In 2014, as part of Eterna Plc’s security upgrade initiative, I led the deployment of Cyberoam NG200 Series Unified Threat Management (UTM) appliances across the organization’s head office and key branches. The objective was to establish centralized perimeter security, protect against internal and external threats, and gain full visibility and control over network activities.
The Cyberoam UTM provided comprehensive firewall, VPN, intrusion prevention, web filtering, and application control in a single device, aligning with Eterna’s security policy and compliance goals.
Key Features Deployed
Next-Gen Firewall (NGFW): Layer 7 application-aware firewall with user-based policies
Intrusion Prevention System (IPS): Predefined and custom signatures for blocking malicious behavior
Web Filtering: Blocked access to unauthorized and high-risk categories
Bandwidth Management: Prioritized business-critical apps and throttled non-essential usage
Site-to-Site VPN: Encrypted tunnels between HQ and branch offices
Failover & Load Balancing: WAN redundancy setup for internet link stability
User Authentication: Integrated with Active Directory for identity-based access control
Application Control & Monitoring: Monitored user behavior, blocked P2P and unauthorized apps
Real-Time Logging & Reporting: Enabled alerts, logs, and weekly activity reports for compliance and auditing
My Contributions
As the Lead UTM Implementation Engineer, I:
Conducted infrastructure assessment and planned UTM appliance placement
Installed and configured Cyberoam NG200 appliances at head office
Created site-to-site VPN links for secure connectivity with branches
Defined and enforced content filtering, application control, and IPS policies
Integrated UTM with Active Directory for user-based traffic control
Produced full configuration documentation and backup strategy
Trained the IT team on daily operations, policy tuning, and log monitoring
Provided post-deployment support and firmware upgrade path
Impact & Results
Established centralized security control across all offices
Reduced malware incidents, phishing attempts, and unauthorized access
Improved internet usage visibility and productivity control
Enhanced compliance posture with user-level logging and policy enforcement
Built a strong foundation for future cloud and hybrid infrastructure security
