Everyone Wants Managed Switches, But No One Wants to Manage Them

Your fuel center network contains many different kinds of data. In traditional networks, each port is tagged, and devices plugged into that port are only allowed to talk to other devices with the same tag. However, that means someone must manually manage each switch and designate a fixed rule for the respective port. In fuel centers, large networks with numerous switches are very common, so manually assigning rules becomes unscalable, even if funding and trained personnel are not an issue. Fortunately, AvaLAN offers a better enterprise solution based on MAC addresses. It’s a managed switch solution that doesn’t need to be managed.

The reason for tagging and segmentation of data is to ensure that certain data remains secure. Each customer’s payment and personal information, in particular, must be segregated to ensure it remains safe. But if someone were to plug a laptop into a port with a fixed assignment to securely process credit card payments, customers’ personal financial data would be vulnerable.

Each component on the fuel center’s network is identified by a unique MAC address. A dynamic enterprise segmentation system runs by accessing a database which contains the MAC addresses of every piece of gear on the network. By dynamically managing every port from one database, the rules for communication can be defined once and then applied when new devices are added to the network. When a new device is plugged into a port, the database is scanned in real time to identify what rules apply to that particular device. If a credit card processing machine, for example, is plugged into a port, the database is scanned, and the system recognizes that it will be communicating secure data and applies the appropriate rules. If a different device gets plugged into that port later, like a laptop, it identifies the new MAC address and applies the appropriate rules for that type of device.

This type of system is available from many providers. What makes the AvaLAN solution different is the way it “wraps” the platform with a user-friendly interface. The system used to manage a database of MAC addresses is very complex, making interaction for non-IT folks difficult. AvaLAN has created a simplified, cloud-based interface that’s easy to use and doesn’t require an engineering degree to figure out. Users can actually manage network switches from their phone or tablet. And it’s simple to add new MAC addresses with the intuitive dashboard. One user can even manage multiple sites, helping to bring down costs. It’s simplified segregation.

Fuel center networking can be complex. There are different types of data running throughout the network, much of which needs to be kept secure, requiring data segmentation. Traditional segmentation is manual, highly-technical, and requires a team of IT professionals. AvaLAN technology has solved the managed switch challenge with a user-friendly interface that allows for a simple set-up, as well as ease in adding new devices. By using MAC addresses to determine the interaction of data, your system is simplified and secure.

Learn more about how AvaLAN can help your fuel center move data better and securely HERE>>

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