Theme: Firewall, VPN
Vendor: Check Point
Location: Across the UK
This independently owned British company specialises in next day business-to-business delivery with vehicles operating through strategically-based depots throughout the UK and Ireland.
Head office is the central hub for business operations and therefore relies on the safe delivery of business applications and data across its network of nationwide depots.
Tek-nology Solutions has undertaken a range of Check Point firewall related projects for this long-standing client:
The company wanted to introduce remote working, catering for employees working from home or on the road. With older Check Point Nokia hardware, it necessitated a hardware platform and Check Point software upgrade that included support for the CheckPoint Mobile Access Blade. At the same time, this provided the opportunity for the organisation to consolidate a number of services and devices into a single HA UTM appliance.
The company’s preferred way of linking their depots back to HQ is over MPLS via a private network. With SLA-backed connections, a back-up failover, MPLS offers high up-times; vital for ensuring connections are not lost between their multi-site depots and HQ. This setup does not require a firewall/VPN connection back to HQ.
However, lead times to install the MPLS connections can take months; this is unfeasible for business operations, which require connectivity at all depots. An interim solution, using Broadband, offers a much shorter lead time for installation. This enables the company’s depots to get ‘up and running’ quickly – Tek-nology Solutions configures a low end Check Point firewall (Check Point Safe@Office appliance for SOHOs) and creates a VPN back to head office allowing network traffic to travel from the depot to HQ.
Since the initial trial in Slough in 2011, this interim solution has now been rolled out in a number of cities across the UK including Exeter, Aberdeen and Oxford; with the next implementation planned for Kent. It has become the standard way to roll out connectivity at new depot sites. As MPLS becomes available, Tek-nology Solutions has been able to utilise the existing firewall for the next depot requiring this interim solution.
A dedicated internet and firewall in the Midlands provides Disaster Recovery capabilities for public-facing web servers providing vital information for consumers and businesses wanting to check delivery status. With the live servers located in the North, the Midlands-based site provides back-up should there be a problem with internet connectivity, hardware, or software issues. This again, is provided via a Check Point appliance.
Tek-nology Solutions, an expert in implementing Check Point solutions, has worked with this company over the years to provide a range of Check Point technologies to meet the security needs of their growing business, in a multi-site scenario.
“Security is key across our multi-site network. Tek-nology Solutions’ implementation of Check Point technologies continues to play a fundamental role in maintaining the security of our communication links. Tek-nology Solutions has been able to provide flexible, customised solutions that meet the needs of our organisation, reducing security complexity. Check Point continues to provide leading technologies that help protect our business.”
Technical Support Manager
