BACKGROUND
Being a high profile government organization, this multinational Defense Agency needed to ensure a secondary layer of defense for its network at the edge, and for both its restricted and secure networks. Serving up to 10,000 users, its current solution was costly and was not from a preferred country of origin.
After testing almost 15 different cybersecurity vendors, the Agency soon learned the strengths of the Palo Alto Networks next-generation security platform and ultimately chose myriad configurations from across the portfolio as its security weapon of choice.
THOROUGH TESTING YIELDS A WINNER
Faced with the cost of its current secondary defense solution for cybersecurity, and the vendor’s undesired country of origin, the Agency undertook a thorough testing of almost 15 different vendors to address its needs. In pursuit of the right solution to serve the defense of this high profile institution, the Agency was impressed with the visibility and application enablement of the PAN-OS™. As a result of the test performance, ultimately the Agency chose Palo Alto Networks as its vendor of choice to serve this important mission.
FORWARD DEPLOYMENTS NEED SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS
While deploying multiple appliances across its network to meet specific network needs, the Agency also had the need for a software-based solution. Its current vendor had been unable to meet this important requirement for the Agency to remain agile and secure in the field at any time, on any deployment. And thus the Palo Alto Networks virtual appliances—with the same core next-generation cybersecurity PAN-OS in the appliances—were born.
PALO ALTO NETWORKS EASE OF DEPLOYMENT TESTED
As part of the cyberdefense readiness of the Agency, rigorous annual readiness tests are performed. The testing teams are evaluated in standing up the cybersecurity infrastructure within thirty minutes. The teams then simulate the defense to be used against attacking nations. The teams using the Palo Alto Networks were the best testament to the simplicity and usability of the platforms—they won the exercise!
THE DEPLOYMENT DETAILS
The Palo Alto Networks deployment, serving the cybersecurity requirements of from 3,000 primary users to 10,000 users, consists of a variety of over 100 platforms —PA-2050s, PA-4020s, PA-4050s, and PA-4060s. The Agency also uses numerous virtualized security platforms for specialized deployments, giving the Agency great agility. With App-ID™, the Agency has full visibility and control of all applications used across the sensitive government network by any user. In select areas, it is using Palo Alto Networks IDS/IPS capabilities to meet those requirements.
SERVING AN IMPORTANT MISSION
Today, Palo Alto Networks is proud to serve this Agency’s cybersecurity needs at the edge of its “dirty” network to the internet, on its restricted network, and on its secret network. Palo Alto Networks has proven again that it delivers on providing the simplicity and usability that Government Agencies demand, along with the security capabilities for which Palo Alto Networks platforms are known. As such, the Agency has plans underway to leverage other parts of the portfolio. This Agency’s choice of Palo Alto Networks, with the thorough testing across a large number of cybersecurity vendors to ensure the right solution was chosen, is a testament to the strength of the portfolio. It’s a mission of which Palo Alto Networks is proud to be a part.
