Cisco
TECHNOLOGY IN ACTION
UNC Pembroke
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“The first benefit we noticed after implementation was the increase in visibility. We instantly noticed we had more issues than we thought we had, so it took more time to remediate than planned. Once we had a clean slate and began to take advantage of automation, we were able to see the most significant threats and prioritize on issues ... that have the potential to do the most damage. Automation gave us back more hours in our day. Before, we might receive 20 or more serious incident reports each morning; now we receive one or two a week.”

— Don Bryant, chief information security officer, University of North Carolina at Pembroke

As it had in other areas, UNCP began with a plan: establishing objectives and then identifying the right security tools. “I challenged my team with assessing the threat landscape and determining what we really need. We chose solutions that would allow us to implement a comprehensive security portfolio over time—and bring our users along with us,” Crouch says. “We’ve recently committed to a security enterprise agreement, which assures cutting-edge security capabilities at a predictable cost. We won’t have to prioritize our security investments; we’re able to think strategically about other elements of our architecture knowing that the security technology that protects it all is up to date. (The university’s enterprise agreement is funded with assistance from Cisco Capital.)

“Most importantly though, our relationship with Cisco gives our team an opportunity to build its skill set,” Crouch adds. “We’re still lean, but we’re talented, and we’ve been able to scale up the tools to address emerging threats with our existing staff.”

Building IT capacity with help from Wounded Warriors

UNCP’s efforts to build and develop its IT staff led to a unique relationship with the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM) that brings Wounded Warriors with cybersecurity experience to campus to serve as fellows. The initiative gives retiring service members valuable work experience, which they can take with them to future positions in the private sector. The program also provides the university with proven talent that complements existing staff and helps achieve security goals.