Decision Maker: Lead Specialist for ICT
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
Continuation of current hardware and software
firewall licences, and support services to ensure firewalls are
maintained and that the Council has entitlement to use
them
The Council's firewall licence agreement and
associated support services expire on 31st March 2023. The Council
operates firewalls to both protect the perimeter of its network,
and to protect individual servers and devices. This provides a
critical level of security protection for the Council's network and
data.
Market conditions give highly preferential
pricing to the incumbent supplier. Switching across to an
alternative channel partner was considered but would cost
more.
Furthermore, any change in supplier would risk not being completed
in the timeframe available before the current licence expires.
Allowing the licence to elapse or removing the use of a firewall
would put the Council's network and data at significant risk of a
cyber incident.
Publication date: 29/03/2023
Date of decision: 28/03/2023