http:// 2013-04-23T23:36:05Z 2013-04-23T23:36:05Z bridge-point-and-controlscan-form-pci-strategic-partnership-in-australian-marketplace

Brisbane, Australia, 24 April, 2013 – A new strategic alliance between Bridge Point Communications and ControlScan promises to deliver a full suite of payment card industry (PCI) compliance and data security solutions to help Australian acquirers and merchant service providers greatly improve the security posture and PCI compliance rates of the large, small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) they serve. In the U.S. marketplace, Atlanta-based ControlScan is recognised for its expertise in helping SMBs understand, navigate and complete their obligations of the PCI Data Security Standard (DSS). The company’s PCI 1-2-3 solution is utilised by more than 120 acquiring banks, payment processors and independent sales organisations (ISOs), reaching a total SMB merchant base that exceeds 1 million businesses. Headquartered in Brisbane with national coverage, Bridge Point is one of Australia's leading providers of information security and network integration services. Bridge Point’s Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) practice includes a team of highly experienced Payment Card Industry Qualified Security Assessors (PCI QSAs). As data network and information security experts with a wealth of industry experience, the company has a deep understanding of the unique challenges and requirements of building secure, world-class networks. In addition, Bridge Point was the first IT company in Australia to achieve certification to ISO 27001, the premier standard for information security management. “Like the U.S., the Australian marketplace has a great need for education and services that make small-business data security both understandable and achievable,” said Jethro Felton, Executive Vice President, Sales and Business Development, ControlScan. “Our partnership with Bridge Point significantly enhances the security conversation between merchant service providers and small business owners throughout Australia.” “Data security breaches continue to plague small business owners in Australia,” said Tim Smith, Director, Bridge Point Communications. “By adding ControlScan’s PCI 1-2-3 to our GRC services, we now have a one-stop solution for merchant service providers seeking to decrease risk by increasing their merchants’ security posture. “According to the Council of Small Business of Australia (COSBOA), 96% of businesses in Australia are small businesses. Bridge Point is pleased it can now cater to the SMB market and provide a complete end-to-end service. The solution is tailored to the Australian market and we will offer it as a portal-based subscription service, making it cost effective and accessible for SMBs to become compliant. It should also be noted that the ControlScan PCI 1-2-3 service is not just limited to SMBs. Bridge Point has tailored the service to a point where it has huge benefits to large enterprise customers as well. “Bridge Point is one of the few Australian companies approved by the PCI Security Standards Council as a QSA. Bridge Point is unique in this marketplace in that we are liaising directly with the merchants as well as acquirers.” Achieving PCI compliance is as easy as 1-2-3 ControlScan's PCI 1-2-3 compliance solution (www.bridgepoint.com.au/controlscan) makes it easier to meet PCI DSS requirements and protect customers’ important information. It provides the leading tools and support necessary to analyse, remediate and validate PCI compliance, including a self assessment questionnaire, network vulnerability scans, custom security policies and security awareness training. Support is available via telephone, email or online chat. For more information about Bridge Point and ControlScan, and their respective solutions, please visit www.bridgepoint.com.au and www.controlscan.com.  -ends- About Bridge Point Communications Bridge Point provides expertise and solutions in the areas of Information Security, Networking and Data Management with specialisations in Compliance and Critical Infrastructure. Bridge Point has developed strategic partnerships with leading security, networking and data storage vendors including Cisco, Check Point, ControlScan, F5, NetApp, RSA and Sourcefire. Established in 2000, Bridge Point serves customers across Australia from its offices in Brisbane and Sydney. In 2011, Bridge Point merged with Server Central to strengthen its Data Management offering with storage, compute and virtualisation capabilities. Bridge Point is a QSA as part of the PCI DSS and was the first IT company in Australia to achieve certification to ISO 27001. www.bridgepoint.com.au About ControlScan Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, ControlScan delivers payment security and compliance solutions to a global network of payment service providers and the merchants they serve. The company’s innovative approach to secure hosted payment and PCI compliance solutions leverages technology, education and services to provide flexible options for its customers. Known for its thought leadership, ControlScan gives its customers a clear view of marketplace issues and trends so they can remain competitive.  For more information about ControlScan, please visit www.controlscan.com or call +1-678-534-3262.

2012-12-21T07:17:13Z bridge-point-awarded-rsa-partner-of-the-year

Brisbane, Australia, 21 December, 2012 – Bridge Point Communications, a specialist network, compliance, data management and information security company, today announced it was named ‘Partner of the Year, 2012’ by RSA – the Security Division of EMC – a provider of security, risk and compliance management solutions. The award recognises Bridge Point’s strong sales, technical performance and expertise in delivering RSA information security and Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) solutions. RSA’s products help organisations to solve their most complex and sensitive security challenges including managing organisational risk, safeguarding mobile access and collaboration, proving compliance, and securing virtual and cloud environments. Bridge Point has established itself as a leading Information Security and GRC consulting services provider. Supporting clients throughout Australia, Bridge Point has built strong capabilities for designing, implementing and supporting RSA products in the region since 2002. “Bridge Point has a long history of partnering with RSA. As an organsation, RSA aims to support their partners and customers in ensuring the safety of the digital world, while enabling them to run successful businesses. Through strategic acquisition over the last two years, RSA has added NetWitness and Archer to their security management portfolio.  They have put a lot of focus into building out the capabilities of these solutions, which has complemented Bridge Point’s information security and GRC practices perfectly.  “Bridge Point has significantly invested in its Information Security consultancy group which heavily focuses on GRC, with the RSA Archer platform underpinning this,” said Shaun McLagan, General Manager – ANZ, RSA. “Bridge Point has achieved key wins in the banking, utilities and healthcare sectors and has sold across the RSA portfolio.  Bridge Point has seen significant growth across the RSA Security Management and Compliance space, and grown their RSA business by 43% year on year.  We are very excited to have Bridge Point as one of our partners and look forward to developing an even stronger relationship with them in coming years.” Tim Smith, Director of Bridge Point Communications said, “Bridge Point is delighted to have been recognised by RSA for our commitment to delivering information security and GRC solutions to our customers. The ability to provide information security expertise to our customers is more important now than ever before as regulatory requirements continue to grow and information security risks increasingly become a board-level concern. Bridge Point’s highly skilled and experienced consultants truly offer our customers peace of mind as trusted advisors in all facets of information security in this growing market.”      

2012-11-13T01:41:41Z bridge-point-achieves-netapp-platinum-partner-status

Brisbane, Australia, 6 November, 2012 – Bridge Point Communications, a specialist network, compliance, data management and information security company, has achieved NetApp® Platinum Partner status. This recognition uniquely positions Bridge Point as NetApp’s only Queensland based systems integrator with this level of accreditation with resources to fulfill the extensive pre-requisite requirements.  NetApp (www.netapp.com) creates innovative storage systems and software that helps customers around the world store, manage, protect and retain one of their most precious corporate assets: their data.  Awarding Bridge Point Platinum Partner status is the culmination of a six year relationship between the two organisations, and acknowledges the significant commitment that Bridge Point has made to providing customers superior technical and sales expertise.  “We have provided the NetApp range of storage and data management solutions since 2007, and Bridge Point continues to heavily invest in developing our people’s skills to ensure they are experts in their field. We make a point of hiring the best in the industry. Achieving Platinum Partner status is a great acknowledgement by NetApp of this investment in our staff. It reaffirms our commitment to providing customers with the best data management solutions and technical expertise,” said Andrew George, Director, Bridge Point Communications.  “Bridge Point’s customers will benefit from better value as a result of our increased buying power. In addition, our customers will gain from Bridge Point’s even closer relationship with NetApp’s technical people. We have early access to updates and NetApp’s direction, and are involved in that process.”  Bridge Point’s fully accredited NetApp experts assist organisations to consolidate storage devices into a highly available, high performance system to reduce management costs and provide opportunities for future storage growth.  Bridge Point’s team of certified NetApp engineers include two NetApp certified implementation engineers (NCIEs) and five NetApp certified data management administrators (NCDAs). Bridge Point is currently in the process of hiring more NetApp experts to cater for growth.  “NetApp is proud to be aligned with Bridge Point and congratulates them on their continued growth,” said Todd Parsons, Channel Sales and Marketing Director for NetApp Australia and New Zealand. “The awarding of Platinum Partner status recognises Bridge Point’s outstanding commitment and support of customers, and we look forward to providing greater financial investment and supplementary services to fuel their next stage of growth.”  Bridge Point is also a NetApp Authorised Professional Service Partner (APSP). The NetApp Authorised Professional Service Partner Program allows partners to sell and deliver their own brand of professional services for NetApp solutions by utilising NetApp best practices, tools and methodologies, comprehensive training and implementation support.  As part of the program, participating NetApp partners receive exclusive, specialised access to the same solution-based service delivery tools, templates and methodologies used by NetApp’s Global Services professional service teams.

2012-09-17T04:45:28Z bridge-point-recognised-as-cisco-telepresence-video-express-authorised-technology-provider-partner-in-australia

Brisbane, Australia, 17 September, 2012 – Bridge Point Communications announced today that it has achieved TelePresence Video Express Authorised Technology Provider (ATP) status from Cisco. This designation recognises Bridge Point as having fulfilled the training requirements and program prerequisites to sell, deploy and support Cisco TelePresence Video products and solutions at the Express level. The Cisco TelePresence Video Express ATP Program is focused on providing a new way of working, in which everyone, everywhere can be more productive through face-to-face collaboration with TelePresence Video solutions. The Express-level program’s goal is to enable partners to market Cisco TelePresence Video endpoints, offer targeted infrastructure solutions, and differentiate themselves based on their breadth of unique audiovisual integration skills. “We are delighted that our skills, industry experience and commitment to providing the highest level of service to our customers have been recognised by Cisco. According to the Cisco Visual Networking Index (VNI), business videoconferencing is forecast to grow sixfold between 2011 and 2016. Business videoconferencing traffic is growing significantly faster than overall business IP traffic, at a compound annual growth rate of 48 percent,” said Rob Siganto, Managing Director, Bridge Point Communications. “As a Cisco TelePresence Video Express ATP, Bridge Point is well positioned to meet our customers’ growing demand for video. By implementing this technology, our customers can benefit from reduced travel costs, being ‘greener’ and increased employee productivity through faster decision making.” “The Cisco TelePresence Video Express ATP Program is designed to enable partners to take advantage of the tremendous market opportunities ahead—not only in the telepresence space but also in the overall collaboration market,” said Richard McLeod, senior director of collaboration for worldwide channels at Cisco. “As a Cisco TelePresence Video Express ATP Partner, Bridge Point has made an investment in the sales, technical and life cycle services capabilities to deliver the industry’s most comprehensive and interoperable Cisco TelePresence Video portfolio.”   The Cisco Authorised Technology Provider (ATP) Program is part of the Cisco go-to-market strategy for emerging technologies. The program helps Cisco to define the knowledge, skills and services that channel partners need to successfully sell, deploy and support an emerging technology. As the market changes, an ATP designation may be discontinued or may evolve into a Cisco specialisation.

2012-06-12T05:10:31Z bridge-point-recognised-as-cisco-identity-services-engine-authorised-technology-provider-partner-in-australia

Brisbane, Australia, 12 June, 2012 – To support the expanding role of access control solutions that leverage the intelligence of the network, Bridge Point Communications announced today that it has achieved Identity Services Engine (ISE) Authorised Technology Provider (ATP) status from Cisco. This designation recognises Bridge Point as having fulfilled the training requirements and program prerequisites to sell, deploy and support Cisco ISE products and solutions. The Cisco ISE platform is a comprehensive, next-generation, contextually-based access control solution that offers exceptional visibility and control to ensure a highly secure enterprise and efficiently enforce security policy across an entire distributed network. The Cisco ISE offers authenticated network access, profiling, posture and guest management along with monitoring, reporting and troubleshooting capabilities on a single physical or virtual appliance. The Cisco ISE enables scalable and flexible enforcement mechanisms leveraging existing identity-aware network infrastructure, and ships on a wide range of physical appliances with different performance settings to address multiple deployment requirements. “The ‘BYOD challenge’ has been driving customer demand for ISE. More and more employees want to bring their own devices to work and connect to the network,” said Rob Siganto, Managing Director of Bridge Point Communications. “Our customers will benefit from Cisco ISE due to better security resulting from improved visibility and control over all user activity and devices. They will also be able to maximise efficiency and increase IT staff productivity by automating labour-intensive tasks and simplifying service delivery.” The Cisco ATP program is part of the go-to-market strategy for Cisco ISE solutions. The program helps define the knowledge, skills and servicesthat channel partnersneed to successfully sell, deploy and supportISE solutions.About Cisco Identity Services Engine and TrustSec Solutions The Cisco ISE is a policy component of the Cisco TrustSec solution. A Cisco ISE solution can be deployed as an appliance or virtual machine to enforce security policy on all devices that attempt to gain access to network infrastructure. Integrated with the Cisco Prime Network Control System (NCS), Cisco ISE helps manage all devices more securely.

2012-05-22T03:21:26Z bridge-point-achieves-crossbeam-accredited-service-partner-casp

Brisbane, Australia, 22 May, 2012 – Bridge Point Communications, a specialist network, compliance and information security company, today announced it has become a Crossbeam Accredited Service Partner (CASP). Crossbeam Systems, Inc. is a provider of next-generation security platforms for high-performance networks. Crossbeam Accredited Service Partners deliver an exceptionally high level of technical expertise and support. Bridge Point has established itself as a leading IT services partner in the area of network security and has built strong methodologies for offering Crossbeam products in the Australian market since 2008. Tim Smith, Director of Bridge Point Communications said, “Achieving Crossbeam’s ‘CASP Support’ status is a great acknowledgement by Crossbeam of the investment we have made and reaffirms our commitment to providing customers with the best network security solutions and technical expertise. “We have invested heavily to attain the most highly skilled, highly qualified Crossbeam experts in Australia. This focus has enabled us to provide our customers with solutions to their business challenges including securing the public cloud and mobile network without compromising performance, and achieve the business benefits of moving to a next generation data centre including the ability to consolidate, scale, adapt and automate to maximise efficiencies and control operating expenses. “As a CASP, Bridge Point is now able to provide initial Crossbeam support ‘around the clock’. If required, Bridge Point can escalate the call by logging a case directly with Crossbeam. This means that our customers can get even better support which is more aligned with their needs.” In order to achieve the CASP ‘Support’ level, Bridge Point has to meet and maintain the following requirements set by Crossbeam: Deliver first response Level 1 and Level 2 support Maintain certified Crossbeam support engineers on staff Purchase X-Series equipment for customer problem reproduction Report monthly operational metrics Demonstrate full-time technical support capability David Sykes, Regional Director – South East Asia and Pacific, Crossbeam Systems, said, “Bridge Point is a valued partner with a proven track record who understands how to help customers consolidate and optimise their security infrastructure to achieve business goals. Bridge Point has invested in Crossbeam by developing the right skills and dedicated resources, and that investment is the foundation of its success in the Australian market.”

2012-03-29T06:01:38Z bridge-point-achieves-advanced-data-centre-architecture-specialisation-from-cisco-in-australia

Brisbane, Australia, 29 March, 2012 – Bridge Point announced today that it has achieved the Advanced Data Centre Architecture Specialisation from Cisco. This specialisation recognises Bridge Point as having fulfilled the training requirements and program prerequisites to sell, design and deploy comprehensive Cisco Data Centre solutions. The specialisation provides role-based training in three essential areas: Unified Fabric for optimising data and storage needs; Unified Computing for streamlining data centre resources and uniting network, computational, storage and virtualisation platforms; and Unified Network Services for advancing the way application delivery and security services are provided in the data centre network or computing environment. “Bridge Point’s recent merger with Server Central means that we are one of the few companies in Queensland that can offer a broad range of services across data centre infrastructure, whilst providing a high level of technical expertise and customer support,” said Rob Siganto, Managing Director, Bridge Point Communications. “We are delighted that our skills, industry experience and commitment to providing the highest level of service to our customers have been recognised by Cisco.” “As a Cisco Advanced Data Centre Architecture Specialised Partner, Bridge Point Communications has made a significant investment in the training required to help customers accelerate their business growth, reduce the total cost of ownership, and extend the life of its current infrastructure by making its data centre more efficient, agile and resilient,” said Ralph Nimergood, Vice President of Data Centre Architecture for the Worldwide Partner Department at Cisco. The Cisco Resale Channel Program provides partners with the training required to build sales, design and technical talent and then validates their skills through a third-party audit.

2012-03-02T14:49:47Z bridge-point-strengthens-virtualisation-offering-through-cisco-and-netapp-flexpod-for-vmware-capabilities

Brisbane, Australia, 29 February, 2012 – Bridge Point Communications has announced that it has strengthened its virtualisation offering and enhanced its Cisco and NetApp FlexPod for VMware capabilities as a result of its merger with data centre specialist Server Central. FlexPod, a collaboration between Cisco and NetApp, is a pre-validated data centre design architecture with combined networking, computing and storage infrastructure. The flexible, scalable shared infrastructure is pre-tested to help lower deployment risk, increase data centre efficiencies and create a flexible IT environment to build a private cloud. Bridge Point Communications’ Managing Director, Rob Siganto, said, “Bridge Point is one of the few companies in Queensland that has the resources, complementary skills and expertise to effectively deliver the FlexPod solution. We are a Cisco Gold Partner with the Advanced Unified Computing Technology Specialisation, and Server Central is a NetApp Gold Partner with VCP5 certified staff – VMware’s highest level of certification. “Server Central has been a VMware partner since 2007 and Bridge Point also enjoys a strong relationship with VMware as one of its Enterprise partners. Combined, we are even more focused and capable of delivering design architectures that help customers evolve virtualised data centres to be more efficient, dynamic and secure.” Server Central’s Managing Director, Andrew George, said, “Virtualisation is changing the way applications are provisioned and managed, and is dramatically improving server utilisation. The benefits of a unified infrastructure strategy are lower costs, reduced complexity without compromising performance, and increased operational efficiency. “Organisations are now looking for ways to extend virtualisation across computing, network and storage layers to further improve cost efficiencies and move toward a service-enabled cloud infrastructure. FlexPod’s flexibility enables our customers to scale the solution according to their changing needs.” GHD, one of the world’s leading engineering, architecture and environmental consulting companies with more than 6,500 people, is an example of one of Bridge Point’s customers that has realised the benefits of a FlexPod environment. Elizabeth Harper, GHD’s Chief Information Officer, said, “We are in an exciting growth phase and our recent acquisition of a US-based consulting engineering firm follows four other company integrations for GHD in the past six months. “We have relied on Bridge Point’s expertise and advice for many years now. As a preferred supplier, they have a good understanding of our requirements and their close relationship with Cisco means that Bridge Point found a solution that was a good fit for our organisation and leveraged our existing setup. We are now leveraging Server Central’s close relationship with NetApp and VMware to provide us with storage and server virtualisation solutions. “The FlexPod solution is a highly adaptable and scalable infrastructure stack that allows us to rapidly integrate different technology from acquisitions using a lower-cost operating model. It has enabled us to create a standard and open architecture for the entire company that aligns with our evolving business requirements.” (Download the GHD case study video at www.bridgepoint.com.au/ghd-video.) Sara Adams, Managing Director, Partner Business Group, Cisco Australia and New Zealand said, “As a Cisco Gold Partner with the Advanced Unified Computing Technology Specialisation, Bridge Point has already invested significantly in the training required to deliver customers a Unified Computing platform that can reduce the time to deploy new applications and business agility. Now with its added NetApp and VMware expertise, Bridge Point has further enhanced its capability to help customers simplify their data centre transformations.” ”As a NetApp Gold Partner, Server Central has acted as an extension of our business and worked with customers to demonstrate the real value they can gain by implementing flexible and efficient IT strategies and solutions. We congratulate Bridge Point and Server Central on their merger. We look forward to working with the new, larger team to continue to show customers how they can gain long-term business benefit by building their businesses on the best technological foundation,” said Peter O’Connor, Vice President, NetApp Australia and New Zealand. “Bridge Point has been a long standing and valued VMware partner in Queensland. This merger extends their virtualisation expertise, allowing local organisations to benefit from greater efficiencies and scalability that the Flexpod architecture enables,” said John Donovan, Channel Director, VMware ANZ.

2011-08-24T01:32:14Z bridge-point-achieves-cisco-gold-certification-in-australia

Brisbane, Australia, 24 August, 2011 – Bridge Point Communications, a specialist network, compliance and information security company, announced today it has achieved CiscoGold Certification. To earn Gold Certification, Bridge Point had to meet rigorous standards set forth by Cisco in networking competency, service, support and customer satisfaction. “We are delighted that our skills, industry experience and commitment to providing the highest level of service to our customers has been recognised by Cisco,” said Rob Siganto, Managing Director, Bridge Point Communications. “Bridge Point provides a level of technical expertise and customer support that one would expect from a multinational company. Our customers will now benefit from an even closer alignment with Cisco’s support processes.” “We are committed to providing the tools, training and programs that facilitate partner growth, differentiation and profitability,” said Edison Peres, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Channels at Cisco. “With specialisations in unified communications, routing and switching, security and wireless LAN, Bridge Point has made an investment in developing the capability to deliver the integrated and customised technology solutions that today’s customers demand.” The Cisco Resale Channel Program provides a framework for partners to build the sales, technical and Cisco Lifecycle Services skills required to deliver Cisco solutions to end customers. Through the program's specialisations and certifications, Cisco recognises a partner's expertise in deploying solutions based on Cisco advanced technologies and services. Using a third-party audit process, the program validates a partner’s technology skills, business practices, customer satisfaction, pre-sales and post sales support capabilities, and other critical factors that customers consider when choosing a trusted partner. As a Cisco Gold Certified Partner, Bridge Point has met the requirements for attaining the broadest range of expertise across multiple technologies by achieving Cisco advanced specialisations in unified communications, routing and switching, security and wireless LAN. In addition, Bridge Point has integrated Cisco Lifecycle Services into its offerings and is required to maintain high levels of customer satisfaction. Cisco Gold Certification provides Bridge Point with access to comprehensive sales, technical and lifecycle services training and support available from Cisco.

2011-07-21T05:01:23Z bridge-point-wins-top-crossbeam-apac-partner-for-q2

Brisbane, Australia, 21 July, 2011 – Bridge Point Communications, a specialist network, compliance and information security company, today announced it was named Top APAC Partner for Q2 by Crossbeam Systems, Inc., the leading provider of next-generation security platforms for high-performance networks. The award recognises Bridge Point’s strong sales, technical performance and expertise in delivering Crossbeam network security solutions. Bridge Point has established itself as a leading IT services partner in the area of network security, and has built strong methodologies for offering Crossbeam products in the Australian market since 2008. “We select partners who have the expertise and on-the-ground support required to meet the high levels of service excellence that our customers expect and can deliver a network security infrastructure that is always adaptable, high-performing and reliable," said Anthony Stitt, Sales Director ANZ, at Crossbeam Systems. “Bridge Point is a valued partner with a proven track record who understands how to help customers consolidate and optimise their security infrastructure to achieve business goals. Bridge Point has invested in Crossbeam by developing the right skills and dedicated resources, and that investment is the foundation of its success in the Australian market." Tim Smith, Director of Bridge Point Communications said, “Bridge Point is delighted to have been recognised for our commitment to delivering network security solutions to our customers, in conjunction with Crossbeam. “The way businesses communicate and collaborate is changing. It is now mobile and highly integrated with video, Web 2.0, social media and instant messaging – a move which has increased the total global mobile data traffic to three times larger than the Internet was just over a decade ago. In addition to an increase in traffic, we are also seeing a trend towards data centre consolidation and for organisations to move to the private cloud. Network security is a critical factor in this. “We thank Crossbeam for its support and look forward to continuing to partner with them to improve the sophisticated networks of enterprises, government agencies and service providers by architecting platforms that are more adaptable, high-performing, reliable and secure.”

2011-06-21T03:47:32Z bridge-point-and-server-central-to-merge

Brisbane, Australia, 21 June, 2011 – Bridge Point Communications, a specialist network, compliance and information security company, and data centre specialist Server Central today announced they have entered into an in principle agreement to merge on 30 June*. The merger represents a pooling of the expertise of the two companies in order to respond to the changing needs of customers as a result of the increasing convergence of technology. Rob Siganto, Managing Director of Bridge Point Communications said, “This combination is an excellent strategic fit for both parties. We see the merger as a natural progression of our current service and solution offerings. It strengthens Bridge Point in the areas of virtualisation, storage and data management so we can now provide full coverage to our customers. “Our enhanced data centre practice will be a complementary component to our network and security offerings to service our clients in the burgeoning virtualisation market. Our main goal remains the same – to ensure the security and availability of our customers’ information assets. It will be business as usual.” Andrew George, Managing Director of Server Central said, “The merger makes sense. In the past, we’ve partnered with Bridge Point on a number of opportunities. In addition to our complementary offerings, the companies are a good cultural fit. We both have a very strong focus on customer relationships and people.” The two companies plan to integrate as quickly as possible, retaining all of their employees. The Server Central staff will move into Bridge Point’s office in Fortitude Valley within the next couple of months. Eventually the merged companies will both operate under the Bridge Point name. Andrew George will become a director of Bridge Point. * Subject to due diligence

2011-05-11T02:54:34Z bridge-point-appoints-critical-infrastructure-practice-manager

Brisbane, Australia, 11 May, 2011 – Bridge Point Communications, a specialist network, compliance and information security company, today announced it has strengthened its Critical Infrastructure practice with the appointment of Gary McHugh to the newly created position of Practice Manager. Bridge Point has also appointed Amanda Lugton as Account Manager to support customers across the business. Rob Siganto, Managing Director of Bridge Point Communications said, “Gary’s appointment demonstrates our commitment to invest in this growing area. The new role is a sign of the maturity of Bridge Point’s Critical Infrastructure practice. We will be able to leverage the success to date we have had with projects in building automation, intelligent transportation, SCADA and smart grid. “Gary is well regarded in the local industry having worked closely with Cisco on a number of major projects and initiatives. Amanda’s knowledge and experience means she is well placed to take care of Bridge Point customers and meet their needs. We are delighted to have them both join our team.” Mr McHugh, in his role as Practice Manager, will lead the Critical Infrastructure team of Consultants and Engineers in developing and delivering solutions for the converging environments of Engineering and IT. Prior to joining Bridge Point, Mr McHugh was Connectivity Practice Manager at Dimension Data’s Queensland office. He has extensive experience gained by working for more than 20 years in the IT industry in a variety of technical, management and sales roles for companies including Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco and Dimension Data’s head office in South Africa. Mr McHugh completed a Management Development Program from the University of Manchester’s Manchester Business School in the UK. In her role as Account Manager, Ms Lugton will be responsible for medium and enterprise clients across the portfolio of Bridge Point products and services. Previously, Ms Lugton was Enterprise Account Manager for Optus Networks since 2004. She has a background in management and administration in the arts industry. Ms Lugton holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT).

2011-03-07T23:59:13Z bridge-point-appoints-new-external-director

Brisbane, Australia, 8 March, 2011 – Bridge Point Communications, a specialist network, compliance and information security company, today announced it has appointed Carmel Gray as an external Director and company Chair. Ms Gray’s extensive experience includes senior roles as CIO at Suncorp, General Manager of Energy Information Systems and Managing Director of Logica Australia. From 2006 until mid 2010, she was the Chair of Information Technologies Australia (ITA), a specialist in state-of-the-art call centre solutions for large government and corporate clients. Ms Gray is a non-executive Director of the Bank of Queensland and Chair of its Audit Committee. Rob Siganto, Managing Director of Bridge Point Communications said, “Carmel has a solid reputation and brings with her a wealth of experience gained from an executive career of more than 30 years in the IT, banking and finance sectors. She has served in an advisory capacity for numerous organisations including the CSIRO, RMIT, Victoria University of Technology, Australian Information Industry Association and Queensland University of Technology (QUT). "This appointment is aligned withour growth strategy buildingour industrial networking capabilities and providing Payment Card Industry (PCI) and compliance services to the financial industry. Carmel’s experience means she is perfectly aligned to assist us executing our strategy. “We are pleased to welcome Carmel to the Bridge Point team and look forward to the benefits of her valuable experience.” Ms Gray said, “Bridge Point has carved out an outstanding track record over the last ten years. Its customer-centric philosophy, quest for innovation and impressive management have combined to produce very strong, profitable growth year-on-year. I welcome the opportunity to play a part in the company’s future success. “Bridge Point’s customers include the ‘who’s-who’ of enterprise, government and mid-market clients. It became the first IT company in Australia to be certified to ISO 27001, the first Queensland based Payment Card Industry Qualified Security Assessor and a pioneer in unified communications, industrial networking and SCADA based solutions.”

2011-03-03T03:28:56Z mcnab-selects-bridge-point-to-upgrade-its-network

Brisbane, Australia, 3 March, 2011 – Bridge Point Communications, a specialist network, compliance and information security company, has been selected by McNab to upgrade its network. McNab (www.mcnab.net.au) is a people-focused construction companywith more than 230 staff spread across their Brisbane, Toowoomba and Townsville offices. Their unique approach to clients has resulted in high levels of repeat business from clients such as Woolworths, Aldi, Origin Energy, University of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, and private residential and industrial developers throughout Queensland. Continued company growth has seen the need to dramatically increase the scalability of their IT systems, including a new platform to enable a more rapid application deployment in challenging regions. McNab also identified the requirement to increase performance at gigabit speeds to enhance the efficiency of its workforce. McNab looked to its partner, Bridge Point Communications, for a solution. Bridge Point will design and implement a new Wide Area Network (WAN) and Local Area Network (LAN) for McNab. Bruce Waldron, McNab’s IT Manager said, “We have relied on Bridge Point’s expertise and advice for many years now. They have a good understanding of our requirements and their close relationship with Cisco means that Bridge Point found a solution that was a good fit for our organisation that leveraged our existing setup.” The chosen Cisco Borderless Network solution from Bridge Point makes access to information highly secure, reliable and seamless. The technology components selected include Cisco Catalyst 3750-X and 2960-S Series Switches, and Integrated Services Routers Generation 2 (G2). The solution also includes the flexibility to be able to introduce advanced network-based technologies such as Unified Communications in the future. Dave Robbins, Network Technology Specialist, Bridge Point Communications said, “In addition to the benefits of increased performance, scalability and flexibility, the improved manageability of the network means the total cost of ownership has also been reduced.”

2010-12-20T03:35:33Z st-paul-s-school-selects-bridge-point-to-upgrade-wireless-network

Brisbane, Australia, 20 December, 2010 – Bridge Point Communications, a specialist network, compliance and information security company, has been selected by St Paul’s School to upgrade its wireless network. St Paul's School (www.stpauls.qld.edu.au) is an Anglican co-educational schoolbased in Brisbane which educates more than 1,500 students fromPrep to Year 12. In 2011, the school will commence a laptop program for each student in grades seven and 10. Laptops will then be rolled out to all students over three years. St Paul's School identified that the existing wireless network would not have the capability to support students in every classroom accessing rich multimedia content. After reviewing a number of options, the school looked to Bridge Point Communications for a solution. Kent Walker, IT Manager of St Paul's School said, “Bridge Point came highly recommended. We chose to partner with Bridge Point because they showed expertise during the design phase, which gave us confidence in their ability to complete the project satisfactorily. The one to one student-to-laptop ratio is challenging when users are all simultaneously accessing content. However, Bridge Point was able to demonstrate a solution that was up to the task.” In addition to increasing the school’s capacity to offer a rich learning experience to all students, the solution provides some further benefits. These include the introduction of advanced management software to assist Kent Walker and his IT team to securely manage the environment, and a guest access system to allow visitors to the school – including a large number of overseas students – to be able to quickly and easily access the network. The chosen Cisco Unified Wireless Network solution from Bridge Point includes a Cisco Wireless LAN Controller and Wireless Control System management software. The school will also be one of the first education providers in Australia to use Cisco’s next generation 3500 access points which include CleanAir technology. Dave Robbins, Network Technology Specialist, Bridge Point Communications said, “CleanAir helps the network to become self-optimising, self-healing and increases security through dedicated silicon-based radio frequency detection, analysis and response. This will help St Paul’s to provide a reliable service to students, teachers and guests.”