Airport Operator Modernizes on Fortinet Unified SASE

Airport operators are on the front lines of air travel, charged with ensuring the safety of millions of passengers and the smooth operation of thousands of flights daily. The stakes are extraordinarily high. Operational mishaps or security lapses not only jeopardize passenger safety but can also result in significant financial losses and damage to the reputation of airlines and airports alike. Moreover, inefficiencies and system outages can lead to widespread delays, missed connections, and dissatisfied customers.

Modernizing the Network for Performance and Security

One leading international airport operator realized that meeting these challenges required implementing a comprehensive and cost-effective security solution. The imperative to refresh its systems could not have been clearer. Its complex network infrastructure made it challenging to manage and secure its multiple airport locations efficiently. Meanwhile, its cumbersome network security solutions rendered access provisioning painfully slow.

More broadly, the airport operator understood that the cybersecurity threats it faced were becoming more sophisticated and increasing in volume. If attacks were to be prevented and critical assets and data protected, the operator needed to implement advanced threat intelligence capabilities. It would also need to address its remote working capabilities. In addition to improving access to applications and data for remote workers, the operator wanted to enhance data security and compliance.

Comprehensive, Integrated Security with Fortinet Unified SASE

To solve these challenges, the operator selected a solution from Fortinet centered on Fortinet Unified SASE, a single-vendor secure access service edge(SASE) solution that integrates SD-WAN and a cloud-delivered security service edge (SSE) for networking and security to the network edge and remote workers. Additional security capabilities are provided through FortiGuard AI-Powered Security Services. These best-of-breed security capabilities integrate the latest threat intelligence from FortiGuard Labsfor enhanced protection against even the most complex security threats.

Fortinet's comprehensive solution stood out above competing technologies with unified platform capabilities, integrated management, superior performance, cost-effectiveness, and the ability to deliver secure access for remote users.

A crucial factor behind the decision to go with Fortinet Unified SASE is that Fortinet has opened an in-country SASE point of presence (POP), underscoring Fortinet's commitment to delivering low-latency, high-performance access to applications and data-a significant benefit for critical operations at airport locations.

The local POP helps the airport operator in several ways. First, it builds redundancy and resilience in network connectivity, minimizing downtime and ensuring continued access to essential services and applications for smooth operations and friction-free user experiences. Second, the POP can scale as the customer requires, providing a flexible approach to security that can seamlessly accommodate future requirements.

Third, the local POP increases the customer's visibility and control over network traffic and security policies, enabling proactive monitoring and rapid response to security incidents. Finally, the customer benefits from a compliance perspective, with the local POP enabling it to meet data sovereignty laws by ensuring that sensitive data remains within the country's jurisdiction and meets legal requirements.

Optimizing Deployment and Configuration for Reduced Time to Value

Alongside Fortinet's technology and security services, the airport operator also uses FortiCare Elite for 24x7x365 device support with 15-minute response time. In addition, the customer engaged FortiCare Professional Services to design and migrate services. This helped ensure a seamless deployment with optimized configuration and an efficient migration from legacy systems. The collaborative approach accelerated time to value for the customer and minimized operational disruption during the transition.

Combined, Fortinet Unified SASE, integrated threat intelligence, and professional services aligned with the customer's needs, making it the preferred choice for driving positive change and achieving its business objectives.

Reduced Complexity, Enhanced Security, and Lower Costs

The company expects to benefit from its Fortinet solution primarily from streamlined security operations, leveraging Fortinet's centralized management capabilities across multiple airports to reduce complexity and increase efficiency. Meanwhile, Fortinet's integrated threat intelligence provides advanced protection against cyberthreats, ensuring a secure environment for critical assets and data. This robust protection against cyberthreats will minimize the risk of costly security breaches and the associated financial losses.

Importantly, the solution will enable the operator to improve the experience of remote workers. Fortinet Unified SASE delivers secure and seamless access to applications and data, increasing productivity and collaboration.

In addition to security and performance improvements, the customer can also expect significant cost savings. Fortinet's integrated solutions, delivered through the Fortinet Security Fabric, are designed for faster deployment and more efficient management. At the same time, its unified platform simplifies maintenance tasks and reduces the time spent on management and security. The solutions will, therefore, unlock operational efficiencies, reduce maintenance overheads, and optimize security investments.

With Fortinet's holistic, unified approach to security, this airport operator has modernized its network and security for a more resilient, secure, and high-performing approach that delivers for employees, airlines, and airport users alike.

Learn more about how Fortinet Unified SASE can secure your users' access to the web, cloud, and applications while simplifying operations.

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