4-page Case Study - Posted 6/26/2007

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Getronics

IT Services Provider Eases Administration with Integrated Security Solution

Getronics, one of the world’s largest services integrators, was using Microsoft® and third-party security software to protect its network and its customers’ IT systems from threats such as viruses and spyware. The company wanted to expand its protection software to include newer technologies. As a result, Getronics deployed Microsoft Forefront™ Client Security, which is part of a comprehensive solution that includes products in the Microsoft Forefront line of business security products and the Microsoft System Center family of IT management solutions. Because Forefront Client Security easily integrates with the existing Microsoft infrastructure at Getronics, it simplifies IT administration. It also provides detailed reporting on security issues. Getronics expects the integrated solution will help the company save on licensing costs, reduce complexity, and maintain its low IT head count.

Situation

The easy integration of Forefront Client Security with existing components is a big, strategic advantage for us because we don’t have to educate our people on a lot of different management products.  Harald den Houter Principal Technical Consultant Getronics

Security is crucial for both Getronics and its customers. In all sectors, companies need protection from malware to ensure business continuity. In industries such as financial services, Getronics customers require advanced security to comply with regulations to mitigate business risk. Getronics, which manages 2.6 million client devices worldwide that run Microsoft software, helps protect customers’ IT environments and its own network with Microsoft and third-party security products.

To help customers maximize the value of their IT infrastructure, Getronics stays up to date on new technology that it can use with its own best practices. “We’re always evaluating what’s available in the marketplace from our strategic partners, such as Microsoft, to see what offerings they have that will help us to do a better job for our customers,” says Lee Nicholls, Global Solutions Director at Getronics.

Getronics sought to add to the suite of security products that it uses internally and for its customers. The company wanted a solution that would integrate well with its existing Microsoft software, so that it could take advantage of cost savings through simplified administration and its current Microsoft licensing agreement.

Solution

An early adopter of many Microsoft products, Getronics decided to evaluate Microsoft Forefront™ Client Security. Part of the Microsoft Forefront line of business security products, it helps protect personal computers and server operating systems from viruses, worms, spyware, and other current and emerging threats.

Getronics has deployed Forefront Client Security as a pilot at select offices in the Netherlands and the United States. Based on the success of this pilot, Getronics is planning to expand the deployment.

Getronics is also using other Forefront products such as Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2006, the integrated edge security gateway that guards against Internet-based threats. In addition, Getronics will take part in an early- adopter program for the next version of ISA Server. The company uses Microsoft Antigen to help protect its Microsoft Exchange Server 2003, Microsoft Office Live Communication Server 2005, and Microsoft Office SharePoint® Portal Server 2003 environments. When Getronics upgrades to the 2007 versions of those products later this year, it will also upgrade the current Antigen infrastructure to the latest version of the Microsoft Forefront Security for Exchange Server and Microsoft Forefront Security for SharePoint.

In addition, systems management is an important part of the solution. The company already uses products in the Microsoft System Center family of IT management solutions. Microsoft Operations Manager 2005 makes it possible for Getronics to centrally monitor its 1,400 global operational server computers. And Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003 simplifies hardware and software asset management. Getronics is involved in early-adopter programs for the newer versions of those products—Microsoft System Center Operations Manager 2007 and System Center Configuration Manager 2007. It plans to deploy them in production later in 2007.

The company also expects to take advantage of security features in the Windows Vista® operating system. It has deployed Windows Vista on about 400 computers and expects to have it installed on 2,000 computers by the end of June.

Benefits

By using Microsoft Forefront Client Security along with other Microsoft IT security and management software, Getronics takes advantage of a comprehensive protection solution. Integration with existing technology makes the solution easy to manage, and centralized reporting provides detailed information on the health of the IT systems. Getronics also expects that the solution will help the IT department continue to minimize its costs.

Forefront Client Security is very easy to package and deploy with Systems Management Server 2003, which is a key management tool for us.  Marco Nielsen Global Infrastructure Manager Getronics

Comprehensive Security

The solution offers Getronics protection that extends from client computers to the network edge. Forefront Client Security is detecting malware on computers in the pilot program. “We’re getting a good picture of what is happening on the clients that we are managing at the moment,” says Harald den Houter, Principal Technical Consultant at Getronics. ISA Server 2006 serves as a firewall to help protect Getronics against Internet-based threats. It also makes Getronics Web portals and applications such as Exchange Server 2003 accessible to remote users, providing security by preauthenticating users before they gain access to any published servers.

“The developments that Microsoft is doing in the security space will provide us with a comprehensive suite of optimized security products,” says Haydar Cimen, Global Security Services Director at Getronics. “I’m not only talking about the desktop, but also the gateways and especially the integration of identity and access management. This evolution will benefit us internally and from the perspective of the security services portfolio we offer our customers.”

Easy Integration and Administration

Because Forefront products such as Forefront Client Security easily integrate with software that Getronics already uses, they simplify IT management. “Forefront Client Security is very easy to package and deploy with Systems Management Server 2003, which is a key management tool for us,” says Marco Nielsen, Global Infrastructure Manager at Getronics. “We’ll be able to deploy it quickly to an enterprise environment globally, regionally, or locally. We could target different departments one at a time, and we could deploy the settings if we wanted to.”

Forefront Client Security also integrates well with Operations Manager 2005 and Microsoft SQL Server™ 2005 database software, which provide real-time visibility into the health of IT systems through monitoring and reporting. “The easy integration of Forefront Client Security with existing components is a big, strategic advantage for us because we don’t have to educate our people on a lot of different management products,” says den Houter.

Getronics also expects to benefit from deploying Forefront Client Security with Windows Vista. “Because they’re both Microsoft products, Forefront Client Security should run on the operating system with minimal effect on the user,” says Nielsen. And den Houter adds, “The computers are already running faster and smoother because Forefront Client Security has a small footprint.” Windows Vista security features such as Windows® Defender and Windows BitLocker™ Drive Encryption will also provide added security, helping to guard against spyware and protect data on lost or stolen PCs.

Rich, Centralized Reporting

Forefront Client Security produces detailed security reports through SQL Server Reporting Services. “The reporting is very impressive,” says den Houter. “We can have one repository reporting all kind of issues to our central management environment. For customers, we are looking at providing standardized reports showing the kind of security issues they’re having in their infrastructure.”

Cost Savings

By using Microsoft products for security, Getronics expects to save on licensing costs through its Microsoft Enterprise Agreement. But the solution’s integration with the existing IT environment will result in the most significant savings. “We’ve worked hard to minimize costs in our IT department, and we already have a low number of full-time staff members,” Nielsen says. “Forefront Client Security will help us maintain our low head count because it fits very well into our existing environment on a global level.”

For More Information

For more information about Microsoft products and services, call the Microsoft Sales Information Center at (800) 426-9400. In Canada, call the Microsoft Canada Information Centre at (877) 568-2495. Customers who are deaf or hard-of-hearing can reach Microsoft text telephone (TTY/TDD) services at (800) 892-5234 in the United States or (905) 568-9641 in Canada. Outside the 50 United States and Canada, please contact your local Microsoft subsidiary. To access information using the World Wide Web, go to:
www.microsoft.com

For more information about Getronics products and services, visit the Web site at:
www.getronics.com

Microsoft Forefront Product Portfolio

The Microsoft® Forefront™ comprehensive line of business security products provides greater protection and control through integration with your existing IT infrastructure and through simplified deployment, management, and analysis. Forefront is a comprehensive solution that helps provide protection for the client operating system, application servers, and the network edge.

For more information about the Forefront product portfolio, go to:
www.microsoft.com/forefront

This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.
 
Document published June 2007