Local Boys & Girl Club Entrusts Network to Untangle
Boys & Girls Club of Manchester
Industry: Nonprofit organization
Network Size: 450 members and 15 staff utilizing 50 computers and tablets.
“The Untangle folks made the transition over to the u50 appliance absolutely flawless.”
Background
Boys & Girls Club of Manchester (BGCM) was founded in Manchester, New Hampshire in 1983 and is one of the founding organizations of the national Boys & Girls Club of America (BGCA). BGCA provides after-school programs to help with the educational and personal development of young boys and girls. BGCM’s mission is “to reach out to all youth, especially those who need us most, inspiring them to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring individuals.” Richard Zamoida has been the Information Technology Director at BGCM for the past 26 years, after serving in the Air Force for more than six years.
Transition Made Easy
As the BGCM’s IT Director for almost three decades, Rick has had a front row seat to the evolving technology changes at the Club. Maintaining network security and protecting the youth members from inappropriate content are his top priorities. Rick had been using eSoft as the BGCM’s main firewall appliance, which also provided web filtering, virus blocking and reporting. When eSoft was acquired by Untangle in 2013, Rick was not sure Untangle’s NG Firewall gateway software would be an easy switch.
“Untangle’s sales and support team made the transition to the u50 appliance seamless,” said Rick. “I was also pleasantly surprised to find that Untangle’s NG Firewall Complete package had many applications and features that we ended up needing.”
Untangle’s Hidden Gems
With a staff of 15 and over 400 members using the computer labs and tablets, Rick needed a way to manage all the different users logging on and ensure that the kids were not accessing inappropriate content. “With Untangle, I was able to create separate policies, one for the staff, and one for kids that has a lot more controls and rules,” said Rick. “Untangle’s Captive Portal app allows me to see who is logging in at all times.”
Keeping the network safe from viruses, malware, trojans, and other malware is also a concern for Rick, especially with click-happy kids. Spam Blocker and Ad Blocker ensure the kids and staff members do not click on a malware-laden site or email. Virus Blocker stops viruses and other threats at the gateway, protecting the network 24/7. “All the applications are very in-depth and provide granular customization options. Transitioning to Untangle has not only been simple, it has given me more control over my network. I can ensure the kids are protected, and the network performance is meeting the demands of the Club,” said Rick.
