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UT-Austin Deploys Network Security and Visibility Tools

Network security and visibility is getting a boost at the University of Texas at Austin. The institution recently selected technology from Ixia, a provider of network testing, visibility and security solutions, to manage its network traffic, security and monitoring needs.

UT-Austin's 51,000 students and 3,000 faculty generate "massive volumes of application traffic that poses significant security and cost-efficiency challenges," according to a press release. The university was in need of an IT architecture flexible and scalable enough to support its needs, as well as monitoring tools for greater network visibility. "We were trying to stay ahead of steadily increasing traffic volumes, coupled with the growing need for robust digital security and network visibility," explained Cam Beasley, chief information security officer at UT, in a statement. Beasley also cited GUI, dynamic filtering and improved network responsiveness as key features guiding the university's technology selection.

Now, Ixia's Net Tool Optimizer NTO 7300 provides end-to-end network visibility and security across the university's physical networks. The product's advanced feature module optimizes monitored network traffic, so that only the most relevant information is analyzed. The module is designed to improve security and performance while providing rapid scalability and maximizing control, according to the company.

The university is also using Ixia's Application and Threat Intelligence Processor (ATIP) to classify the traffic generated by social media applications such as Netflix, Facebook and Hulu. ATIP will allow UT to filter and drop social media traffic (a large portion of UT's traffic volume), reducing the burden on its security services.

In addition, Ixia Flex Taps will support UT's traffic visibility into 10G and 100G networks, leveraging a high-density design and fiber-optic technology to provide a flexible, scalable security and visibility architecture.

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

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