Customer Environment
This customer provides test and evaluation services to its organization. Their organization is comprised of 400 analysts throughout their network enterprise. They have 4 separate networks used for testing, production, and information segregation. To meet their stringent operational, security, and external regulatory requirements, it is critical that the systems on each network are isolated from the other networks. However, to enable each of the 400 users with access on each of the networks requires 4 separate hardware platforms for each user – a total of 1600 workstations!

Challenge
There are five major challenges that this organization faces. First, each user requires four separate desktops for performing their work. Second, deploying, managing and supporting 1600 workstations can be a challenge for many organizations – any time you can reduce the amount of supported workstations then the more cost-effective and efficient your organization can become. Third, the power, heating/air conditioning, and space requirements are also a serious issue as this organization is faced with office and space limitations. Fourth, new "green computing" initiatives are dictating a reduction in overall power consumption thereby triggering an analysis of where workstations can and should be reduced.

Based on the first four challenges virtualization would sound like an easy solution to solve their challenges? However, the fifth challenge is a major barrier of entry…the aforementioned operational, security, and regulatory requirements. These prohibit workstations from residing on each of the networks simultaneously. They stipulate data integrity and security standards that specify strong separation at the workstation level (e.g., running test environments on production is not allowed, having confidential / internal-only data accessible on the network with an internet connection is not allowed, etc.).

Solution
Tresys VM Fortress Desktop enables the organization to consolidate 1600 workstations to 400 while meeting all operational, security, and regulatory requirements. Each user still has access to 4 systems but each system is running as an isolated virtual machine on a single hardware platform. Data separation is maintained using the strong security mechanisms provided by the base workstation operating system[1]. This provides significant cost savings in terms of hardware, power, HVAC, and space. The table below outlines the total cost of ownership (TCO) for both the original configuration and the consolidated solution using Tresys VM Fortress. Note that this does not include the potential cost savings by enabling strong MAC that is used to mitigate threats and vulnerabilities in the environment.

Summary
Our customer, by leveraging the power of VM Fortress Desktop, implemented an environment that addressed all their major business challenges, has an enterprise environment that is easier to manage and is more effective, increased their overall security and data integrity profile, and is looking at a TCO savings of almost $9M over three years. All while satisfying their stringent operational, security, and regulatory requirements. Compelling indeed.