PRIORITIZING SECURITY FOR THE CCC SYSTEM
In 2023, the California Community College Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) supported aggressive security initiatives for its 73 districts, making up 116 colleges with 1.9 million students and over 85,000 employees. Based on the state of cybersecurity threats on Education prioritizing protection showed the CCCCO’s commitment to take safety seriously with funding to back it up. To help complete the activities and timeline, the CCCCO identified qualified Microsoft partner resources and allotted financial funding.
FORSYTE GUARDIAN 365 ON COLLEGEBUYS CONTRACT
To perform the services as a chosen vendor, Forsyte Guardian 365 was added to the CollegeBuys contract, allowing districts to directly contract services. The contract was pre-negotiated by the CCCCO and outlined to clearly state the inclusions and limitations of the package and schedule for the Microsoft 365 A5 security suite assessments and implementations.
MAXIMIZING MICROSOFT 365 A5 INVESTMENTS
As a result, Forsyte Guardian 365 worked to effectively assess environments and deploy Microsoft 365 A5 technology for the districts and colleges who requested assistance. From security engineers, architects, analysts, project managers, customer support account managers, and general operations, CCC districts were given extensive support and targeted plans to complete Phase 1 (assessments) and Phase 2 (A5 deployments) successfully. An early 2024 deadline for completion was set by the CCCCO, allowing a 6-month total turnaround time for both Phase 1 and Phase 2.
TRUSTED PARTNER FOR DISTRICT SECURITY
As an acclaimed service provider for education, the base of the technologies used by the districts was understood. Like any organization, however, details, infrastructure, and solutions differ. Working together brought a greater understanding of how CCC districts work and potential constraints. Providing notable improvements, expert technical assistance, and greater preparation helped districts prepare to win the cybersecurity battle in the face of what lies ahead.
“Working with Forsyte is a breath of fresh air. My team can sleep at night while their SOC looks over our environment and acts as necessary. They’re a competent organization that has leveraged our Microsoft A5 license to the fullest and saved us money by not paying for other third-party products.” – Fabio Zampieri | Sierra College
MAKING IT EASIER TO SECURE ASSETS
Forsyte Guardian 365 is proud of the work completed with the districts, and the relationships built from understanding the models at work. Cybersecurity cannot be a one-size-fits-all model, no matter how similar districts may be to each other. The approach must be customized to fit the operations of each unique district. Microsoft 365 A5 has been provided by the CCCCO for every district, but the secret is in the way the technology is adopted and implemented. This happens by getting to know the teams, tools, and total technology available to support district operations. As a CCCCO-approved and prioritized vendor, Forsyte Guardian 365 has worked to provide prescriptive plans as an extension of district IT teams, for a combination of security assessments, Microsoft 365 A5 deployments, and ongoing managed security support.
FUTURE-PLANNING WITH CCC COLLEGES
As we look to the future, we anticipate the environments supported by Microsoft 365 will evolve and security will continually be enhanced. Security is not a set-it-and-forget-it moment in time, but rather a journey that needs proper care and attention at every moment. Forsyte Guardian 365 looks forward to continuing our work in the California Community College system and is excited to play our part in this critical security journey for the largest higher education system in the United States.
