Capital Partners is a Santa Monica, California-based private investment firm managing over $3.8 billion in assets through private funds. The firm's investment strategy is grounded in a long-term, value approach, and it assists -- both financially and operationally -- transitional middle-market companies in such industries as technology, healthcare, energy, aerospace, business services, retail and general manufacturing. Tennenbaum's core strengths include its in-depth knowledge of equity and debt-financing vehicles in the public and private markets, as well as a thorough understanding of special situations. For more information, please visit http://www.tennenbaumcapital.com/.

Contact: Kevin Flanagan Enterasys Networks 978-684-1473 kevin.flanagan@enterasys.com

Enterasys Networks Inc.

CONTACT: Kevin Flanagan of Enterasys Networks, +1-978-684-1473,kevin.flanagan@enterasys.com

Web site: http://www.enterasys.com/http://www.gores.com/http://www.tennenbaumcapital.com/

Source: PRNewswire

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