Buienradar’s network was split across a primary and secondary data center, each with a cluster of web servers connected using carrier-grade routers and switches. The network traffic, mainly HTTP, was spread across the servers using load balancers. However, the relatively low performance numbers of the company’s legacy load balancers meant they had to be deployed in Direct Server Return (DSR) mode, causing server responses to bypass the load balancer and disabling many advanced features. When the legacy load balancers reached end of life, Buienradar sought a more robust replacement. Additionally, Buienradar needed a new generation server load balancer capable of providing Global Server Load Balancing (GSLB) to handle their distributed network with geographically separate data centers. Another criterion was the impending depletion of IPv4 addresses, necessitating readiness for IPv6 clients.

While the CWA student laptop program is viewed a success by everyone involved, the Information Services Department at William Penn saw two significant challenges to the program: lost or stolen laptop computers, and students dropping out and not returning their laptops to the University. “We had a real problem with laptops not being returned to the College after students withdrew from their programs without graduating” says Dan Morgan, Director of Information Services and Curtis Gomes, Information Technology Supervisor at CWA.

In 2010, St. Joseph transitioned to an electronic medical records (EMR) provider, so that patient care professionals could bring tablets with them during their home visits. Because these tablets would be carrying sensitive patient data, St. Joseph needed to implement a technology that could monitor the devices off the local network and maintain visibility to ensure the integrity of the stored data.

Over a period of a year, the college suffered from a number of thefts and 56 devices were stolen. These thefts were frustrating for the college as not only was it was proving expensive to replace the laptops each time they were stolen but it could take up to 20 working days for a replacement to be delivered. This had a real impact on the teaching staff as they struggled to prepare for lessons without a laptop. Syddansk Erhvervsskole decided to look for a solution that would enable it to quickly recover its laptops in the event of theft.

Given the high stakes, losing a laptop was not really an option. “In this case, we knew that regardless of how prevalent laptop theft might be, we also knew we couldn’t afford to lose any machines,” Bauer reflected. Bauer understands how technology can be used to solve larger business challenges. By stepping back and looking at the whole picture, Bauer recognized that there had to be a way to draw together the seemingly disparate elements of how an organization functions and how technology can be used to solve the specific problems of loss prevention, data protection and regulatory compliance: “If you implement solutions that address the root of a problem, then quite often subtle technological modifications can invoke sweeping organizational change.”

Greenville Health System needed to secure devices and sensitive medical information across a large and growing network of employees and devices. They required a scalable, always-connected security solution to lock down devices, remotely delete sensitive information, and ensure encryption to industry standards. The organization faced challenges in measuring risk exposure, monitoring device theft, and maintaining compliance with HIPAA regulations.

In order to bring this initiative forward, the budget needed to be approved by the board. Demonstrating device utilization rates on and off the school network was required to drive consensus that teachers did need to have a laptop and take them home, and that students were intensively using their laptops in the classroom. Additionally, even though in the past some desktop computers were occasionally stolen, laptops were obviously more vulnerable to theft and security was required on the device to protect the new investment.

Don Williams, AW’s Technology Coordinator, describes laptop theft as costly and inconvenient; it overstretches available resources and interrupts the workflow of both staff and students. As school boards often face a rigid budget, maximizing IT investments is essential. Each time a lost or stolen asset has to be replaced, the budget is challenged. Williams explains that current economic conditions have intensified the need to get the most out of IT assets, requiring AW to be particularly “proactive and reactive” in minimizing loss and maximizing the lifespan of their computer population.

CHU de Clermont-Ferrand was losing an average of two devices each month to theft. Sensitive patient data was secured as it was hosted in the hospital’s data centre but device theft created a considerable disruption to the end user’s work, not to mention the extra IT resources required to replace and configure a new device each time. Hervé Grandjean, Head of Administrative Information and Services for CHU de Clermont-Ferrand, needed to find a practical and cost-effective to secure his endpoints.

Sacred Heart Hospital has dramatically increased the number of laptops they provide to nurses, physicians, and other staff to enable more effective patient care. However, with the move towards portable devices, Sacred Heart needed to effectively monitor the devices and have a solution in place where the hardware, as well as the sensitive data stored on these devices, were protected regardless of the device location or the user.

These devices are Ministry assets and require an added level of protection. A number of device thefts instigated the search for a solution that would help the Ministry retrieve these devices and serve as a deterrent for future theft. With 3,000 devices spread across more than 6,000 students and teachers, a stolen laptop represented not only a lost investment but a road block to student progress.

The faculty and staff at the College are assigned Hewlett-Packard tablet computers, while the students at the College of Business enjoy free 3-hour checkout privileges to HP tablets owned by the College. Students pursuing minors in Business studies also receive access. Colorado State University needed a way to track these devices as they changed hands and ensure they were protected throughout.

As with a growing number of school districts across North America, Dysart is increasingly turning to laptops and mobile devices as an everyday learning tool in an effort to produce better results in the classroom and prepare students for life in the new century. The move is evident in the District’s work with device manufacturer HP. The District’s laptop learning program began with the purchase of 1,000 desktop and 300 notebook computers. This expanded quickly, adding more than 1,700 devices with a goal of putting 5-6 in selected District classrooms.

When first told of plans for the 1:1 program, the school, parents, and the local community voiced a common concern: that of student safety. With devices come theft and the misdemeanors that surround it. What if students were bullied to hand over their laptop? Would the program attract thieves? And how could an already tight IT budget overcome the sunken costs of loss due to theft? For KCKPS, proving that these concerns were addressed was a crucial step in gaining approval.

The mobile devices are a huge educational benefit to students, but giving expensive items to young people to use anywhere runs the risk of loss, theft or older children taking devices from younger ones. Kungälvs Kommun found that on average around 17 devices a year were going missing. But despite the loss of the devices, the main concern for Kungälvs Kommun was the potential risk of harm that pupils faced if they were to be threatened with violence during a theft.

With most endpoints off the corporate network on a regular basis, it was difficult for Asplundh to manage and secure their deployment efficiently and ensure endpoint protection at all times. Despite their best intentions, users would unintentionally compromise endpoint security and compliance by either disabling DLP, anti-virus or other security applications or installing incompatible software that would remove corporate protection processes and policies. The impact of just one vulnerable device could severely impact their business. If a criminal targeted an Asplundh vehicle, the device and data was at risk, potentially damaging Asplundh’s brand and resulting in penalties for non-compliance.

The company has grown rapidly in the last four years through consolidations, acquisitions, and because their conveyors, sorters and palletizing systems are in such high demand. Because of this, the number of laptops have increased, and the ability to track and manage them has become increasingly difficult. The Intelligrated IT Department was concerned about potential laptop theft, and needed a solution that would allow them to track and secure laptops in the field. After researching available options, they chose Absolute.

The CGYCA is currently configured to support up to 176 cadets on campus. The 12 campus buildings (including dorms) are spread across 29.7 acres. The challenge was to ensure that cadets had access to computers during the program to complete classroom work and exams, especially after the GED examination moved from a paper-based to a paperless test. Additionally, there was a need to protect these laptops from theft and ensure the security of sensitive data related to underage cadets.

Having already suffered a theft from the school, Jon Bullard, Laleham Gap’s network manager wanted a solution that could protect both devices and the students. “I was really keen to find a solution that would prevent laptop theft. It was important that if we did have any thefts we could recover the laptop to minimise any inconvenience. Additionally, if the person or people involved in the theft could be brought to justice, so much the better,” said Mr. Bullard.

Due to the nature of its business, Trusource has access to vast client databases housing personally identifiable information for tens of thousands of individuals. That means a security breach could have devastating consequences, so the company is always concerned about email security and phishing attacks. With global clients representing a broad range of industries, including healthcare and financial services, Trusource must ensure compliance with a whole spectrum of regulations in its handling of client data. What’s more, as a rapidly growing business that ramps up quickly during seasonal periods, its IT team must always be wary of potential malicious actors among its own workforce. For these reasons and others, Trusource knew it needed more than the endpoint and firewall protection it had in place. It sought an all-encompassing security solution that could defend against potential threats anywhere and anytime, without exhausting its existing IT staff and resources. Trusource considered building a security operations center (SOC) internally, but in the end decided a SOC-as-a-service solution was the best choice.