Reflex Magnetics Brings Total Network Security to Telecom Plus – The Utility Warehouse

Overview
Reflex Magnetics has teamed up with The Utility Warehouse Discount Club operated by Telecomplus plc, a major British company whose shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange, to deliver a network that is completely safe from the threat posed by removable media devices.

Background
Telecom Plus is a leading provider of internet, mobile and landline telecoms, and gas and electric utility services in the UK. It has matured to become the premier source for high-performance, reliable Internet and utility services for both business and consumer markets throughout the UK.

Telecom Plus employs 250 staff at its North London headquarters, many of whom spend a large amount of time ‘hot-desking’ around the office as well as working remotely. It is vital, therefore, that employees have access to the data they need wherever they are, as well as having the ability to use removable USB devices in order to carry around large quantities of data. It is this necessity that threw up problems for the IT department at Telecom Plus. How could it ensure that the workforce was as flexible as possible without risking the security of the network, or the threat of data theft through USB flash drives and other removable media devices? A blanket ban on removable media devices would limit the company’s workforce flexibility, and create an air of distrust among employees.

Controlling the use of removable media devices and total visibility of data coming in and out of the network was the only way for the company to reconcile this dilemma.

Solution
Two years ago Matthew Codina, IT Network Manager at Telecom Plus, researched software solutions that would monitor and regulate the use of removable media devices. He trialled a product from one of Reflex’s competitors that he describes as “extremely basic and very difficult to deploy, it was also very immature in that it focused entirely on the PC rather than the user’s requirements.”

Codina decided to test out some other removable media security options from other vendors. Products from Reflex Magnetics amongst others were tested by Telecom Plus and Reflex Disknet Pro was chosen due to of its flexibility, usability and sophistication. “Reflex came across as a company that had been in the real world and understood what real businesses needed,” said Codina. “With Reflex Disknet Pro the software follows the user around and is not rigidly stuck to one PC. This suits the needs of individual users and the company as we operate a ‘hot-desking’ policy that simply did not fit with other software products we tested.”

Telecom Plus made use of Reflex’s consultancy services in order to decide on the most appropriate software for its needs and Matthew Codina found the consultancy service offered by Reflex to be exceptional, “The consultancy service offered by Reflex was outstanding, way before we had committed to buying anything they worked closely with us to develop a solution that was fully tailored to our needs as a company,” said Codina. “The Reflex team delivered the installation and rollout on time and not only had extremely advanced technical knowledge but were incredibly helpful and friendly throughout the process.”

Telecom Plus bought 200 Reflex Disknet Pro version 4.52.1 licences which included Device manager and Program Security Guard to role out across the company.

Result
Reflex Magnetics sent in two dedicated engineers to install the software onto two PCs so it could be easily rolled out to the rest of the company. Telecom Plus also benefited from a full day’s training with Reflex experts for all users. In addition to the original implementation phase, Reflex engineers and trouble-shooters were on hand to help with any teething problems.

For Telecom Plus, the major benefit of Reflex Disknet Pro is the flexibility of its content filtering, “which is not only easy to use but so much more advanced than any of its competitors,” said Codina. This means the company can pick and choose exactly what is and is not accepted onto the network giving the network manager 100% piece of mind. As well as this Codina is able to get automatic email and SMS alerts if there are ever any software failures, allowing him to act immediately to ensure no damage is done.

“Any kind of changes in IT technology are bound to take some adjusting to by a company and its users,” said Codina, “but the team at Reflex Magnetics was always available, both pre and post sale, to ensure that this process ran as smoothly as possible.” “By the time our product trainers arrived at Telecom Plus we had already worked closely with the company to identify the personalisations and tweaks that Telecom Plus required. Our experts were able to incorporate these changes on the spot,” said Andy Campbell, Managing Director of Reflex Magnetics.

Conclusion
“All in all the Reflex Disknet Pro software we have installed gives our network engineers full control of the network again. We already had control of the internet and email facilities through antivirus and firewall programmes, but it was not until the company deployed Reflex Disknet Pro that we could control removable media usage and ensure the previously open door to our network remains firmly closed,” concluded Codina.