Faced with rising endpoint protection costs, ineffective email filtering, and no centralised patch management process, Inn Gear needed a more effective approach to securing and managing its IT environment. SCG deployed a combination of endpoint detection and response, advanced email protection, and automated patch management solutions. The result was improved visibility across the estate, enhanced protection against threats, and greater control over software updates.
About Inn Gear
Inn Gear is a market-leading supplier of furniture, artwork, and themed bric-a-brac to the hospitality industry. With more than 30 years’ experience and contacts worldwide, the company supplies everything from contract furniture, artwork and fixed seating to restored antiques and architectural features, alongside bespoke creations produced by its in-house craftsmen.
The Opportunity
Inn Gear was reviewing its endpoint protection services following annual renewal price increases. Alongside this, the business wanted to address challenges around email security and software updates, creating an opportunity to introduce solutions that would provide greater visibility, improve protection, and streamline the management of devices across the organisation.
The Challenge
Endpoint protection services were subject to annual price reviews, resulting in increasing costs each year. At the same time, the timeframe available to replace the existing solution was limited.
The business also lacked a patch management system. Endpoint updates were either completed manually or left to default operating system settings, with automatic updates disabled in some cases.
Email security presented a further challenge. The existing spam filtering solution frequently quarantined legitimate emails while failing to consistently stop illegitimate messages. An increasing number of phishing emails were also bypassing security controls, creating additional risk for users.
The Solution
SCG deployed a fully managed Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solution across Inn Gear’s devices, replacing the previous antivirus platform. During deployment, the solution identified evidence of a previous malware infection that had gone undetected, generating a critical alert that enabled the SCG team to respond and remediate the issue immediately. The solution was deployed with little to no impact on system performance, making it suitable for older hardware devices.
To strengthen email security, SCG implemented a fully managed Advanced Email Protection solution integrated with Inn Gear’s Microsoft 365 tenant. Using an API-based deployment model, the solution provided anti-phishing, spam and malware protection for inbound and outbound email, while allowing the existing email security platform to continue operating until it could be decommissioned.
SCG also deployed a patch management agent through Inn Gear’s domain controller, enabling the business to deliver scheduled updates to PCs and keep third-party applications up to date when required. The configuration also automated the deployment of endpoint detection and response software, replacing what had previously been a manual process for the IT team.
