Enterasys and iboss Announce K-12 Solution for Easy Web and Application Filtering

ANDOVER, Mass., Dec. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Enterasys Networks, a Siemens Enterprise Communications Company, today announced a partnership with iboss Security to provide easy-to-manage dynamic location-based application filtering for K-12 school districts.  The combined solution of Enterasys Mobile IAM BYOD and iboss Enterprise SWG Web Filters allows school districts to provide access to the Internet, applications, and content based on user, location, or classroom without impeding learning.

In the past, school districts were forced to use web filters that severely restrict access to web sites and applications, limiting the learning potential the Internet provides.  According to the recently-released American Association of School Librarians (AASL) annual survey, 52 percent of schools complain that filtering impedes student research and 42 percent find it discounts the social aspects of learning. On the other side though, 50 percent indicated that filtering decreased the number of potential distractions.

"Today's K-12 students and faculty absolutely need access to the Internet to leverage the significant advantages it brings to the learning environment, but enabling optimal access while protecting students and complying with regulations requires a multi-pronged approach that includes training, monitoring, and flexible controls.  More specifically, web access needs to be tailored by device, student, and location, among other factors," said Vala Afshar, Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Customer Officer at Enterasys Networks.  "Our already comprehensive suite of solutions for K-12 school districts now includes a new joint solution designed to help districts successfully manage Internet and application access to a vast number of devices in an environment of diverse needs by combining the Enterasys Mobile IAM BYOD solution with iboss Enterprise SWG Web Filters." 

Enterasys Mobile IAM and iboss Integration Highlights:

• Dynamic directory-based group and user policy determined by location and time-of-day allowing a student to have different access if they are in the cafeteria vs. the classroom and at the end of the day vs. during class time
• Real-time inventory by campus-based locations so you can determine where the iPads and other devices are located and what activities are occurring as well as the specific device type and whether the connection is wired or wireless
• Comprehensive reporting with detailed activity information including user, device, location, web and bandwidth activities to easily monitor behaviors
• Seamless authentication based upon initial login of user or device allowing users to login once instead of throughout the day in BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) situations

"At Hardin County we are preparing our schools to be ready for a 1:1 computing environment for our students," said Steve Boone, Computer Operations Manager at Hardin County (Ky.) Schools. "Prior to implementing the Enterasys Mobile IAM/iboss integration it was extremely difficult to safely provide Internet access to the student devices, requiring a complex and difficult-to-manage network configuration. Now with the integration, the network is much simpler, easier to manage, and flexible to modify as needs change."

"Like most organizations, the growing use of mobile and fixed devices by faculty, teachers and students in K-12 schools challenges districts to balance the protection of students on school property with an openness to promote educational value and inquiry through the use of mobile technologies," said Paul Martini, CEO at iboss.  "The joint Enterasys-iboss Security solution offers the flexibility required to meet today's instruction needs without additional burden to the district IT staff." 

Enterasys, iboss Security and Hardin County Schools will be presenting a webinar in conjunction with District Administration magazine on December 11, 2012 on the benefits of location-based filtering in K-12.

Resources

• Enterasys Social Media Newsroom
• Enterasys OneFabric
• Register for District Administration webinar: "Implementing dynamic location-based Internet content filtering in your district"
• Enterasys Mobile IAM
• Enterasys K-12 Solutions

About Enterasys Networks and Siemens Enterprise Communications
Siemens Enterprise Communications is a premier provider of end-to-end enterprise communications, including voice, network infrastructure and security solutions that use open, standards-based unified communications and business applications for a seamless collaboration experience. This award-winning "Open Communications" approach enables organizations to improve productivity and reduce costs through easy-to-deploy solutions that work within existing IT environments, delivering operational efficiencies. It is the foundation for the company's OpenPath® commitment that enables customers to mitigate risk and cost-effectively adopt unified communications. Jointly owned by The Gores Group and Siemens AG, Siemens Enterprise Communications includes Cycos and Enterasys Networks. For more information about Siemens Enterprise Communications or Enterasys please visit www.siemens-enterprise.com or www.enterasys.com.

About iboss
iboss Security provides compliance management products used to identify, manage, and control access of the network. Its Secure Web Gateway line provides Internet access and application control, bandwidth management, Firewall, Internet access logging and archive, DLP, event collection and management. With advanced endpoint DLP, companies can gain insight to potential threats in real time. iboss Security markets to defense, utilities, financial, health care, and education. Learn more at http://www.iboss.com.

SOURCE Enterasys Networks