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Data Security
Peace (of Mind) in Our Time
10/1/2007
WiFi isn’t the only wireless security challenge facing today’s universities, however. Increasingly, university technologists and administrators are discovering they also must understand how to safeguard smart phones that rely on the GSM (global system for mobile communications) standard, notes J. Keith Fowlkes, vice chancellor for information technology and CIO for The University of Virginia College at Wise. “We’re looking at mobile phones and other types of devices to reach out to faculty, staff, and students in a time of emergency,” says Fowlkes. “But we need to know those communications will be secure.” As this story went to press, UVA-Wise was issuing a request for proposals for a voice over IP (VoIP) network. That system, Fowlkes notes, will need the potential to support and manage GSM devices over a secure connection.
Not by coincidence, many vendors are enhancing their technologies to safeguard wireless VoIP environments. In August, Enterasys Networks, for one, unveiled its new Secure Open Convergence platform, which protects IP telephony networks (both wired and wireless) from security threats.
DIGITAL SIGNAGE IDEA: NEWS AT 11
At Creighton University, four 40-inch LCD screens are installed in two of the college's busiest areas. Two are mounted to the ceiling of a high-traffic hallway. The others sit side-by-side in the main entryway as one large presentation, tickers flowing from one screen to the next. The screens provide news, weather, and market updates to students as they move between classes.
Appliances Come of Age
Meanwhile, UVA-Wise is using a mix of security solutions from Aruba Networks and Fortinet to safeguard its existing network. While Aruba provides a secure wireless infrastructure, Fortinet delivers a unified threat management (UTM) appliance that includes firewall, antivirus, intrusion prevention, VPN (virtual private network), spyware prevention, and anti-spam capabilities. “Fortinet is the key to our security architecture,” says Fowlkes. “It’s an affordable option with a great feature set.”
Fortinet isn’t the only security appliance catching on with universities. Hofstra University (NY), for instance, uses Campus Manager—a network access control (NAC) appliance from Bradford Networks—to manage, secure, and control all devices that attempt to access Hofstra’s network.
Recommended Reading
- 2008 Campus Technology Innovators: Enhanced Learning/ Assessment
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- 2008 Campus Technology Innovators: Interactive, Remote Learning
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- 2008 Campus Technology Innovators: Network Security
- 2008 Campus Technology Innovators: Social Networking for Admissions
