Baylor University increases productivity, security with Enterasys` User-Personalised Network

Enterasys Networks Inc, a leading provider of business-driven networks for enterprise customers, today announced that Baylor University has selected Enterasys` User-Personalised Network to increase productivity and security on the university`s residence hall network, ResNet.

With the User-Personalised Network, Baylor is increasing security across its 11 residence hall, 3 200-user environment, enforcing the university`s computing and network usage policies and preventing bandwidth abuse. The new solution also allows Baylor`s limited IT staff to support the growing network more effectively by quickly identifying and responding to policy violations.

"Recently, Baylor adopted `Vision 2012`, a 10-year initiative stating that within the course of a decade, Baylor intends to enter the top tier of American universities while reaffirming and deepening its distinctive Christian mission. Within this context, the Division of Information Management`s mission is to connect people with knowledge, information and technology to support the teaching, learning, scholarship and decision-making that will make Vision 2012 a reality," commented Reagan Ramsower, chief information officer for Baylor University.

"By employing technology, like Enterasys` User-Personalised Network, we provide our students, faculty and staff with secure, reliable access to the resources needed to succeed in their educational endeavours, creating an infrastructure capable of helping the university achieve its goals for Vision 2012."

With Enterasys` User-Personalised Network, the university has already seen a more stable and reliable level of network performance, and anticipates a continued reduction in the number of security events. In addition, with centralised management, the Enterasys solution has replaced manual processes with automated procedures for more productive use of the university IT staff`s time and expertise.

Baylor`s main goal was to prevent bandwidth abuse and enforce the university`s acceptable use policy to improve network performance. Previously, excessive downloads, peer-to-peer applications and rogue DHCP servers burdened the network. And, with a limited number of networking services staff to manually enforce violations, administering the university`s policy was both time-consuming and labour-intensive. The ResNet infrastructure was a completely open environment, leaving the network open to misuse or deliberate attacks, such as hacking, trojan horses or viruses. The university recognised the need for additional network security, access control and policy enforcement.

Baylor selected Enterasys` User-Personalised Network, a unique policy-based system that enables resource allocation based on individual users and their roles, to provide additional security, bandwidth management and access control. Enterasys` Matrix E1 switches and Enterasys` NetSight Policy Manager comprise the solution.

For violators of the standard policy for residential student access, Baylor developed a "Penalty Box" which contains and limits student access to only academic resources on the campus network, such as research tools, class registration and financial information, a course management system, and limited Internet access. Moving an abusive student to the Penalty Box requires a simple point-and-click on the centralised NetSight Policy Manager, and can be controlled remotely from IT operations or the security desk. This solution simplified complex security challenges and enabled Baylor`s IT staff to manage and enforce a large number of students, while preventing unauthorised access to sensitive information.

"The Penalty Box policy allows us to reprimand a student who is abusing our acceptable usage policy without jeopardising their academic performance. By restricting network access to academic resources, a student can still effectively perform his or her studies, but does not enjoy full network access," said Bob Hartland, director of IT servers and Networking Services for Baylor University. "The flexibility of Enterasys` solution enables us to enforce university policies and support students` educational needs. Most importantly, we`re already making significant strides in network security by expanding network intelligence and authentication out to the point of user entry."

"Through our strengths in multilayer switching and enterprise management, Enterasys Networks truly delivers business-driven networks that enable our customers to secure their networks, empower users and simplify processes for IT administrators," said Mads Lillelund, executive vice-president, Worldwide Sales, Enterasys Networks. "With the User-Personalised Network, Baylor University can align its network more closely with its organisational goals, and leverage the additional security, productivity and agility to fulfil its Vision 2012."