MoD deploys first government certified LAN
By Ash Dosanjh,
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) Trading Fund Defence Support Group (DSG) has become the first to benefit from wireless technology under new government security rules.
It has deployed a wireless large area network (LAN) to improve its stores management process at the DSG's Donnington site in Shropshire, which repairs and maintains equipment for the UK armed forces.
The network has been validated using the 'Manual Y' standard, published by the Communications Electronic Security Group (CESG), the UK Government's National Technical Authority for Information Assurance, in January 2007.
The standard details, for the first time, how wireless security should be implemented on 'restricted' level projects and includes processes such as disaster recovery and system configuration, as well as the installation of the wireless technology itself.
As the first UK government organisation to install a CESG validated wireless network, the DSG anticipates it will benefit from significant cost savings through faster fulfilment of spare parts orders and improved accuracy of stock data at the site.
Malcolm Smith, DSG head of information systems, said: "As a supplier of vehicle and equipment services to our armed forces, we are constantly looking at ways to make our organisation run more efficiently. The benefits of wireless are well documented in warehousing environments, so that when CESG published the Manual Y standard, allowing us to implement, we were quick to respond."
IT and business services provider, Logica, worked with Aruba Networks to deliver the system to DSG. Logica then assisted DSG in its discussions with the Defence Security Standards Organisation (DSSO) accreditor to certify the site's wireless network for use with 'restricted live' data.
DSG, the government (MoD) trading fund, was established at the beginning of April with the merger of the former land-based Army Base Repair Organisation (ABRO) and Defence Aviation Repair Agency (DARA) trading funds.
Related Tags
advertisement
Latest Security Features
Lessons to learn from a year of data breaches
In the year since the HMRC data breach, many more have been made public – here’s a roundup of 11 lessons (we should have) learned.
- Q&A: DNS inventor Paul Mockapetris
- Is the password ill-equipped for the modern world?
- Why is backing up given short shrift?
- Defending Europe against cyber attack
- The present and future of IT security
- I’m an IT manager, get me out of here!
- IT around the world: Russia
- Chinese web control an Olympic challenge for tech firms
- SOS Bletchley Park
Latest Security Reviews
Boston 3000GP - AMD Shanghai Server
Rating: 
- Fortinet FortiGate-3810A
- Clearswift MIMEsweeper Web Appliance ENW
- NetASQ U6000 UTM appliance
- AVG Internet Security SBS Edition 8.0
- Finjan Vital Security Web Appliance NG-6000S
- LogLogic MX2010
- Exclusive: WatchGuard Firebox Core X750e
- Sophos ES4000 Security Appliance
- Microsoft Forefront Security for Exchange and SharePoint
advertisement
Latest News Videos in Security
Video: Q&A with Richard Archdeacon, Symantec
PlayIT PRO speaks to Richard Archdeacon, director, global services, at the information security software vendor Symantec.
White papers
Want more background on today's hottest IT trends?
Visit IT PRO's white paper library for more on virtualisation, encryption and other topics.
Register for IT PRO
You'll get exclusive member benefits including free white papers, downloads, Webinars and weekly newsletters full of the latest IT PRO news, reviews, insight and expertise.
Social Bookmark this article: What is this?