The CIO’s Ultimate Guide to Network Security: Zero Trust, SASE & Beyond

Cyberattacks are getting bolder. From ransomware shutting down school districts to phishing campaigns targeting municipal systems, today’s CIOs face more pressure than ever.

Whether you’re securing a school, a city, or a hybrid workforce, one thing is clear: the old way of doing network security isn’t enough. Perimeters have dissolved. Users—and threats—are everywhere. This guide breaks down how Extreme Networks delivers modern, scalable protection through Zero Trust, SASE, and cloud-managed control. If you’re an IT leader, this is your blueprint.

The New Security Reality

Let’s cut to the chase:

• Ransomware is the #1 threat to K–12 and local governments
• IoT, BYOD, and hybrid work create countless entry points
• Compliance mandates (like E-Rate) are tighter than ever
• Flat networks make lateral movement easy for attackers

“Your firewall isn’t your security strategy. Your network is.”

Vishal Nanda, VP of Engineering, PCS.

Zero Trust: Security That Starts at the Core

Zero Trust means just that: never trust, always verify. But verification alone isn’t enough—you need segmentation,
visibility, and enforcement that work together.

Extreme delivers all three through Fabric Connect:

• Ransomware is the #1 threat to K–12 and local governments
• Identity-based policies: Limit access dynamically based on user role or device
• Compliance mandates (like E-Rate) are tighter than ever

Ideal for schools and agencies with limited IT staff, Fabric Connect reduces complexity and locks down the
network.

SASE-Ready Networking: Built for the Cloud Era

You’ve heard of SASE (Secure Access Service Edge). But many solutions still treat security and networking as
separate layers. Extreme doesn’t.

With ExtremeCloud IQ, you get:

• Unified cloud-based management
• End-to-end visibility into users, devices, apps, and traffic
• Dynamic policy enforcement at the edge
• Native support for remote and hybrid environments

Result? A seamless, secure user experience—from classroom to city hall to the home office.

ExtremeCloud IQ: Smart, Scalable, Centralized

Managing security across 20 schools or 15 municipal sites? You need a control center that works as hard as your
team does.

ExtremeCloud IQ offers:

• AI-driven insights to detect anomalies before they become incidents
• Automated workflows to reduce time-consuming manual tasks
• Granular control over every port, AP, and user
• Built-in compliance reporting to streamline audits and funding (hello, E-Rate!)

Bonus: It’s easy to train staff on, with a clean, intuitive interface designed for lean teams.

Fabric Connect: Segment Once, Sleep Better

Still running a flat network? That’s an open invitation to attackers.

Extreme’s Fabric Connect delivers secure, scalable segmentation that’s dynamic and built for real-world
complexity:

• Easily spin up isolated services for HVAC, student devices, security cameras, etc.
• Block threats from spreading laterally with micro-segmentation
• Simplify network expansion with plug-and-play provisioning
• Ensure uptime—even during configuration changes

Security shouldn’t require an army of engineers. Fabric Connect makes segmentation manageable.

What CIOs Need to Know

Here’s the breakdown:

Solution | Why It Matters

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ExtremeCloud IQ | Cloud-based management and AI-powered visibility
Fabric Connect | Built-in segmentation and lateral threat prevention
Zero Trust Architecture | Identity-aware access across users and devices
SASE-Ready Infrastructure| Edge-to-cloud security that scales
E-Rate & Compliance Tools| Purpose-built features for regulated industries

Sidebar Spotlight: Built for Integration

While Extreme offers deep native security capabilities, it’s also designed to seamlessly integrate with best-in-class
security platforms.

One example? Fortinet.

Many organizations choose to layer Fortinet’s advanced threat protection, firewalls, and NAC onto Extreme’s
network fabric—creating an ecosystem that is:

• Adaptive
• Visibility-rich
• Orchestrated across network and security teams

So if you’re already running Fortinet (or plan to), Extreme helps you go farther, faster.

Ready to Reinvent Your Security Strategy?

Let’s turn your network into your best security asset.
Contact PCS to explore how Extreme + PCS can modernize your network today.

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