CheckPoint Software > Case Studies > Hixardt Technologies Leverages Check Point Solutions for Enhanced SMB and MSP Security

Hixardt Technologies Leverages Check Point Solutions for Enhanced SMB and MSP Security

Technology Category

Networks & Connectivity - Gateways
Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Application Development Platforms

Applicable Industries

National Security & Defense
Telecommunications

Use Cases

Inventory Management
Tamper Detection

Services

Cybersecurity Services
System Integration

About The Customer

Hixardt Technologies, Inc. was founded in May 2001 by Michael E. Hicks Jr., Robert E. Barnet, and Scott T. Luthardt, all retired military veterans with degrees or specialties in Information Technology and telecommunications. The company's objective was to provide technology services and solutions for small- to medium-sized businesses. Based in northwest Florida, Hixardt has created several managed services offerings to allow customers to outsource their technology support, or augment the capabilities of their current IT staff by using Hixardt’s Management Technology System and consulting team.

The Challenge

Hixardt Technologies, a company specializing in providing technology services and solutions for small- to medium-sized businesses, faced a significant challenge. The company's primary focus was on businesses with 25-35 users, a segment often overlooked in terms of IT solutions. Most available solutions were either designed for individual consumers or large enterprises, leaving a gap in the market for SMBs. Hixardt needed a solution that could cater to the unique needs of these businesses, particularly in terms of IT security. The solution needed to be integrated into Hixardt’s management system, allowing for centralized management of its clients' IT needs in real-time, while also being cost-effective and profitable.

The Solution

Hixardt chose to standardize its offering on Check Point’s Safe@Office appliances, which cater to the Internet security requirements of businesses ranging from five to 100 concurrent users. These appliances are easy-to-use, affordable, and deliver the same level of Internet security to small businesses as used by the majority of the Fortune 100. To further leverage the use of Safe@Office appliances, Hixardt implemented Check Point’s Security Management Portal (SMP), a central management and service provisioning platform. This platform features an intuitive Web-based user interface and a robust and resilient architecture, capable of supporting the management of up to tens of thousands of Safe@Office gateways. Hixardt integrated the combined solution into its IT management system, the Hixardt Management Technology System, providing the ability to manage a customer’s entire network remotely.

Operational Impact

With the implementation of Check Point’s Safe@Office and SMP, Hixardt was able to enhance its customer’s onsite IT knowledge, fostering strong, lasting, and trusted partnerships. One of the success stories is from the Catholic Diocese, which needed to manage IT systems installed in multiple locations. With Check Point, Hixardt was able to create a single management platform and monitor threats network-wide, learning from them to prevent future issues. The company has developed such a successful network management offering with its Hixardt Management Technology System that it is now rolling out its service to smaller MSPs that lack the infrastructure to support such services. This model allows smaller MSPs to license Hixardt’s IT management platform, brand it as their own, and extend it to their own customer base.