Network Security Solutions

Ridley High School is the newly constructed high school for the Ridley School District. Ridley High has a student body of 1,600 students in grades nine through 12.

Don Otto, director of computer and network services for the Ridley School District, has been aggressive in his use of technology to improve communications, security and safety in the high school.

The high school installed an infrared flame detector to combat student smoking. The alarm notification from the wireless smoke detector is transmitted over the Alcatel- Lucent network and the messaging is delivered using Alcatel-Lucent’s OmniPCX, an IP PBX platform that provides an evolution path from traditional voice to IP telephony. With the smoke detectors and Alcatel-Lucent network, mobile staff members are immediately alerted via two-way radios anytime a student flicks a lighter or strikes a match.

The district further increased its e-communications when it installed Alcatel-Lucent’s OmniPCX and 150 IP phones throughout the district. This allowed the centralization of multiple switches and consolidated the number of lines needed. All the IP phones connect to the OmniPCX over a gigabit Ethernet backbone, eliminating the costly monthly expenses for T-1 lines to join PBXs in each school.

With phones in all classrooms and common areas, such as cafeterias, libraries and gymnasiums, teachers and administrators can communicate more easily. More

and tools that simplify this process and support security management for both Alcatel-Lucent and third-party networking devices.

At the heart of Alcatel-Lucent’s network security solution are strong security features embedded in the Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch family of data switches. The Alcatel-Lucent operating system protects the network from attacks and significantly reduces potential network downtime.

For user authentication, Alcatel-Lucent offers Access Guardian, which enables enforcement of device and network security policies by providing role-based access to the network. Access Guardian authenticates network users, including district teachers and administrators, students and parents, confirms their PCs’ conformance to security policies, and then provides access rights based on the user’s role.

With the Alcatel-Lucent OmniVista 2500 and 2700, school district IT managers or directors can then monitor network activity, configure and troubleshoot each device, as well as manage an entire network from a single platform.

OmniVista has a true client-server architecture that allows multiple users to access its services simultane- ously either through a Java-based client or through Web browser application. It delivers network-level management while providing access to various element managers. The OmniVista 2700 incorporates Alcatel-Lucent’s Quarantine Manager to ensure a safe and secure infrastructure through

“Alcatel-Lucent met our specifications without compromise. The Alcatel-Lucent solutions provide enhanced educational programs with no limitations.”

— Gary Bixby, director of facilities and support services, Cheltenham Township School District

phones also make it easier to call 911 or dispense district- wide alerts during an emergency. Additionally, the OmniPCX provided voicemail to all teachers and admin- istrators for the first time. The district then integrated its e-mail servers with voicemail to provide a unified messaging system, enhancing its ability to effectively communicate during emergencies.

School districts need to know who is on the district network, check if those users are compliant, direct what those users can access, see what those users are doing and quarantine and remediate. Alcatel-Lucent provides a comprehensive set of network management applications

extensive network access control, customizable security policies based on district needs and services, and the elimi- nation of threats from misbehaving devices by quarantine and isolation. Quarantine Manager can be integrated with OmniVista or used as a stand-alone product.

Once devices are quarantined, users can be redirected to a captive portal where they have the opportunity to download the appropriate anti-virus updates or other soft- ware to bring them into compliance with district policy. With Alcatel-Lucent’s Access Guardian and Quarantine Manager, a district network can proactively prevent virus and worm attacks, ensure performance, protect IP tele- phony devices and provide reliable network services to all authorized users.