CheckPoint Software > Case Studies > Bavarian Brewer Leverages IoT for Enhanced Security and Network Management

Bavarian Brewer Leverages IoT for Enhanced Security and Network Management

Technology Category

Cybersecurity & Privacy - Endpoint Security
Functional Applications - Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERP)

Applicable Industries

National Security & Defense
Telecommunications

Applicable Functions

Product Research & Development
Quality Assurance

Use Cases

Inventory Management
Tamper Detection

About The Customer

Erdinger Weißbräu is a renowned private brewery based in Germany. Founded in 1886 and owned by the Brombach family since 1935, the brewery has reached the top of the world Weißbier market by combining tradition and innovation. It produces 1.5 million hectoliters of the Bavarian classic wheat beer annually and exports to more than 70 countries. The brewery places special importance on traditional bottle fermentation, using family recipes handed down for generations. To brew its traditional recipes, Erdinger Weißbräu uses the most modern production methods, supported by a complex IT structure.

The Challenge

Erdinger Weißbräu, a leading private brewery in Germany, faced a significant challenge in managing its complex IT structure while maintaining its traditional brewing methods. The brewery, which produces 1.5 million hectoliters of wheat beer annually and exports to over 70 countries, required an efficient and easily manageable security environment for its operations. The brewery's development was heading towards the internet, necessitating a robust security solution. The brewery also needed to separate its internal networks, such as the production network from the sales area, to ensure the security of its trade secrets and protect against disruptive attacks. The brewery considered various market leaders, including Cisco and Check Point, and concluded that Check Point was more user-friendly and easier to handle.

The Solution

Erdinger Weißbräu chose Check Point's products, including VPN-1 Power, UTM-1 Edge, VPN-1 SecureClient, and the VPN-1 Enterprise Center, for their superior transparency and flexibility. The brewery started with Firewall-1 at the junction between the internal network and the internet, and now employs four Check Point firewalls. An active cluster provides internal network separation with high availability, and a cold stand-by firewall backs up the internet connection. The Check Point solutions perform three key functions: protecting the internal networks, monitoring internet traffic from partners, and controlling remote access for company-owned laptops. The brewery's IT department manages web security, while email security is outsourced to a partner. The Check Point security software solution allows this flexibility.

Operational Impact

The Check Point security solution has provided Erdinger Weißbräu with a lasting value. Despite initial associations of security with costs, the brewery recognizes the necessity of adhering to a set of security rules and regulations in today's business world. The primary advantage of the installed solution is its transparency and longevity, ensuring high investment security. The unified administrative management via a single console is a major advantage of the security environment at Erdinger. The separation of license and hardware, even for the cold standby solution, proved to be very practical for Erdinger. The brewery can implement a unified solution that can be used both internally and at the network boundary, ensuring quick reaction times and immediate availability of changes or new configurations to all users.