NFP checklist for building faster, more secure networks

It’s a perennial characteristic of Not-For-Profits that financial, labour and other resources are always scarce.

And this scarcity is felt even more acutely by those CIOs, CISOs and other tech executives charged with maintaining digital capabilities, and, increasingly cyber security in today’s hyper connected, high-risk environment.

Sure, every organisation has to juggle costs with ROI, but with NFPs these constraints are somewhat less negotiable, while they have no choice but to address a number of both common and unique digital challenges.

Your NFP checklist for building faster, more secure networks

• Ensure a high level of user experience, providing easy application access for users across  multiple sites, working from home, and remote carers in the field
• Maintain network capacity, structure and internet connections to improve connectivity, application access and reduce dropouts
• Prioritise security and data safeguarding
• Navigate increased regulatory requirements, Right Fit For Risk (RFFR) and ISO27001 frameworks
• Develop effective frameworks to enshrine genuine Zero Trust
• Reduce reliance on remote desktop servers
• Address high volumes of support calls resulting in poor service, duplication of effort and lack of documented solutions.
• Identify and fix root causes
• Consolidate / remove ‘point product’ security appliances to better identify potential risks and alerts
• Connect to reliable / affordable fibre network, such as nBn

And all of this needs to be achieved with typically small IT teams and within constrained budgets,  while contending with the limitations of entrenched legacy systems.

What’s the solution?

NFPs often have complex, sprawling footprints connecting larger numbers of users in different locations connected to different devices. It’s therefore very important to conduct a proper audit of their current environment and assess this against their immediate requirements and future objectives.

Anyone who’s been reading Enablis' blogs over the past year or more understands that developing a truly effective and secure network architecture today demands an iterative process guided by the core principles of SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) including SD-WAN and Zero Trust to address all compliance and technical needs.

As NFPs typically have highly mobile workforces, it’s important to ensure all users are fully secure whilst enjoying reliable connections regardless of whether they’re at home, in the office or in the field.

Achieving all of this naturally requires a common cloud-based infrastructure able to address a myriad of requirements that NFPs have for a corporate network, while delivering the full suite of cyber security needs including advanced threat prevention, web filtering, sandboxing, DNS security, credential theft prevention, data loss prevention, and next-generation firewalling.

And of course, a fundamental element is connecting to a robust, secure and affordable fibre network such as Australia’s nbn, which recently flagged new investments to significantly boost performance and reach, meaning many organisations are now able to access enterprise-grade connectivity services at residential prices.

Once all of these elements are in place, it’s important for NFPs to avoid their tendency to set and forget, which budgetary and other constraints mean they’re traditionally prone to.

Rather they must ensure their provider constantly monitors and assesses their systems and broader environment against both internal changes and those in the increasingly dynamic external digital landscape.

In short it’s never been more important for NFPs to have robust, securer and flexible digital framework to ensure they’re able to deliver on their critical mandate to our most in-need people and communities, while being able to detect and respond to any new challenges – including the rising number of cyber threats – in the most efficient and cost effective manner.

If you would like to discuss how to build a faster more secure network and how nbn™ Fibre Connect can secure and transform your business email here to get in contact with one of Enablis’ network security experts.

You can download the Afford Case study here. Afford is one of Australia’s largest and most established disability service providers and they have just been on the journey to lift and futureproof its data, digital and IT systems and security.