Rapid7 > Case Studies > Nexpose Enables a Small IT Staff to Manage a Large IT Infrastructure at Norwich University

Nexpose Enables a Small IT Staff to Manage a Large IT Infrastructure at Norwich University

Company Size

1,000+

Region

America

Country

United States

Product

Rapid7 Nexpose

Tech Stack

Network Vulnerability Scanning
Asset Management

Implementation Scale

Enterprise-wide Deployment

Impact Metrics

Cost Savings
Customer Satisfaction
Productivity Improvements

Technology Category

Cybersecurity & Privacy - Network Security
Cybersecurity & Privacy - Security Compliance

Applicable Industries

Education

Applicable Functions

Business Operation
Facility Management

Use Cases

Asset Health Management (AHM)
Regulatory Compliance Monitoring

Services

Software Design & Engineering Services
System Integration

About The Customer

Norwich University is a higher education institution that provides students, faculty, and staff with a comprehensive computer infrastructure. The university has both wired and wireless connections in all dorm rooms, and a recently overhauled campus-wide wireless network that is fully redundant from the edge to the core. This redundancy offers maximum flexibility but also means there are twice as many network intrusion points. The IT department at Norwich University is tasked with managing this sophisticated computer network, ensuring its security and efficiency despite having a relatively small IT staff.

The Challenge

With a constantly growing network environment, Norwich University’s IT department found it increasingly difficult to have a clear view into all network equipment and servers—and their vulnerabilities—while still only conducting manual scans.

The Solution

To address the growing challenges of network management and security, Norwich University's IT department decided to upgrade their computer security system. They chose Rapid7 Nexpose software for its ease of setup and immediate results. The software began scanning IPs almost immediately, providing a clear picture of vulnerabilities and what needed to be fixed. Rapid7 Nexpose identified assets on the network and their vulnerabilities, breaking down systems into asset groups for easier management. This allowed each staff member to quickly and easily identify what needed to be fixed. The IT staff required minimal support from Rapid7, but when they did need assistance, Rapid7 was prompt and effective in addressing their issues.

Operational Impact

Rapid7 Nexpose provided a visible increase in efficiency at Norwich University, allowing a small IT staff to manage a large IT infrastructure.
The software handled many tasks that would otherwise have to be done manually, saving a significant amount of time.
The IT staff was able to eliminate about 1,000 network vulnerabilities in the first month and another 500 in the second month.
The system's asset groups allowed for easy identification and management of issues, segregating them by type (e.g., Windows issues, Linux issues).
Future plans include scanning all images before they are sent to any university-owned machine and making better use of Rapid7 Nexpose’s ticketing system for future tracking.

Quantitative Benefit