Penn SecureIT Benefits to FRES

To keep Penn at the forefront of innovation and academic excellence, the University has launched a multi-year program called Penn SecureIT to enhance its technology and data environment. FRES has made significant progress with the first of five implementation "sprints", one for each of the five EVP divisions in the program's scope. As we near completion of Sprint 1, Dennis Langlois, FRES IT Director, provided his thoughts on the benefits of each work stream:
 

1. Firewalls: We upgraded to newer equipment capable of significantly faster throughput, featuring a more user-friendly interface for quickly identifying traffic patterns. We implemented tightened security rules, removing decommissioned objects. Finally, we migrated to a VPN group dedicated to FRES staff, significantly improving security.
 

2. Endpoints: We established 24x7 monitoring and gained expertise in using BigFix for deploying custom software packages. We also enhanced reporting and insights into Windows and software updates across workstations and servers.
 

3. Active Directory: We cleaned up outdated group policies and implemented long-desired policies, including requiring two-factor authentication for Remote Desktop access.
 

4. Servers: We upgraded application servers to the latest versions as part of the migration process. We also consolidated servers to reduce licensing costs and improve efficiency.