BOSTON, MA--(Marketwired - Jan 21, 2014) - Bradford Networks, the best choice to secure network access for the mobile enterprise, today announced a strategic distribution partnership with The Douglas Stewart Company (DSC), a leading distributor of software and technology solutions to the education market. The partnership will bring Bradford Networks' award-winning Network Access Control (NAC) solution, Network Sentry, to DSC's network of more than 4,000 resellers, enabling them to support secure mobile learning environments across K-12 schools, colleges and universities.

Trends such as Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), 1-1 programs, blended learning and digital content initiatives have exploded over the past few years. Research shows that utilizing mobile devices in the classroom enhances both the teaching and learning experiences. Recognizing this, DSC developed its 'Mobile Learning Initiative' in order to partner with companies that offer interoperable, secure and scalable mobile learning solutions that complement the widespread adoption of mobile devices in education. By partnering with Bradford Networks, DSC can now offer its extensive VAR community a network security solution that comprehensively addresses the challenges and vulnerabilities introduced by mobile devices on campuses.

"The number of mobile devices that students are bringing on to campus has exploded in recent years. Many education institutions are implementing new initiatives for students to use personal mobile devices to enhance the learning experience both inside and beyond the classroom walls. However, these devices present significant challenges for IT departments that are now required to effectively manage and secure an extremely diverse network," said Chuck Hulan, Chief Operating Officer at DSC. "We chose to work with Bradford Networks over other NAC vendors because of their extensive expertise in the education space, built through hundreds of engagements with customers at colleges, universities, K-12 institutions, and school districts worldwide. Bradford Networks' understanding of the specific security issues of today's education institutions made it the obvious choice to fulfill our channel's portfolio and their customers' needs."

Bradford Networks' Network Sentry NAC solution integrates with existing IT infrastructure and correlates network, security, endpoint device, and user information to provide total visibility and control over every user and device accessing the network. Key benefits for educational institutions include:

  • Enables an automated, self-service registration process for thousands of student-owned devices;
  • Safely allows student-owned devices onto the appropriate campus network segment;
  • Delivers 100 percent visibility into all mobile devices connecting to the network;
  • Automatically provisions the appropriate level of network access for faculty, students, and guests;
  • Confirms all devices are fully protected and compliant before they gain access;
  • Supports eduroam (EDUcation ROAMing) to enable universities worldwide to provide secure network access for both their own domain users and visiting users from other eduroam-enabled campuses.

"The Douglas Stewart Company is known for its deep industry knowledge and its commitment to delivering tailored solutions for the education market," said Tom Murphy, CMO of Bradford Networks. "We are excited to be working with a company that shares the same passion for advancing education technology. In addition, they will enable us to dramatically increase our global presence in one of our core markets."

About The Douglas Stewart Company
The Douglas Stewart Company, a leading distributor specializing in education software, technology and supplies, links more than 270 manufacturers with over 4,000 academic resellers in the United States and Canada. Its subsidiary, Douglas Stewart EDU, provides similar services to 23 countries in Europe. Based in Madison, Wisconsin, and founded in 1950, The Douglas Stewart Company is a privately held, woman-owned business.

About Bradford Networks
Bradford Networks offers the best solution to enable secure network access for corporate issued and personal mobile devices. The company's flexible Network Sentry solution is the first network security offering that can automatically identify all devices and all users on a network, providing complete visibility and control. Network Sentry provides a view across all brands of network equipment and connecting devices eliminating the network blind spots that can introduce risk. Network Sentry is now used by more than 900 enterprise customers worldwide in markets such as healthcare, financial services, retail, government, education and more. For more information, please visit www.bradfordnetworks.com.

Network Sentry and SmartEdge are trademarks of Bradford Networks, Inc. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.