The Latest Fortinet News
Product and Solution Information, Press Releases, Announcements

Working with Fortinet partner Security7 Networks, Roche had a two-part Fortinet deployment. The initial deployment was a back-up VPN network that had to be cost-effective and that had automatic rollover using Open Shortest Path First (OSPF). The deployment consisted of FortiGate-80C appliances with Sprint Wireless Air Cards at each Roche Brother and Sudbury Farms location. The FortiGate-80C appliances are providing back-up for the existing frame relay network.

After successfully completing and seeing the benefits of a Fortinet-based back-up VPN network at Roche Brothers, Security7 started a new in store wireless project for inventory and order management. Currently deployed at 19 different Roche Brother locations and its headquarters are six to eight Fortinet FortiAP integrated wireless security appliances. The size of the location determines the amount of FortiAP appliances deployed. The wireless LAN controller functionality with built in FortiOS was leveraged to save additional money and space at Roche Brother locations. In addition, two FortiAP-220B appliances will be deployed at Roche Brothers headquarters.

The FortiAP-220B appliance is a dual radio thin AP that is designed for simultaneous security air monitor and AP operation in the same physical enclosure. Users of FortiAP-220B can employ one radio to meet the PCI DSS regulatory compliance by dedicating a radio full time to air scanning on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, while the 2nd radio provides full speed client access on 2.4GHz band. Having two radios in one enclosure reduces not only the capital cost of equipment, but also amplifies deployment with increased monitoring coverage.

“It is critical for us to have a network and back-up network that has 99.9% uptime. If our network goes down, even for a few minutes, we lose money,” said John Lauderbach, Vice President of IT at Roche Brothers. “We are very pleased with our Fortinet deployment throughout our network. We finally have a back-up VPN and in store wireless solution that offers us cost savings and security that we can rely on.”

In addition, FortiManager and FortiAnalyzer centralized management, reporting and analyzing appliances are deployed at Security7 Networks and are working in conjunction with Security7’s ManageWerx solution to maintaining a detailed historical record of information gathered, which is used by analysis and reporting engines.

“Deployments such as Roche Brothers are becoming increasingly popular with our customer base. They started with FortiGate appliances and have since extended their Fortinet deployment by adding in other products, such as FortiAP, into their network,” said Pete Brant, vice president of enterprise sales at Fortinet. “In doing so, Roche Brothers has been able to take advantage of Fortinet’s consolidated, cost and space saving appliances.”