Upper Merion Township

Public Administration
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Infrastructure Updates Increase Security Posture

Over the last 50 years, Upper Merion Township has developed into one of the most important activity centers of southeastern Pennsylvania. Located about 15 miles from Philadelphia, the township has approximately 28,000 residents, hosts over 60,000 jobs, and offers more than 9.5 million square feet of office space. The township is also home to the Valley Forge National Historical Park, which is visited by over 1.2 million people per year, and the King of Prussia Mall, which is the nation’s largest shopping mall in terms of square footage of retail space.
Upper Merion Township

Challenges  

With security platforms constantly changing, the township wanted the robustness of a full-stack security system that would support and safeguard its 200+ employees working on-site and remotely. Core to that was laying the foundation for a centralized management platform. Furthermore, Upper Merion Township’s security solutions were nearing their end of support terms, which had the potential to compromise the township’s emergency services. To fulfill the public safety expectations by the community, it was crucial that the township maintain and enhance their security systems.   

Solutions 

To further support the township’s needs and enhance its security posture, Weidenhammer deployed several integrated Cisco solutions that focused on malware protection, web-filtering, increased firewall protection, the ability to fend off ransomware, and more. By using integrated Cisco solutions, Weidenhammer was able to implement a suite of centralized controls that could communicate with one another. This would allow for easier management and maintenance of the township’s security systems. 

Results  

The Upper Merion Township was able to increase protections, further secure its network, and ensure there was a unified platform to communicate issues seamlessly. This played a reassuring role when workers were sent home during the pandemic and relied on the new, modern VPN solution that had been recently implemented. Regardless of whether an employee was onsite or working from home, the township was able to rest easy knowing that its security infrastructure had been updated to the latest protocols.   

“We’ve relied on Weidenhammer’s guidance and expertise on Cisco solutions for over 6 years. We’re extremely happy with our current solution and feel they’ve increased our security posture considerably.”

Scott Widenhofer, IT Director