ApplianSys enables schools in Suffolk to surf the web securely

Suffolk County Council is rolling out content filtering software across schools in its region with the help of 300 CACHEBOXes from ApplianSys, a UK company designing, manufacturing and selling appliance based technology. The appliances, together with the E2BN Protex solution, will provide web filtering and content management to schools throughout the area. Students can now surf the Internet more securely, and broadband performance has improved. It has also enabled the schools to conform to regional guidelines on content, whilst also allowing them to extend the level of control locally.

Suffolk County Council is one of 11 councils in the East of England that make up the East of England Broadband Network, or E2BN. In order to meet the government requirement to improve broadband access in schools, E2BN, together with Cable & Wireless, is developing a broadband network across the councils to enable the sharing of resources and promote good practice, and raise teaching and learning standards.

Tim Wetten, ICT business partner for Customer Services Direct, provider of IT and other services to Suffolk County Council, said: “The E2BN Protex solution, co-created with ApplianSys, is based on open source software, which CACHEBOX supports. E2BN already uses CACHEBOX for its core network across the consortium and was therefore a logical choice for us to use locally. We have just started deploying one box in each school, and aim to complete the roll out in time for the new term. We want to ensure that we are enabling schools to deliver the best education they can to children in the area by getting the best out of their broadband network.”

Mike Clark, CEO of ApplianSys, said: “This is a great solution for schools wanting to protect their students from unacceptable web content. They can also make the most out of their broadband network by storing information locally, making searching faster and using less bandwidth. Our ongoing relationship with E2BN, and their endorsement of CACHEBOX, is helping children and staff to raise standards in an area that has one of the fastest growing populations in the UK. This makes the broadband network crucial in the delivery of education.”

David Cowell, director, Regional Public Sector at Cable & Wireless, said: “We have a framework agreement with E2BN, which allows us to develop the shared network for the region. We worked with them to assess the development of a content delivery and filtering service within the core E2BN network and chose CACHEBOX. When Suffolk County Council decided it needed local cache and filtering services, it was able to order the CACHEBOX appliances through the framework agreement, which delivers best value to E2BN members without the need for a time-consuming and costly evaluation and buying process. ”

ENDS

Media contacts:
Natalie Gross/Fiona Whyatt, Insight Marketing & Communications Ltd
Tel: 01625 500 800
ngross@insightmkt.com or fwhyatt@insightmkt.com

Julie Franklin
Communications Manager, Customer Service Direct
Tel: 01473 265375
juli.franklin@csduk.com


About ApplianSys
ApplianSys is a venture capital-backed, UK-based technology company that designs, builds and markets server appliances. It looks at the critical issues facing all IT managers and identifies where appliance solutions could provide answers to network, security and messaging issues. ApplianSys then selects best of breed technologies and builds them into server appliance solutions.

ApplianSys is a leading provider of caching solutions to UK schools, with an installed base of over 2,500 units. It works with leading solution providers in the education market, such as BT, Cable & Wireless, Pearson KnowledgeBox and Espresso.

In addition to its cache solutions for schools, ApplianSys markets a growing portfolio of network solutions worldwide, with blue-chip customers such as Financial Times, Warner Bros, Exel, Boots, London Business School and IBM.

The company was founded in 2000 and has headquarters in Coventry with offices in London and South Africa.

For further information please visit www.appliansys.com