Case Study: HEAnet achieves reliable, scalable connectivity and secure filtering for thousands of Irish schools with Palo Alto Networks

HEAnet Keeps Schools Across Ireland Connected with Palo Alto Networks® and Threatscape

HEAnet, Ireland’s National Education & Research Network, provides Internet and ICT services to thousands of schools and roughly one million users across primary, post‑primary and third‑level institutions. Faced with strict Department of Education filtering requirements, large and regular traffic spikes (including BYOD and software update surges), and the need for a highly manageable platform that a small team could operate and update quickly, HEAnet needed a reliable, scalable solution to keep school broadband safe and available.

Working with reseller Threatscape, HEAnet deployed Palo Alto Networks’ next‑generation security platform, centrally configured and applied across the nationwide school estate. The deployment delivered granular content filtering, easy central policy updates, low maintenance and strong scalability to handle peak loads; as a result HEAnet reports high uptimes, no escalations from schools, and a cost‑efficient, fit‑for‑purpose security service.

HEAnet

John Boland

Chief Executive