Netgear supports 'Zakat Fund' by supplying VPN solution valued at QR270,000

Utilising its VPN Firewall routers FV538 and DGFV338, Netgear will implement the VPN solution using ADSL Internet services, thereby eliminating the need for costly dedicated link or static IP from the ISP. The company has also announced that the solution has been implemented within all 10 'Zakat Funds' branches, which will further enhance the communication and networking connectivity between various offices.

Netgear's comprehensive and affordable solution offers wired and wireless connectivity with business class protection for small office and remote/branch office users. The solution combines six functions in a single, compact package - Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) firewall, 802.11g wireless access point, IPSec Virtual Private Network (VPN), NAT router, an eight port 10/100 fast Ethernet switch and built-in ADSL2+ modem support. Easy and reliable, the DGFV338 delivers both 10 Mbps and 100 Mbps connections for wired devices, plus wireless support at 2.4 Ghz frequency at 54 Mbps radio transmission with up to 108 Mbps in 802.11g (region specific).

"Netgear has delivered the ideal solution that satisfies the 'Zakat Fund's' need for a reliable networking link between its head office and its branch offices. Our solution utilises ADSL Internet services without static IP from the ISP in order to reduce the operation cost, which is a key consideration for the Zakat Fund as it is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing social services to the nationals and expatriates in the State of Qatar. Further, Netgear's VPN networking solutions offer dual WAN interface with redundancy, enhancing the quality of the service at no extra cost,"

said Salman Kaldari, Deputy General Manager, Netgear Middle East.

"Netgear also provides Network Attached Storage (NAS) Technology, a storage appliance which will enable SMBs to protect and share critical data, Switch ports with Power over Ethernet to transmit data and power over a single Ethernet cable to power and communicate with wireless devices, and Wireless Access Points for extending an existing Ethernet (wired) network to areas that cabling cannot reach or to provide easier connectivity for mobile staff," added Kaldari.

By adopting Netgear's networking solutions, the 'Zakat Fund' organisation enjoys a premium range of value-added services and protection. One of the products incorporated in the networking solution is the ProSafe DGFV338 SPI firewall, which acts as more than just a simple NAT router as it provides business-class protection by blocking unwanted users from accessing the network. On the other hand, support for Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 Enterprise (WPA2) shields wireless communication with the highest available level of industry-standard encryption and authentication.

The solution also offers comprehensive controls that block or filter unwanted addresses, services, protocols, and URLs, fortifying the network, while up to 50 simultaneous IPSec VPN connections protect links between business locations, encrypting all traffic as it traverses the Internet. The DGFV338 is easy to set up and delivers all the advantages of centralised administration for remote offices, teleworkers and small businesses, including dynamic DNS capabilities. Providing support for ADSL2+, the DGFV338 also supports an Ethernet WAN port for failover on non-ADSL connections.

"We are excited to work with a market leader such as Netgear, who have provided us with a wide range of advantages that enable us to offer fast and prompt service to the community, and eliminating stationary. By delivering a central management platform for the operation of various online applications of all branch offices, Netgear has empowered us to speed up business processes, particularly those that used to take more than one business day to be completed. Moreover, the new networking solution has also greatly contributed to our aims of a paperless office, which is in line with our environmental conservation initiatives and reduces huge stationery costs,"

concluded Eng. Massoud Madany, Information Systems and Development Engineer, Zakat Fund.

Netgear offers affordable, reliable and easy-to-install security and software products, which deliver high performance for the benefit of small and medium businesses. The company specialises in delivering a wide selection of products grouped under the Ethernet networking, broadband and wireless networking segments. Netgear products include switches, adapters, wired and wireless routers, and gateways, which are designed to enable users to share Internet access, peripherals, files, digital multimedia content and applications among multiple personal computers and other Internet-enabled devices.