San Francisco-based Del Monte Foods is one of America's largest and most well-known food companies and the second largest pet foods company. It generated approximately $3.4 billion in net sales in 2007 through its numerous brands, which include Del Monte, StarKist, Contadina, Milkbone, 9Lives, Meow Mix, and Nature's Recipe. Del Monte depends on telecommunications networks to supply its 7,800 full-time employees with access to information systems such as the corporate enterprise resource planning (ERP), data warehouse, and customer relationship management (CRM) applications. An increasing number of Del Monte employees work from home offices or remote sales offices. Del Monte needed a system that employees could use to access the corporate network so that they could work as effectively as employees in the corporate offices. The challenge with providing access to corporate networks to people outside the network is security. By opening connections over the Internet, a company makes its network more vulnerable to hackers. Del Monte wanted to provide access to its corporate data and services to employees outside the office and to select business partners and other third parties without putting its network at risk. Del Monte needed a secure intranet and extranet.
Del Monte worked with telecommunications professionals to set up a secure Web site that employees and partners could access from any Internet connection. The Web site uses VPN authentication and Cisco's Secure Access Control Server to keep hackers out and allow authorized users in. Once logged on, the user can access only the portions of the network and data that they have been authorized to access. For example, a sales representative may need access to Del Monte's data warehouse to track an order, while an accountant may be provided with access to the ERP. Del Monte supplies an even more secure connection for employees that work from home. These employees are given a Cisco ASA 5500 Series Adaptive Security Appliance, a network device that provides a firewall and intrusion prevention system (IPS) to keep hackers out, and virtual private networking (VPN) to encrypt and safeguard data flowing over the network. Telecommuters connect their PCs and telephones to the device to enjoy the same quality of network service as those in corporate headquarters. The Cisco device allows professionals to receive business phone calls at home, while referencing data acquired from the corporate information systems. Del Monte calls it an "office in a box." Telecommuters can even use the system to attend meetings through videoconferencing software. Using Del Monte's secure extranet and secure home office system, employees at home offices and remote locations can communicate with employees anywhere to collaborate more effectively over one integrated network for voice, video, and data. The system saves Del Monte money by allowing the company to remove expensive T1 lines from remote offices and replace them with high-speed Internet connections. The system is also easy to manage and expand. Del Monte could easily add new security features as they are needed. Network engineers at Del Monte are currently working on using the service for disaster recovery. If Del Monte's corporate offices were to experience a fire, earthquake, or another natural disaster, the company could continue operations by using the extranet to allow all employees to access network resources from home.
Discussion Questions
1. What is a primary concern of making a private network available to employees who are outside the office? Why?
2. What technologies did Del Monte employ to address this primary concern?
Critical Thinking Questions
1. What benefits do Del Monte and its employees enjoy by providing extranet access to the Del Monte network?