In her opening address at Security Solutions 2012, LTG Susan S. Lawrence, the US Army CIO/G-6 re-iterated the Army’s shrinking budget and the new way the Army is doing business now, compared to the last 10 years.  She summed it up in a very simple challenge statement: requirements and threats are on the rise while funding continues to decline.  While this is today’s reality, the requirement to be prepared to ‘fight tonight’, anywhere around the world never changes.

The network modernization shift includes shifting focus from an Army–centric network to joint capabilities.  LTG Lawrence’s vision includes users ability to access their data from any device, anywhere, leveraging secure cloud storage.  End user devices (laptops, tablets, smart phones, tactical radios, etc.) become more disposable, and put the government and the user at less risk should the device become compromised.  These devices are rapidly changing and upgraded by industry, so the government no longer needs to plan long term O&M when replacement will occur quick and at a relatively low cost.

Implementing this modernization vision cost effectively entails leveraging COTS technologies in lieu of expensive, slow moving, program contract-driven technologies.  Security of the network infrastructure and host centers of the data (whether private or public cloud) is critical and requires flexibility to support a standards-based interoperable platform.  In addition to cloud concepts, LTG Lawrence, as an additional efficiency for reducing the desktop footprint and increasing mobility, referenced cross-domain technology and the ability for the warfighter to access all data, no matter what classification, over a single secure infrastructure.

While the INTERCEPTOR™ intelligent-PDS is a great fit for this model as a COTS technology leveraging open standards, efficiencies for deploying secure networks are further enhanced by combining INTERCEPTOR with JITC certified Passive Optical Networking (PON) technology.  Telos has recognized the significance of this partnership and has integrated INTERCEPTOR with Tellabs PON equipment in the Technology Center at the conference, creating an Secure PON (S-PON) solution.  S-PON enables deployment of multiple classifications of networks over the same network infrastructure leveraging cross-domain and cloud technologies, and provides 24/7/365 real-time monitoring of the infrastructure to identify any intrusion attempts.

INTERCEPTOR alone can save the government 50-90% of the costs per classified network drop on a given deployment (based on port density), and provide the government with a technology that’s scalable, and re-deployable, eliminating the need for PDS-specific construction efforts related to installing SIPR or higher classification networks.  PON technology can save the government 50% or more on network device hardware and cabling, physical space requirements, and power/cooling costs. Combining INTERCEPTOR and PON provides unsurpassed efficiencies and capabilities, and that message is resonating with the leaders representing the Army, Air Force, and industry at the conference. Click here to learn more about S-PON.

It’s exciting for NIS to see policy and planning shifting to focus on efficiencies, security, information assurance, and scalability to support the warfighter.  INTERCEPTOR has been developed and deployed over the last 10 years focusing on these concepts as a modernized way to secure and deploy SIPR and higher classification networks. With the game now changing, strategic planning is required to leverage today’s funds to efficiently deploy and scale secure networks.

As the conference continues, the focus turns to Information Insurance, Cloud Computing, Cyber Defense and Network Security, and other sessions being hosted by Telos.  These topics are important to the evolution of INTERCEPTOR deployments, and a critical component in the Information Assurance role in designing and approving secure network implementations and ensuring low-risk deployments of the technology.  The increased awareness of IA and security topics, combined with rapidly growing awareness of INTERCEPTOR, will help more government customers identify needs for and execute the deployment of INTERCEPTOR and related integrated solutions such as S-PON.

We look forward to attending additional sessions today and tomorrow and leveraging this experience to improve the INTERCEPTOR offering and training of our sales and engineering partners to keep up with the challenges facing our customers.  We are very excited about the focus on modern, secure networking and the attention the government has paid to this event.  Stay tuned for more from Security Solutions 2012.

Learn more or visit us this week at TechNet Land Forces Southwest at booth #101.

Mr. Thompson brings over 10 years of experience working for leading systems integrators and delivering innovative technology solutions to customers within US Department of Defense and civilian government agencies.  In his new role, Thompson will provide leadership working with NIS technology partners to deliver secure INTERCEPTOR-integrated solutions.  Mr. Thompson will also support NIS’s systems integrator partners on identifying opportunities and integrating these solutions for their customer’s specific requirements.

“The demand for INTERCEPTOR, the industry leading fiber optic intrusion detection system, has rapidly increased, especially with the emergence of Passive Optical Networking (PON) in the federal space,” said Joe Giovannini, CEO, Network Integrity Systems.  “Our rapid growth over the past few years made it necessary to add a dedicated, experienced, professional, such as David, to the team.  David’s efforts will ensure optimized deployment of INTERCEPTOR with PON and other technologies, and will provide our customers with industry leading performance and an unsurpassed level of security as we continue to enhance our product offerings.”

David Thompson added, “This is an exciting time to join the NIS team.  With the company’s reputation for excellent customer service, INTERCEPTOR’s proven performance in the market, and the rapidly growing awareness of the value it delivers, I feel I am joining an organization with a strong future.  I look forward to helping our partners provide their customers with enhanced integrated solutions.  In addition, I’m excited to help develop additional requirements and uses for INTERCEPTOR and future technologies that NIS will bring to market.”

Mr. Thompson resides in Raleigh, NC and holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the School of Engineering at North Carolina State University.

About Network Integrity Systems, Inc.

Network Integrity Systems Inc. (NIS) develops and manufactures products that enable organizations to protect their classified networks faster, more economically, and less intrusively than ever before possible with legacy systems. Founded by optical engineers and management personnel from a global fiber optics leader, NIS helps solve key issues associated with the growing need to guard the confidentiality, integrity and availability of National Security Information.

In the announcement, Telos outlined their PON capabilities which included the NIS INTERCEPTOR Smart PDS solution to achieve compliance with secure networking standards.

The INTERCEPTOR will be included in the Telos PON Integration Lab, a training facility to help customers maximize value.

Click here for Telos Corporation’s press release.

As an event focused on information assurance and secure networking, NIS is excited that the INTERCEPTOR solution has been chosen for inclusion and will be demonstrated with Telos’ passive optical network (PON) because together, the two solutions deliver rock-solid SIPRNet security as well as speed-of-light performance, reduced installation and operating costs, and green operation.

Many of these calls are being generated because DoD personnel in positions of authority are recommending that network operators consider INTERCEPTOR to solve two prominent issues: insufficient budgets to afford the required number of encryption devices or insufficient personnel to perform the required daily inspections of a traditional PDS.  INTERCEPTOR is a cost effective alternative to encryption and eliminates the requirement of daily periodic visual inspections (PVI’s).

During the presentation, Lee Osterman, Communication Supply Corporation Regional Vice President and WESCO General Manager of Government Business stated that NIS sales grew tenfold from 2010 to 2011.

As threats change or become more advanced, so do the protection mechanisms used to prevent government agencies and DoD units from falling into a false sense of security. By leveraging Information Assurance analytics, equipment can be continuously optimized to ensure that network security is always more than sufficient to protect against evolving threats to our National Security Information.

The INTERCEPTOR Optical Network Security System has Information Assurance Analytics embedded in its protection schema and logical design. INTERCEPTOR records and logs detailed threat information and the associated alarms, allowing IA personnel to perform thorough analysis to identify emerging trends, as well as to optimize the protection provided by the INTERCEPTOR.

In addition, the intrusion signatures used by the INTERCEPTOR to identify threats to the network are continuously updated and expanded to ensure that any threat to the physical network can be identified and detected before the network is degraded or National Security Information is compromised.

Over the three days we demonstrated INTERCEPTOR, many COMM and IA personnel visited us deliberately because they had heard about our game changing solution.  Current users, giving glowing endorsements of the INTERCEPTOR, also came by for a visit.  Whether we were newly discovered or sought out, the attendees expressed a common theme; legacy PDS systems are causing headaches as their organization tries to comply with visual inspection requirements, and the rapidly growing demand for connections to classified networks.  In addition, on the whole, there is a considerable objection to the look of the metallic raceway on interior walls, especially in command buildings.

The INTERCEPTOR value proposition, especially when monitoring flexible interlocking armored cable, was well received. INTERCEPTOR makes securing SIPRNet cost effective and more secure through the elimination of the daily human visible inspections necessary to secure legacy PDS.  As a bonus, it makes buildings more attractive because of the ability to remove the PDS from the wall and place it hidden in the ceiling or below the floor, or in the case of an armored cable installation, remove it altogether.

Like many IAMs, this gentleman is faced with expanding SIPRNet to multiple offices in a building.  He does not want to use legacy PDS because of the installation cost and ongoing maintenance associated with keeping it secure.  So, at the show, when he learned about the INTERCEPTOR and how it makes securing SIPRNet cost effective, more secure, through the elimination of the daily human visible inspections necessary to secure legacy PDS, and as a bonus, makes buildings more attractive because of the ability to remove the PDS from the wall and place it hidden in the ceiling or below the floor, he felt his new discovery paid for his trip.

Network Integrity Systems demonstrated the INTERCEPTOR at the DISA Customer and Industry Forum, the LandWarNet Conference and the AFITC Conference in August.  We received similar responses from attendees at all three shows providing yet further confirmation that INTERCEPTOR, the Smart PDS, continues to be a valuable solution.