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In the mid-to-late 90s, Redditch Borough Council, a local government body in the United Kingdom, faced a significant security challenge. The spread of boot sector viruses via infected floppy disks was a major security problem. The council's IT department identified that a significant virus threat to its network was being caused by users introducing floppy disks onto their work PCs, which they had been using at home. The council needed a solution that would manage the introduction of foreign media and control the installation of software and new files on every council PC. Prior to adopting Check Point data security, the council relied on an antivirus package deployed on a small number of machines. However, this solution failed to provide complete security, and the associated costs of protecting the network from unauthorized software installations and viruses proved to be beyond the scope of available budgets.

RPS, a leading multidisciplinary consultancy in Ireland, faced a significant challenge in providing secure, reliable remote access for its highly distributed enterprise. The company supports its various divisions with an information technology strategy characterized as a 'distributed centralized model.' Services such as email are centralized, with different services being located in different places connected by an MPLS network. However, hundreds of RPS employees move around, working from various locations including RPS offices, home, hotels, airports, customer facilities, or even remote countryside locations. The company needed to provide secure remote access that is also extremely user-friendly so that consultants can access their email, download standards from the intranet, and report their hourly billings and expenses from the field in a timely manner. The existing https product for remote intranet access was not deemed secure enough for wide distribution due to concerns about the safety of the laptops used by the employees.

The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, one of the world’s most respected centers devoted exclusively to cancer patient care, research, education and prevention, faced a significant challenge in maintaining patient privacy. The center, which handles approximately 65,000 patients annually, has always prioritized patient privacy, even before federal and state regulations made it mandatory. As part of their Code of Ethics, patient information is confidential and cannot be disclosed to third parties without patient consent. However, with the advent of the internet and the opportunities it presented, such as telemedicine, remote access to patient records, remote consultation with a patient’s primary physician and mobile healthcare services, the center had to find a way to balance these technological advancements with the stringent requirements of HIPAA. The challenge was not only substantial due to the sheer number of patients but also because of the large number of employees, volunteers, students, postdoctoral fellows, and others who needed access to the information for educational and distance-learning opportunities.

Edwards Lifesciences, a global leader in cardiovascular disease treatment, faced a significant challenge in ensuring the security of its network endpoints. As a U.S. healthcare company, Edwards Lifesciences had to comply with numerous federal and state regulations, including the Federal Drug Administration, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) Act, and the California Security Breach Information Act. To meet these regulatory requirements, Edwards needed to demonstrate that all its endpoints connecting to the network were safe and adhered to the company’s security policies. The company had a presence in 100 cities, with its main data center in Irvine, California, and a regional hub in Horw, Switzerland. Many offices and remote users connected securely through the Internet via Check Point VPN-1 Pro gateways, adding to the complexity of the security challenge.

Swiss Re, a leading reinsurance company, faced a significant challenge in protecting critical data on the 4,500 notebooks used by its employees. These laptops were used by employees who frequently traveled, commuted between different locations, or occasionally worked from home. The existing password protection in Windows XP was deemed inadequate, as notebooks protected in this way were vulnerable to misuse within minutes with easily available hacking tools. The company needed a solution that would prevent unauthorized persons from reading the data on these notebooks. The solution had to be compatible with the existing server infrastructure, the application components on the laptops, and the software distribution mechanism. It also had to be installable automatically during operation without the need for support employees on site.

The Freedom Centre, a charity and day center for physically disabled people in Sheerness, Kent, United Kingdom, wanted to offer Internet-related experiences to its members. The trustees believed that the Internet could be a valuable tool for people with disabilities, helping them extend their scope and increase interaction with the world. With a grant from the National Lottery, the center bought two high-capacity PCs, a printer, and software to work on the Internet, and added classes using the Internet, e-mail, and website design for both recreational and research purposes. However, with the expanded independence that the Internet offered, concerns arose about protecting a vulnerable group from offensive, dangerous, and inappropriate inbound and outbound contacts. The Center Trustees also worried about the potential negative repercussions with donors if member-clients were found to be accessing inappropriate web content.

Advanced Systems Group (ASG), a national Open Systems integrator and certified Check Point partner, was facing growing security challenges as it expanded from a single office to multiple locations. Despite being a smaller company with just over 100 employees, ASG was dealing with significant issues related to network security. The company was using Verizon Business for the management of its wide-area network, but was dissatisfied with the limitations of their network managed firewalls. The cost was high and the bandwidth provided was insufficient for ASG's needs. ASG's Chief Information Officer, Dan Park, was looking for a solution that could provide better internet security management at a more affordable cost.

CSL Limited, a leading mobile network operator in Hong Kong, faced a significant challenge in maintaining robust security protection for its services. As the first mobile phone operator in Hong Kong, CSL has a reputation to uphold among its 2.6 million customers. Any amount of service downtime could severely impact the company's image and reputation. The company operates in a highly competitive market with more than seven mobile service providers and around 11 million mobile subscribers. Given the 24x7 uptime requirement of a mobile service provider in such a competitive environment, attentive support and quick turnaround time from vendors was crucial. The challenge was to find a solution that could provide comprehensive protection against threats, offer one-stop deployment and service support, and ensure secure and continuous uptime.

Family Assurance, the UK’s largest tax-exempt friendly society, faced a significant challenge in maintaining data and corporate network integrity due to the large number of staff. The company identified risks associated with unmanaged user access, such as the potential for sensitive data to be moved via removable media or the introduction of virus-infected, untested, or unlicensed software. The team at Family Assurance wanted to take a proactive stance and use a sophisticated technology solution to ensure that the company did all that it could to promote good practice. They aimed to achieve accreditation from the Federation Against Software Theft (FAST), a UK organization that promotes the legal use of software. FAST accreditation indicates software compliance and reduces virus risks.

Glatfelter Insurance Group (GIG), a leading insurance broker, faced a significant challenge in supporting its home-based sales executives. The company markets its Volunteer Firefighters Insurance Services (VFIS) products and programs through independent agents and a network of sales executives who work from their homes. To support these sales executives, GIG implemented new customer relationship management (CRM) and imaging applications with a Web interface. However, the remote access via toll-free dialup was slow, and telecommunications costs were soaring as these associates frequently stayed connected all day. GIG needed a faster, more cost-effective, and secure way for sales executives to access sales-support information and communicate with underwriters and claims professionals.

Matheson Tri-Gas, a supplier of pure gases and gas mixtures, was facing a significant challenge in connecting its numerous branch offices and integrating newly acquired businesses. The company, which has over 900 employees and 60 locations across the United States, was growing rapidly and had plans to acquire more distribution companies. Many of these locations were small offices and retail outlets with limited IT resources. These locations required access to the company’s intranet, centralized ERP applications, and a proprietary cylinder management system that tracks more than 700,000 gas cylinders nationwide. The existing frame relay networks were slow and expensive, and the company wanted to leverage the development of broadband services to link its branch offices. However, the company was concerned about the security risks of always-on Internet connections and needed a cost-effective Internet security and Virtual Private Network (VPN) solution that was easy to use and transparent to the users.

Tech Electronics, an IT services company with a wide customer base across the country, faced a significant challenge in securing remote access to customer information. The company's employees handle sensitive data remotely, making it crucial for the company to assure its customers that their data is safe. The company sought a solution to guarantee security and centrally manage security updates across all endpoints on the network. The first challenge was securing mobile connections over the open Internet, with the idea of using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to secure communications in transit. Another challenge was the logistics of implementing a security solution on new phones for over 200 employees, which involved taking delivery of the phones, uploading the security solution, and distributing the phones to employees in the field. Lastly, the company needed a way to manage updates centrally and automatically once the new phones were distributed.

Michael Page International, a leading professional recruitment agency, faced a significant challenge in securing its confidential data across office-based PCs and a fleet of 50 laptops used by directors, senior management, and IT staff. The company, with around 300 PCs in 65 offices across the UK, needed a solution that could protect against data loss or theft, and could be easily deployed and controlled across a distributed network. The need for confidentiality was paramount in their business, as their clients and applicants depended on it. The challenge was to find a solution that would not only secure the data but also operate automatically without disrupting the end user, and reduce the burden on IT support staff.

MBM Computer System Solutions, a Michigan-based Managed Services Provider for SMB clients in various sectors, prides itself on providing end-to-end IT services. The company's reputation is built on its ability to ensure uptime for businesses while helping them run as efficiently as possible. However, to maintain this level of service, MBM needed a solution that offered robust IT security and central management capabilities. The company was also looking for a solution that would allow them to build a recurring revenue model. The challenge was to find a comprehensive solution that could keep pace with ongoing business needs and the constantly shifting security threats. Furthermore, the solution needed to provide MBM with total control over their clients’ IT systems, including control of licensing and renewal of customer’s products.

Erdinger Weißbräu, a leading private brewery in Germany, faced a significant challenge in managing its complex IT structure while maintaining its traditional brewing methods. The brewery, which produces 1.5 million hectoliters of wheat beer annually and exports to over 70 countries, required an efficient and easily manageable security environment for its operations. The brewery's development was heading towards the internet, necessitating a robust security solution. The brewery also needed to separate its internal networks, such as the production network from the sales area, to ensure the security of its trade secrets and protect against disruptive attacks. The brewery considered various market leaders, including Cisco and Check Point, and concluded that Check Point was more user-friendly and easier to handle.

Zim Integrated Shipping Services Ltd., one of the largest container-shipping companies in the world, faced a significant challenge in maintaining information security while providing high-performance network access to its globally dispersed workforce. With over 3,000 employees spread across approximately 200 sites worldwide, the company needed a solution that could ensure secure access to network resources, even from less reputable sites. The company's operations were supported by three regional data centers in Haifa, Hong Kong, and Norfolk, Va., and its remote users utilized a variety of network services, including FTP, email synchronization, and remote desktop via Citrix. The geographical dispersion of the company's operations added another layer of complexity, as Zim needed a centralized view of its security solution across its widespread gateways.

Manfrotto Group, a global leader in the creation, production, and distribution of professional support systems for the photography, video, and entertainment industries, faced a significant challenge in securing VPN access to their centralized data centers. The company's information systems were consolidated in Bassano del Grappa, where the main data center was equipped with approximately 50 servers. This architecture allowed all the business units within each brand to connect to a centralized data center to access administrative and financial systems. However, as the company grew, so did the demand for secure remote access to corporate resources. More than 25% of the employees in Italy were considered mobile users, and the trend was quickly catching on throughout the branch offices. The company needed a solution that could be centrally managed out of the data center while securing the new access to information and corporate resources for which users were asking.

Telecom Plus plc, a major British company and a leading provider of Internet and landline telecom, and gas and electric utility services in the UK, faced a significant challenge. The company's Utility Warehouse Discount Club needed a network that was completely safe from the threat posed by removable media devices. Many employees at Telecom Plus’ North London headquarters spent a large amount of time ‘hot-desking’ around the office as well as working remotely. This necessitated the use of removable USB devices to carry around large quantities of data. The challenge for the IT department was to ensure that the workforce was as flexible as possible without risking the security of the network, or the threat of data theft through USB flash drives and other removable media devices. A blanket ban on removable media devices would limit the company’s workforce flexibility, and create an air of distrust among employees. The only solution was to control the use of removable media devices and have total visibility of data coming in and out of the network.

TaskRabbit, an online and mobile marketplace that matches freelance labor with local demand, was looking to expand its operations beyond the US, with London being its first international location. The challenge was to extend TaskRabbit's existing Twilio text and VoIP phone communication capabilities to its new location in London, England. The company had to ensure that the transition of its digital infrastructure overseas was smooth and that handling SMS and phone calls remained hassle-free. Furthermore, TaskRabbit had to adjust their communication style to cater to the subtle differences between London and its US cities. This ranged from making small language tweaks on the website to toning down the marketing language for a less enthusiastic and slightly more skeptical audience.

Tree.com, a marketplace that aids consumers in comparing financial products and real estate, was facing a significant challenge. As a rapidly growing business, they required a call tracking solution that was both scalable and cost-effective. The demand in such a fast-paced business environment can be unpredictable, and Tree.com needed a solution that could grow in real time with their business. They were also looking for a cost model that directly aligned with their usage, meaning they would only pay for the resources they actually used. The challenge was to find a solution that could meet these requirements and support the tens of thousands of numbers required by Tree.com's high growth businesses.

Uber, a global network of everyday and luxury cars, was facing a challenge in keeping its riders up-to-date on the status of their driver request. Despite having a text communication strategy in place, the quality of customer experience was not up to Uber's standards due to issues with its existing hosting providers. The fast delivery of notifications was critical as customer transactions happened in real time. A delay in text message delivery of more than a minute could leave a customer waiting for a ride they didn't know was cancelled or unaware that their ride had arrived. Uber needed a reliable solution to deliver the level of communication its service demanded.

Better Voice, a provider of customizable voicemail and phone services, faced the challenge of integrating voicemail services with multiple platforms and making them accessible via mobile. The company's primary clientele, real estate agents, required an efficient and flexible voicemail system that could handle incoming calls with voice, SMS, and email messages. The information from these calls needed to be automatically extracted, integrated with existing CRM and other systems, and prioritized for response. The challenge was to build a customizable, complete voicemail system that could meet these needs.

iCracked, a smart device repair and reselling network, faced a significant challenge in providing a high-quality and responsive customer service experience for its users. The company initially listed hundreds of its technicians' personal phone numbers on its website, which proved to be highly inefficient and frustrating for customers who had to cold call down the list to find an available technician. iCracked then turned to a virtual phone system offering, which lacked the APIs for building advanced automation capabilities. Without call tracking and recording, it was difficult to monitor customer interactions and virtually impossible to guarantee service. The communications platform in place also failed to scale with iCracked, resulting in poor call quality and dropped calls. iCracked needed a powerful and flexible communications platform that would enable the company to easily integrate advanced communications features into its business processes.

Magna Mysteria, a theatre production company, was faced with the challenge of incorporating reliable SMS into a fast-paced, innovative, and interactive theatrical performance. The company wanted to explore the impact of technology on society and create a truly immersive theatre experience. The traditional theatre environment often discourages the use of mobile phones, but Magna Mysteria wanted to break this norm and integrate mobile usage into their performances. The company aimed to make the audience participants in the show through augmented reality and other pervasive technologies. However, they needed a solution that could seamlessly weave in the audience's personal details into the plot and direct them around venues using SMS and voice calls.

MongoDB, a leading NoSQL database provider, was faced with the challenge of integrating two-factor authentication into its Java-based web application. The company wanted to extend its database monitoring service to include backup and restore capabilities, which required a secure, two-factor authentication solution to authorize the handling of user data. The company needed a solution that was easy to implement, easy to integrate, and reliable for their Java-based application. The challenge was to ensure that only authorized users would be allowed to perform operations that could result in loss or exposure of mission-critical data.

PayByPhone, a leading provider of mobile payments to the parking industry, was faced with the challenge of providing timely account notifications to customers about when their parking meters were about to expire. The company initially used an IVR-based payment method to handle account set-up, transactions, and confirmation of meter location and time needed. SMS reminders also started out this way. Five minutes before the parking expired, a user would get a text message, after which they could call back in via the PayByPhone system to extend their time. However, this approach required integration with multiple SMS suppliers using SMPP protocol and direct management of these relationships. This was a complex, time-consuming, and expensive endeavor. SMS is an incredibly effective delivery mechanism, but PayByPhone needed a more cost-effective, efficient solution.

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system affecting around six million people today, with projections indicating a rise to almost 10 million by 2030. The Parkinson's Voice Initiative, a team of mathematicians and clinicians, aimed to develop a low-cost test to identify patients with Parkinson's symptoms using voice recordings. The challenge was to accurately record phone calls from around the world, analyze the voice fluctuations, tremors, and other symptoms, and compare them against sample sets of both Parkinson's sufferers and healthy individuals. The team needed a robust solution that could handle large volumes of call data and ensure a high level of accuracy.

Remind, a web and mobile application, was faced with the challenge of facilitating clearer and more consistent communication between teachers, students, and parents. The founders, David and Brett Kopf, had a vision to create a simple way for educators to connect with their students and parents using technology and facilities available to the widest audience. The challenge was to keep students and parents updated about assignments, due dates, and quizzes. The founders realized that students can sometimes be unreliable when it comes to educational discipline and parents often feel in the dark when students fail to deliver notes from teachers and big assignments come as a surprise to them.

Root Experience, a UK-based theatre company, was faced with the challenge of creating a dynamic and interactive theatre experience that could break the 'fourth wall' between the cast and their audiences. The company wanted to leverage the recent surge in popularity of interactive theatre and explore new mediums to enhance audience engagement. Their latest production, The Rise And Fall Of Geo Goynes, was an urban treasure conspiracy story dealing with themes around surveillance, privacy, espionage, and deception. The challenge was to automatically send custom voice calls to audience members, making them active participants in the show. The company needed a solution that could seamlessly integrate with the performance and provide a unique, immersive experience for the audience.

The challenge was to find a simple, secure, and efficient way for guests to access rental properties via their phone. The traditional method of physical keys posed several problems. For instance, the risk of losing keys, the inconvenience of getting another key cut or calling out a locksmith, and the security implications of lost keys. Furthermore, the property owners had to be present to hand over the keys to the guests, which was not always feasible, especially for short-term rentals. The need was for a solution that would eliminate the need for physical keys and allow guests to access the properties without the owner's presence.