Getronics and McDonald's Israel Showcase Successful Adoption of Microsoft ISA Server 2004
Enables rapid and secure access to Internet and company networks for 3,000 employees at 130 restaurants throughout country
TORONTO & TEL AVIV, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 13, 2004-- Getronics, a global leader in information and communication technology services and solutions, and renowned restaurant operator McDonald's Corporation have announced the successful implementation of Microsoft's new Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2004 for the more than 130 McDonald's restaurants throughout Israel.
The new security solution has helped give McDonald's 3,000 employees in Israel secure, economical, and efficient access to both the Internet and the McDonald's internal network. McDonald's previous arrangement, with a third-party supplier providing access, had proven costly and inflexible. Changes to access privileges and authentication required several steps and took too long to implement. The company sought a security solution that would provide excellent application protection, ease of use, and would integrate well with existing infrastructure, including Microsoft group policy support.
Getronics recommended Microsoft ISA Server 2004, an advanced application layer firewall, virtual private networking (VPN) and Web cache solution that enables customers to easily maximize existing IT investments by improving network security and performance.
Early Adoption Enables Customized Approach
McDonald's chose to become an early adopter of ISA Server. Getronics, through its long-standing relationship with Microsoft as a global alliance partner, obtained the necessary pre-release technology from Microsoft in order to develop and deliver an innovative solution.
"Our priority was to maintain a high level of IT security, even as we pursued other business objectives, such as improving our operations and adding to the bottom line," said Avner Mazig, vice president of technology and information at McDonald's Israel. "Getronics' expertise in the server space and its relationship with Microsoft brought us what we needed: advanced protection, faster connectivity and administration, customization capabilities, and affordability."
Testing and Implementation
Getronics engineers analyzed the McDonald's network and optimized it in preparation for the ISA Server 2004 implementation. This careful planning and ISA Server 2004's ease-of-use features enabled Getronics to perform the installation itself in a matter of days.
Mazig explained the pre-implementation testing procedure. "We tested the system in three ways. First, we tried to hack into the network, but we could not get past the ISA Server. Second, during the testing period we did not have a single security incident. Third, when we created a channel to one of our partners, we had full control over the access we could offer them."
ISA Server 2004 is now integrated into McDonald's Windows 2003-based Active Directory infrastructure. McDonald's can tailor its security configurations down to the individual user, ensuring the very highest level of security.
The familiar look and feel of the Microsoft interface in ISA Server 2004, together with its intuitive design, ensured that McDonald's network administrators needed only a single day of training to learn how to operate the system.
Mazig concurs, "We were familiar with the look and feel of the Windows Server environment, so getting accustomed to ISA Server 2004, with its improved user interface, only took a short time."
The Benefits
Microsoft ISA Server 2004 has provided McDonald's employees with fast and secure access to the Internet and to its own messaging infrastructure via Outlook web access. Changes to security clearance levels can now be made in a matter of minutes. It is also possible to access the company's network securely over a public wireless LAN.
Knowledge and Experience
Throughout the project there was close cooperation between Getronics and Microsoft's Israel-based ISA Server 2004 development team, which helped improve the final release version of the product. Getronics is well positioned to assist other companies that seek to take control of their Internet and network security through the implementation of Microsoft ISA Server 2004.
"Our relationship with Microsoft and our focus on delivering quality solutions and services on the Microsoft platform typify how Getronics does business in the enterprise," said Chet Webster, vice president in charge of the company's Microsoft global alliance and leader of the Getronics delegation at the 2004 Microsoft Partner Summit in Toronto July 11-13. "We are pleased that our work with McDonald's Israel has enabled them to maximize both their return on existing IT investments and the powerful capabilities of ISA Server 2004."
"Customers have told us they need innovative solutions that provide advanced application protection and integrate well with their existing infrastructures," said David Gardner, business development manager of the Security Business and Technology Unit at Microsoft Corp. "By recommending an ISA Server 2004 solution for McDonald's Israel, Getronics was able to quickly help a valuable customer secure its infrastructure and improve overall business processes."
About Getronics
With approximately 22,000 employees in over 30 countries and ongoing revenues of EUR 2.6 billion in 2003, Getronics is one of the world's leading providers of vendor-independent Information and Communication Technology (ICT) solutions and services. Getronics today combines the capabilities of the original Dutch company with those of Wang Global, acquired in 1999, and of the systems and services division of Olivetti. Getronics is ranked second worldwide in network and desktop outsourcing and fourth worldwide in network consulting and integration (Source: IDC 2002-2003).
Getronics designs, integrates and manages ICT infrastructures and business solutions for many of the world's largest global and local companies and organizations, helping them maximize the value of their information technology investments. Getronics headquarters are in Amsterdam, with regional offices in Boston and Singapore.
Getronics' shares are traded on Euronext Amsterdam ('GTN'). For further information, visit www.getronics.com/us.
Contacts
Getronics
Tom Burke, 978-625-6543
media.us@getronics.com
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