Safe@Office Network security

Network security with Safe@Office from Check Point Software Technologies

Safe@Office appliances from Check Point Software Technologies provide a simple, affordable and reliable solution to keep small business networks protected and connected.

 

Key Benefits

• Delivers an affordable, easy-to-use, all-in-one security solution for small businesses
• Provides the same proven security technologies trusted by Fortune 100 companies
• Addresses industry-specific network security regulations
• Maximizes employee productivity
• Streamlines ongoing security policy administration
• Ensures around-the-clock business continuity
• Industry’s Most Proven Firewall

Based on the same Check Point technologies that secure the Fortune 100, Safe@Office appliances include the industry’s most proven firewall. The system can block non-business related applications such as Instant Messaging (IM) and Peer-to-Peer (P2P) applications.

Streaming Gateway Antivirus

An integrated gateway antivirus blocks worms and viruses before they can enter the network. This provides the ability to scan email and Web traffic for possible threats.

Comprehensive Messaging Security

Messaging Security from Check Point provides comprehensive protection for small business messaging systems, protecting email servers, provides highly accurate spam protection and defence against a wide variety of virus and malware threats within email.

All round anti-spam

• Blocks spam and malware at the connection level by checking the sender’s reputation against a dynamic database of known malicious IP addresses
• Protects against known forms of spam by comparing a “fingerprint” of each incoming mail message to a dynamic database with millions of known spam
• Utilises block or allow lists to deny obvious email offenders and allow trusted senders, including blocking entire domains or marking entire domains as safe.

Mail antivirus

Blocks worms and viruses before they can enter the network. Supports standard email protocols (POP3, IMAP, and SMTP), including Web-based email.

SmartDefense email server protection

Protects against a broad range of threats, including DDos attacks that target the messaging infrastructure itself. The antivirus policy setup provides a quick and simple way to define the traffic types that should be scanned.

Web Filtering

Inappropriate Web surfing can introduce security threats, increase legal liability and decrease employee productivity. Safe@Office appliances integrate best-of-breed Web filtering to prevent staff introducing security threats from inappropriate web surfing. Administrators can define an acceptable Web access policy for the organization and protect it from threats such as spyware and viruses. Access to specific websites and URLs can be blocked.

VPN and Remote Access

Safe@Office allows secure remote access to the network to increase productivity and ensure business continuity, without compromising IT resources. Only authorized users have network access, encrypting communications to ensure complete confidentiality. Teleworkers and road-warriors can access via laptops, PDAs and even iPhones.

Quick and Easy Setup

A simple Web-based management interface enables administrators to secure their small business in minutes, with flexible security rules and a variety of remote management options.

Intuitive Security and Network Monitoring

Safe@Office logs information on attempted attacks and displays it in an easy-to-follow, colour-coded report. Built-in traffic monitoring and packet capture tools are also provided, allowing the monitoring and control of incoming/outgoing traffic to ensure efficient utilization of the broadband connection.

Hassle-free updates

Optional subscription-based services provide continuous software and antivirus updates.

Newsletter May 2009

Newsletter

Dear Customer,

I am pleased to announce that just one year after becoming a Microsoft Certified Partner, Boffins has been promoted to Gold Partner Status. This reflects our commitment in training our engineers to provide the best possible support to our clients. One of the benefits of this status is increased access to Microsoft’s own engineers, if we need help resolving problems, further enhancing our ability to react quickly and effectively to major issues.

Our relationship with Kaspersky also goes from strength to strength. We have been discussing our implementation processes with them directly and have been able to refine these further so that we can achieve consistently good installations of their products. We are also now offering their hosted spam filtering product to those clients that wish to protect their networks at the edge. Call if this is of interest.

Finally this month we have included a quick brief on the Fujitsu ScanSnap S510. Many of our Customers want to reduce the paper stored in their offices and improve access to archives by scanning their documents. This product offers excellent capability and great value for those that want to investigate or start electronic document archiving.

Next month we will focus on remote working and details of our first major EBS implementation.

Jim White
Boffins Computer Workshops

Gold star for Boffins

It has been less than one year since Boffins decided to take the first steps towards accreditation by Microsoft, and the recognition demonstrates Microsoft’s complete confidence in the excellence and experience of the Boffins team.

“For more than a decade we’ve been benchmarking ourselves by what our customers said about us,” says Tony Dawes, Boffins’ technical director. “Only latterly did we take a strategic decision to seek Microsoft accreditation, as some larger customers started to ask us for it.”

Along the way, the Boffins team have also been accredited as:

• Microsoft Small Business Specialists - ensuring they deliver appropriate software and cost-effective support for smaller enterprises
• Microsoft Advanced Infrastructure Solution Providers - assuring customers the Boffins team can deliver complex software solutions as clients require them
• Microsoft Authorised Education Resellers - confirming the Boffins team understand the special needs of the education sector
• Microsoft Security Solution Providers - demonstrating Boffins’ thorough knowledge of anti-virus, firewall and protection software solutions.

 

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Greater protection online

 For companies concerned about online threats to their business, the Safe@Office network security system may be just the answer.

The Safe@Office equipment, developed by Check Point Software, provides comprehensive protection across a small business network, against spam, viruses and any other intruders, with a firewall based on the same technologies used by Check Point for Fortune100 company servers.

In addition, Safe@Office can be used to help improve
staff productivity. A filter can restrict internet use by blocking inappropriate sites, supporting an acceptable Web use policy. And the equipment also allows remote users to access the company server from anywhere, allowing authorised users access via their laptop, PDA or iPhone.

 

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Cut the paper

The true paperless office still has yet to arrive, but the ScanSnap series from Fujitsu helps move us closer to that day.

The ScanSnap scanner, barely the size of a laptop computer, converts the scan into a PDF or JPEG file at the touch of a button, and can handle colour and two sided documents. The electronic files can then be exported to any computer, without the need to install additional software.

For more information about how A ScanSnap could cut your paperwork and improve efficiency in your office, call Boffins now.

Simple!
First of all, ScanSnap is simple to use!
With ScanSnap’s “one touch” operation,just place what you want to scan in the scanner and press the “SCAN” button.
Whether you’re scanning two sided documents or color documents, ScanSnap’s “one touch” operation handles everything!

Speedy!
ScanSnap is speedy as well!
ScanSnap quickly converts scanned images into PDF and JPEG files that can be used anywhere.
The S510 can speedily digitize A4 color duplex documents
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Compact!
The S510 is so compact that it can be placed just about anywhere!
The S510 has a smaller footprint than a notebook computer.
ScanSnap scanners are small enough to easily carry anywhere!

Boffins Goes Gold

PRESS RELEASE: Boffins Computer Workshops has been awarded the accolade of Gold Partner by global software leaders Microsoft, recognising the Buckinghamshire-based company’s commitment to providing business customers across the region with the highest levels of IT support.
It has been less than one year since Boffins decided to take the first steps towards accreditation by Microsoft, and the recognition demonstrates Microsoft’s complete confidence in the excellence and experience of the Boffins team.

“For more than a decade we’ve been benchmarking ourselves by what our customers said about us,” says Tony Dawes, Boffins’ technical director. “Only latterly did we take a strategic decision to seek Microsoft accreditation, as some larger customers started to ask us for it. We’re very glad we took that step - by gaining Gold Partner status we have independent verification of the level of expertise within our team. And new customers of all sizes can ask us to manage their IT with absolute confidence.”

In gaining their achievement of Gold Partner status, the Boffins team have also been accredited as:

• Microsoft Small Business Specialists - ensuring they deliver appropriate software and cost-effective support for smaller enterprises
• Microsoft Advanced Infrastructure Solution Providers - assuring customers the Boffins team can deliver complex software solutions as clients require them
• Microsoft Authorised Education Resellers - confirming the Boffins team understand the special needs of the education sector
• Microsoft Security Solution Providers - demonstrating Boffins’ thorough knowledge of anti-virus, firewall and protection software solutions.

The Boffins team includes engineers with more than 100 years of IT experience between them. A newly opened office in Knowl Hill, near Maidenhead, is Boffins’ second location, and it is looking to build on the company’s services offered from its base in Haddenham, near Thame.

Says Tony: “Boffins has grown by delivering great service to our loyal customer base in Buckinghamshire, and we are now looking forward to making a similar impact in the Thames Valley.”

Reed Harris

CASE STUDY: Fulham and Reading-based tile specialist Reed Harris has developed one of the most exciting, sophisticated and contemporary ranges of ceramic, porcelain, glass and mosaic tile collections in the UK, as well as the more traditional natural stone wall, floor, interior and exterior tiles.

Sourced from leading manufacturers, Reed Harris’s tiles and fitting accessories are recognised for their quality by in-the-know professionals, with regular customers including interior designers and architects.

A “new broom”

In the past, Reed Harris’s IT support had been, in its own words “very piecemeal”, and when it realised it needed to upgrade its server it decided to bring in a new broom. “We really needed some reliable IT support, especially with the opening of our new branch in Reading” says Reed Harris Financial Controller Martyn Legg. “In short, a supplier that was responsive and that would listen to our needs.”

“Robust and reliable”

Having put the contract out to tender, Boffins, easily won the pitch. “Everything about Boffins fitted the bill,” says Martyn. “Their pricings were spot-on and they never tried to up-sell products or services that we had no need of. Their approach and attitude were down-to-earth. They listened to us, taking proper note of what we needed, and were always robust and reliable in their response.”

Facing the future

With Boffins on board, Reed Harris can now rely on quarterly site visits, round-the-clock technical support, regular preventative checks and audits of IT equipment, and general advice on issues relating to its IT infrastructure. “We really feel we can face the future with proper guidance in terms of our IT systems,” says Martyn.

Peace of mind

What Martyn also highlights is the peace of mind that Boffins has facilitated. “Prior to drafting in Boffins, IT issues were always preying on our minds. We never really knew where we stood with our systems. With Boffins, if we email or call we know they’ll get back to us on the same day and let us know what to expect.”

Optimum service

Investment in new IT and a top-notch supplier has also enabled Reed Harris to offer its customers an optimum service. “It was really helpful when we opened our new branch,” says Martyn. “We achieved new levels of efficiency and were really able to look after our customers. Now we spend a lot less time trying to sort out problems and a lot more time looking after our customers and boosting business. What once occupied a half day per week is now little more than one hour per week.”

Final verdict

“Boffins has enabled us to make balanced decisions and improve business efficiency - all the while staying right on budget.”

Visit Reed Harris at www.reedharris.co.uk