Security Enterprise All-Stars

Guide to the '06 All-Stars Winners alphabetical listing WINNERS BY TECHNOLOGY Applications | LANs & Routers | Network Management | OS, Servers & Data Center | Security | Storage | WAN, VoIP & Convergence | Wireless & Mobility WINNERS BY INDUSTRY Construction | Education | Financial Services | Government | Healthcare | Manufacturing | Media | Retail | Travel/Transportation | Utilities Vendors to the All-Stars

Continental Airlines, in the air as well as in the corporate network, knows the importance of balancing security with convenience and low cost. That's why it flew at the chance to implement a new remote-access security scheme that provides all three in one neat package, earning recognition as a 2006 Enterprise All-Star winner in the process.

With more Continental employees working remotely and using more varied methods of access - from dial-up to broadband to wireless - keeping a handle on access costs while making sure security was becoming increasingly difficult. Employees working from home or remote offices were confused about the best way to get access, and many were inadvertently circumventing corporate security in their efforts to log on quickly and get the job done.

"People had so many icons on their desktops they didn't know which one to use," says Stacey Thomas, senior manager of telecommunications technology at the Houston-based airline. "They would have one for domestic, one for international, dial-up, broadband, wireless. With four or five choices, it got confusing."

In May 2004, the airline decided to implement Fiberlink Communications' Extend360 secure access software to ease remote access, while ensuring security and cost containment. Extend360 lets Continental build access policies and then lets employees use a single interface, or icon, for remote connectivity - no matter where or how they connect.

Extend360 supports broadband, dial-up, wide-area wireless (Code Division Multiple Access), Wi-Fi and hotel broadband. Via the policies, Continental can make sure remote employees use the most cost-efficient access methods available to them, as well. In addition, the software ensures that remote clients meet Continental's security policies in terms of up-to-date antivirus software, personal firewalls and other security measures.