To provide an increased level of network security and protection for all MDCPS school networks, Information Technology Services (ITS) has purchased Tipping Point X505 hardware for every school site.

What is Tipping Point?

• Tipping Point is an intrusion prevention system that will proactively protect school sites from attacks both from the public Internet as well as possible attacks from other MDCPS school sites.
• Tipping Point will be mandated in the Network Security standards as a requirement for all schools.
• Tipping Point will identify and automatically quarantine desktops within a school that become infected with computer viruses or worms due to non-compliance with District standards.  This process will eliminate the need to totally block Internet access to an entire school site.  Desktops can now be individually quarantined and identified to the local school site technician.
•  ITS Network Security staff will remotely manage and control the new device; no involvement on the part of the local school technician will be required.
• In the event that one or more desktops at the school site become infected with a serious virus or worm, ITS staff will be able to automatically alert the school site technician via email.  The email will contain the appropriate technical information related to the infected desktops allowing for immediate action by the technician.

How will it be installed?

• The installation of the Tipping Point devices will begin in January 2007 on a school by school basis and will be performed by United Data Technologies (UDT).
• A representative from UDT will contact the school principal via telephone and make an appointment to deliver and install the device.
• When a day and time is setup, the principal should arrange to have their school site technician available to escort the UDT personnel as needed. If your school does not have a school site technician, please contact your designated ITS, Region Project Manager.
• Once the device is delivered and setup on the school site network, the principal or designee will be required to sign a Property Accounting form which will be provided and will be used to have the new equipment assigned to the school.