Texas Tech University System Implements Ellucian® Banner® Data Defense to Help Protect Personal Data, Institutional Assets, and Reputation


FAIRFAX, Va. – December 2, 2013 – Texas Tech University System is implementing Ellucian® Banner® Data Defense to help protect against increasingly sophisticated attacks to obtain Personally Identifiable Information (PII). The system is implementing the solution to help protect sensitive data, health services information, and other institutional assets at four campuses: Texas Tech University, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Centers in Lubbock and El Paso, and Angelo State University.

“Our investment in the solution helps protect us against the risk of an attack, and against the costs that we would incur if we had a breach. In addition to the financial impact, a breach can damage the reputation of the system and diminish the trust of the people who are impacted,” said Kay Rhodes, associate vice chancellor and chief information officer, Texas Tech University System. “We want to protect the valuable personal data that people entrust to us.”

Banner Data Defense is a bundled, multi-layer defense software package that is complemented by best-practice services for Banner by Ellucian customers. It combines Oracle Advanced Security with transparent data encryption software, and the Oracle Audit Vault and Database Firewall to help ensure data privacy, protect against threats, and maintain regulatory compliance. The package is enhanced by Banner-specific database scripts, documentation and reports, installation and configuration scripts, and best-practice implementation advice from Ellucian’s services team.

“Hackers and penetrations are going deeper than before. We need to protect at the data element level in addition to application / network access,” said Jim Brunjes, vice chancellor and chief financial officer for the Texas Tech University System. “Our colleges have well-regarded reputations for their engineering and sciences programs. If we have a data breach, people would question the quality of our programs if we couldn’t protect our own data.”

Purchase of the solution was driven in part by members of the Board of Regents who are concerned about the increasing number of intrusions on networks and data. Banner Data Defense was attractive to the board because it is fully integrated with Banner by Ellucian.

“The leadership of Texas Tech University System understands the strategic need to implement a comprehensive database security solution to help thwart attacks rather than spend precious resources undoing significant damage to their assets and reputation following a breach,” said Brian Knotts, senior vice president, chief architect, Ellucian. “Only Ellucian has the knowledge of Banner and Oracle systems that is necessary to implement this multi-layered solution fully and with minimal disruption to users.”

About Ellucian
Ellucian helps education institutions thrive in an open and dynamic world. We deliver a broad portfolio of technology solutions, developed in collaboration with a global education community, and provide strategic guidance to help education institutions of all kinds navigate change, achieve greater transparency, and drive efficiencies. More than 2,400 institutions in 40 countries around the world look to Ellucian for the ideas and insights that will move education forward, helping people everywhere discover their futures through learning. Visit Ellucian at www.ellucian.com, follow Ellucian on Twitter (@EllucianInc), and like Ellucian on Facebook (/EllucianInc).

Banner® and Ellucian®, are trademarks of Ellucian Company L.P. or its affiliates and are registered in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners. © 2009–2013 Ellucian Company L.P. and its affiliates.

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