23 May 2018 - Security Buyer Magazine

Pulse Secure Simplifies and Extends Secure Access to Applications and Services in Cloud and Hybrid IT Environments

UK Exclusives, UK News Desk / Ghyslaine Cordrey

Pulse Secure, the leading provider of enterprise Secure Access solutions, today announced the release of Pulse Connect Secure 9.0 to simplify the orchestration of protected connectivity in cloud and hybrid IT environments. The latest release incorporates more than 102 new features and enhancements including broader user and device visibility, secure access to Amazon AWS hosted applications, and extended endpoint compliance for MacOS computers and Android mobile devices. Through one integrated platform, organizations gain greater user and device intelligence, and can more easily apply policy-based access controls across mobile, data center and cloud infrastructure while delivering a seamless user experience. “Business digital transformation is pushing IT to support a variety of device, application and data protection requisites. As such, many enterprises have applied siloed or work-around components for Secure Access, using different application gateways, cloud access brokers, app wrapping, cloud authentication and virtual load balancing, which can result in disparate policies, management blind spots and a cumbersome user experience,” said Maxine Holt, research director, information security at Ovum. “Pulse Secure provides IT with a facility to ensure consistent user, role, device and stateful policy-management across computing environments, whether a business is fully hybrid IT invested or moving to the cloud on a per app and business case.” As organizations migrate to hybrid IT and accelerate multi-cloud IT service delivery, protecting the connectivity and assuring the authorized access between their mobile workforce and the mix of data center, cloud hosted, and SaaS applications and resources introduce an array of usability and security challenges. For its more than 20,000 enterprise customers, Pulse Secure’s new release enables an easier transformation of their trusted and reliable virtual private network (VPN) environment into a flexible and scalable Secure Access solution that adapts to the cloud-extended data center and the panoply of BYOD and IOT devices. More so, the release continues to offer frictionless, single-sign on connectivity, between data center and cloud applications, that users enjoy and IT support staff welcome. Pulse Connect Secure 9.0 ships with management console enhancements that provide IT administrators and security operators extensive user and device visibility with the means to dynamically manage policy based on device security state, user role, application, resource or authentication requirements whether on premise or in the cloud. The release brings additional API capabilities to further integration with other IT systems. The release also extends Secure Access to a wider set of devices. It allows on-demand VPN for Android devices using Pulse Workspace offering a secure, easy-to-manage and remotely wipeable device container. This innovation elevates the world’s most popular mobile devices to true enterprise class security. The release enhances security for MacOS with expanded device compliance functionality and Always-On VPN with lockdown control of internet traffic, keeping enterprise users secure no matter their location. Pulse Connect Secure 9.0 also extends endpoint vulnerability assessment to help IT prevent malware propagation such as the WannaCry ransomware. Pulse Connect Secure 9.0 can be deployed within the data center on a virtual or physical appliance, or as a cloud service when securing public cloud deployments for Microsoft Azure and now for Amazon AWS. Since the solution offers unified appliance and policy management, it can be readily scaled-out without disrupting users, changing security policies or retraining administrators. Designed for hybrid IT test environments, the new release also enhances predictable operation and elasticity with new high availability capacity for virtual appliances and on-demand user licensing shared among appliances. “Pulse Secure continues to focus on building Secure Access solutions that improve the productivity of IT administrators and the end users they support, while at the same time allowing enterprises to take advantage of hybrid IT,” said Prakash Mana, vice president of product management at Pulse Secure. “This release demonstrates our commitment to systems usability and consistent protection by helping IT secure more devices that users care about, and in this case, making both Android and Macintosh users happy. We also help make the administrator’s job easier and more efficient with new features, such as domain-based management of cloud services, Always-on VPN wizard, and vulnerability checking. It all contributes to a better user experience and secure connectivity that is easier to provision, manage and scale.” In addition, Pulse Connect Secure Release 9.0: Simplifies management of cloud, SaaS and data center access with fully qualified domain name (FQDN) split-VPN tunneling and console wizard support for Always-On VPN Boosts appliance performance and reliability with virtual appliance clustering and provisioning support for WAN-based clusters Enhances the browser-based user experience with improved support for HTML5 RDP users and optimized rewriter support for JavaScript For more information on how Pulse Secure can provide your enterprise with the agility and flexibility needed in today’s fast-paced business world, visit www.pulsesecure.net.

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Vicon Valerus VMS installed at NYC’s Cathedral of Saint John the Divine

UK News Desk / Ghyslaine Cordrey

Vicon Industries, Inc., a designer and manufacturer of video surveillance and access control software, hardware and components, has announced that the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, the largest Cathedral and fifth largest church building in the world, recently completed installation of a Vicon Valerus video management system(VMS) to secure the Cathedral and surrounding 11.3 acre complex in Manhattan. As the seat of the Episcopal Diocese of New York, the Cathedral is the site of daily religious services, community programing and social outreach. It also plays host to a busy schedule of art exhibitions, concerts, receptions, public and private events and visiting dignitaries, who have included Nelson Mandela, The Most Reverend Desmond Tutu and President Bill Clinton. The new Valerus system, installed by the Long Island office of ITsavvy, an IT products and technology solutions provider, combines over 70 Vicon high-resolution IP cameras, a Valerus application server and multiple recording servers. The system’s wide range of cameras include models with powerful zoom that provide detailed coverage of surrounding city streets, and others chosen for their ability to perform well in the low and challenging light inside the Cathedral. Cameras also provide coverage of the Cathedral’s’ exterior, administrative and residential buildings that support the Bishop, clergy and Diocese, a world-class textile conservation laboratory, visitor center, information booths and surrounding grounds and gardens. The Valerus system is vital for providing safety for all visitors, staff, residents and students, as well as protecting the property and its many valuable artifacts. Cameras are particularly helpful in protecting the Cathedral from liability in slip-and-fall incidents. They also document, for the police, any incidents that arise from the Cathedral’s service to the mentally ill and indigent. Live and recorded video from the Valerus system is frequently shared with NYPD and local security forces from Columbia University and other neighboring institutions. Keith Hinkson, Director of Security at The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, says, “The searching feature is so much easier on Valerus, and we can see up to 99 cameras on one screen. This is huge for an institution like ours. I can go from one camera to the next with no trouble whatsoever.” “Vicon is incredibly proud that a world-class institution as prestigious as The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine has entrusted its security to an end-to-end Vicon solution, including our latest Valerus software. Our participation in this project illustrates that Valerus can deliver security effectively to the most high-profile of installations,” said Bret McGowan, Vicon’s Senior V.P. of Sales and Marketing. Learn more about this installation on Vicon’s website: www.vicon-security.com-cathedral.

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ASSA ABLOY wins four GOOD DESIGN™ Awards

UK News Desk / Editor

Four ASSA ABLOY products were recently named as 2017 GOOD DESIGN™ award winners. The products were: the Rockwood ArborTek pulls with collar mount posts, Attack Resistant Openings, SARGENT Mortise Lock Escutcheon Indicators, and Norton 6300 Series Low Energy Operators. The GOOD DESIGN awards took place at the Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design. Founded in Chicago in 1950, GOOD DESIGN remains the oldest, most prestigious, and most recognized program for design excellence worldwide. For 2017, the Museum received submissions from several thousand of the world’s leading manufacturers and industrial and graphic design firms. These represented the most important and influential corporations in the design industry from over 55 countries. Rockwood ArborTek by ASSA ABLOY The Rockwood ArborTek door pulls feature collar mount posts. It combines classic wood with modern metals, that results in a clean, sophisticated aesthetic. In a marriage of form and function, the wood’s natural grain and color variations make each pull visually unique. In addition, wood grips are gentle to the touch in any environment or temperature. The ASSA ABLOY Attack Resistant Opening was developed with K-12 schools and higher education campuses in mind. Since then, it has has become popular for offices, houses of worship, libraries, and other public buildings. Each Attack Resistant Opening is comprised of high-security door, frame, and hardware components from ASSA ABLOY Group brands. As well as this, the protective glass is from School Guard Glass™. Tested according to 5-aa 10 standards based on the FBI’s Active Shooter Report, the opening can withstand up to 90 shots of 7.62 mm ammunition. They can then be followed by an uninterrupted four-minute physical attack, and hold. Norton 6300 Series The Norton 6300 Series is a low energy door operator with a uniquely slim profile. This is designed to blend with the frame while fitting tight spaces with limited header room. The 6300 Series is ideal for a wide range of heavy-use openings. It offers a broad feature set to safety secure interior and exterior doors, and enables facilities to meet ADA requirements. Escutcheons are a protective or ornamental trim plate usually for a mortise lock, which covers door face cut-outs and incorporates the function holes for spindles, cylinders. The SARGENT Mortise Lock Escutcheon Indicators serve the purpose of informing the occupancy or opening of a room. This makes it an excellent solution for both new and retrofit applications, where visual indication of a door being locked or unlocked is desired. Delight “We’re honored to have many ASSA ABLOY products win this prestigious design award,” said Tom Harris, Vice President Business Development, Access & Egress Hardware Group, ASSA ABLOY. “As with all of our products, we are committed to combining the highest quality build, outstanding functionality and distinctive superior design options that can fit any environment. “We continually strive to provide top-grade materials and finishes for products that are innovative, functional and complement the style of the space in which they are installed.”

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Panasonic continues to raise the bar for excellent customer service

Event News, Middle East News Desk / Editor

Panasonic Marketing Middle East & Africa (PMMAF), committed to deliver true satisfaction to its customers always, recently organized another strategy conference for FY2018 with its service partner management representatives. Held in Dubai, the Panasonic Customer Service Convention, was designed to share best practices on exceptional customer service, as well as enhance the quality of the company’s after-sales service. “Panasonic is truly engaged and invested in initiatives that not only improve the customer experience, but at the same time help our partners and dealers be more efficient in the delivery of their service. This is also consistent with our Founder’s business philosophy that when we satisfy our customers, we can in turn find satisfaction in a job well done,” commented PMMAF Managing Director, Mr. Hiroki Soejima. Ryuji Nakatani – Customer Service Director, PMMAF added, “This event is special because together we are learning, establishing benchmarks, tracking successes and identifying areas that need improvements. Keeping our customers satisfied hinges on having well-trained and competent staff possible. Moreover, this just amplifies Panasonic’s fundamental stance to provide customers with trust and peace of mind through our products and services.” The event drew attendees from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Iraq, and was graced by PMMAF’s top management as well as representatives from its offices in Lebanon and Kuwait. A special delegation from the company’s Japan and Malaysia operations was also present. Included in the agenda of the convention were presentations and discussions on Spare Parts Support, Technical Support and Regulation, Customer Service Policy and Activities, among others. PMMAF Service Partner Companies also presented overviews of customer service initiatives from their respective countries. Meanwhile, the Star Service Competition Awards Ceremony was an important highlight of the event where PMMAF recognized employees for their achievement in customer service. In his closing remarks, Mr. Soejima further explained, “Improving the employees’ customer service skills is a crucial step in understanding our customers. The opportunity to interact with our customers allows us to have a better grasp of their needs and thus we’re able to align these with our goals and priorities. This helps us in our commitment of offering products and solutions that enrich the lives of people around the world.”

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