Education
Powerful Proactive Solutions for School Network Security

With students on your network, you have plenty to worry about when it comes to security. WatchGuard education solutions allow schools and school districts to efficiently and comprehensively implement network security to keep those students safe. We offer affordable solutions that are uncomplicated to deploy and maintain, help ensure you meet compliance standards, and easily scale to accommodate growth.

Giving Schools the Security They Need

Based on the principle of unified threat management, WatchGuard education solutions have advanced security technologies for proactive defense against new threats. This is combined with content-based security capabilities that scan for known malware delivered in non-suspicious traffic. It all adds up to continuous, comprehensive protection for school networks.

Keeping MySpace out of your space and other web challenges
You can easily block access to web pages delivering streaming media such as peer-to-peer/social networking – the technology used in MySpace and Facebook, instant messaging, and webmail capabilities, and use up to 40 web site categories to prevent access to content unsuitable for a school environment. Our robust URL filtering uses a continually updated database of over 14.4 million sites. It enables schools to balance network access for educational purposes with the responsibility to protect students from inappropriate and potentially dangerous web content.

Because you never know what might hit the network next
Schools make particularly attractive targets for network attacks, and students – whether inadvertently or intentionally – can introduce even more problems. Zero day protection through industry-leading technology is at the heart of WatchGuard solutions. With zero day protection, your network has strong defenses in place at all times against previously unknown threats. Learn more about zero day protection technology.

Protecting confidential student data from prying eyes
You need to protect confidential and sensitive data including student contact information, grades, and medical information – data that must not be compromised. With WatchGuard education solutions you safeguard sensitive data from illicit access and theft with powerful, multi-layered anti-spyware, intrusion prevention, and anti-virus capabilities. They stop malicious attacks at the gateway before they ever get to your network, block known spyware sites, and prevent drive-by spyware from entering the network as a result of web surfing.

Simplified Management for Busy Administrators

Centralized management allows schools to leverage resources and technical expertise for maximum benefit. With a WatchGuard education solution, one intuitive management console handles all security functions. Administrators have the ability to set uniform security policies across the entire network with a click of the mouse and segment privileges based on group. Simple drag-and-drop VPN creation, comprehensive logging, and real-time monitoring streamline security management, even for novice school network administrators. It’s easy to generate graphical reports of web access, attempted policy violations, Internet usage, and anti-virus and intrusion prevention activity, so schools have the data they need to make security policy and network bandwidth decisions, as well as demonstrate compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act and other government regulations.

Get a Team of Security Experts behind You

Guidance and support from the WatchGuard team of security experts help schools and school districts better manage their security. This is a ground-breaking program in support and maintenance that provides up-to-the-minute threat alerts with instructions on how to deal with the latest system vulnerabilities, rapid-response technical support, training, advance hardware replacement, educational videos, podcasts, and more. No other security company offers so much in its support program for schools.

Making Room for Growth – in the Schools and around the Network

As student populations grow and the network expands, WatchGuard solutions can be easily upgraded with simple, downloadable software license keys. This allows you to keep pace with performance and capacity requirements, without buying new hardware. Software license keys also provide the flexibility to add functionality based on need and the changing security landscape.

Deploy Robust Security with a Limited IT Budget

Having a fully integrated security solution brings many advantages, including a cost-effective way of providing complete protection. From initial purchase and setup through ongoing security management, deploying one multifaceted solution greatly decreases interoperability issues. One support contract covers all aspects of your network security profile. Solutions include an intuitive management console with no hidden costs or additional purchases required. And because solutions are upgradeable with software license keys, you reduce major hardware upgrades. WatchGuard also offers a discount to all qualifying educational institutions through its SchoolMate™ program.

Read the Belton School District case study to find out how they got the right combination of powerful security, scalability, and ease of use with a WatchGuard education solution.

Learn more about the WatchGuard SchoolMate™ program discounts.