{"id":72824,"date":"2022-12-09T11:30:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-09T16:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jumpcloud.com\/?post_type=resource&p=72824"},"modified":"2024-08-15T13:40:39","modified_gmt":"2024-08-15T17:40:39","slug":"webspec-uses-jumpcloud","status":"publish","type":"resource","link":"https:\/\/jumpcloud.com\/resources\/webspec-uses-jumpcloud","title":{"rendered":"Webspec Uses JumpCloud to Streamline Device Management, Improve Security, and Accelerate Onboarding"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Webspec<\/a> is a full-service marketing, website, and application design agency headquartered in Urbandale, Iowa, which is about 15 minutes outside of Des Moines. Founded in 2001, the company has grown from a team of one to a team of nearly 65.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Webspec team was using a self-hosted, open source identity management solution called FreeIPA to sync Linux accounts across roughly 100 servers. According to Steven Hodges, a system admin at Webspec, the main issue with this setup was that the solution was \u201csemi-locked down\u201d to a Red Hat Enterprise Linux-based operating system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While the solution offered some support for Debian, \u201cit wasn\u2019t great,\u201d Hodges says. Since CentOS 7 and CentOS 8 were approaching end of life and moving to CentOS Stream, the Webspec team decided it was time to look into other solutions for account management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe other main issue was that it was incredibly hard for me to manage users across various resources and accounts,\u201d Hodges adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As Hodges and the team began looking for a solution, they ultimately zeroed in on two potential options, including JumpCloud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hodges found that while the price difference was negligible, JumpCloud was a more intuitive product which was easier to understand. While the other option had \u201cmarketing names\u201d for their products, JumpCloud had straightforward names. For example, JumpCloud\u2019s single sign-on solution is simply called SSO<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI would\u2019ve had a hard time ensuring I was choosing the right add-ons if we went with the other solution,\u201d Hodges said. \u201cIn the end, JumpCloud won, and I haven\u2019t looked back since.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today, all of Webspec\u2019s employees \u2014 and all of their devices, which are either Windows or macOS \u2014 are managed through JumpCloud. Additionally, the company has roughly 120 servers in JumpCloud to manage Linux users for development staff; all but two of them are hosted in the cloud. Currently, these servers are running a version of Ubuntu or CentOS 7.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAs a web and app development and marketing agency, we host and maintain our clients\u2019 sites for them,\u201d Hodges continues. \u201cAll of our servers \u2014 with the exception of a few operations-specific servers \u2014 have either WordPress, Drupal, Laravel, or a custom PHP site hosted on them.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Thanks to JumpCloud, the Webspec team is able to manage all of these servers in a time-efficient manner. But the benefits of the company\u2019s investment in JumpCloud don\u2019t stop there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Webspec team uses User Groups and Device Groups<\/a> to ensure only authorized individuals have access to relevant SSO applications and devices. Additionally, the agency has five applications with conditional access polices that require multi-factor authentication (MFA). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Together, these features give Webspec more control over who can access their systems, applications, and data, giving them peace of mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n JumpCloud makes it much easier for the Webspec IT team to ensure devices are protected and up to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019re utilizing OS patch management<\/a> and absolutely loving it,\u201d Hodges explains. \u201cI learned pretty quickly that some of our staff don\u2019t bother doing updates. We even had one MacBook Pro that was two major versions behind.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Webspec is using cloud RADIUS<\/a> to further fortify its networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe have two RADIUS instances created \u2014 one that manages the Wi-Fi in our office, and another that is being used to manage authentication to our VPN,\u201d Hodges says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the biggest benefits of JumpCloud has been a significant reduction in the amount of time it takes for Webspec to onboard new employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cA few clicks here and there and all but three company accounts are created and ready to go for new employees,\u201d Hodges says. \u201cThe other three accounts will soon be created once I write a custom API connector to manage that.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Across the board, JumpCloud has helped the Webspec team accomplish more. For starters, all employees can quickly access the tools they need when they need them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cA month or so ago, our CEO had to SSH into one of our servers for the first time since we started using JumpCloud,\u201d Hodges explains. \u201cHe was blown away at how he just had to upload his SSH key to his account and within minutes it was ready to go on the server to restart the database service.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n On top of that, Webspec has also extended their JumpCloud investment via integrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe coolest thing that we use is the JumpCloud API,\u201d Hodges says. \u201cWe\u2019re using it heavily to help maintain our internal HR and asset management<\/a> system.\u201d This, in turn, prevents the team from having to perform manual data entry tasks over and over again \u2014 freeing up time they can use to focus on what\u2019s most important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n JumpCloud changes the way IT administrators manage their organizations by providing a comprehensive and flexible cloud directory platform. From one pane of glass, manage user identities and resource access, secure Mac, Windows, and Linux devices, and get a full view of your environment. Read more on why Webspec, a full-service marketing, website, and application design agency, uses JumpCloud.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":168,"featured_media":72825,"template":"","categories":[1],"collection":[2779,2775],"wheel_hubs":[],"platform":[],"resource_type":[2313],"funnel_stage":[],"coauthors":[2726],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nDealing with a Self-Hosted Solution That Was Difficult to Manage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Finding a Straightforward, Cost-Effective Solution in JumpCloud<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Improving IT Operations Across the Entire Organization<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Enhanced access controls<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Increased security<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Accelerated onboarding<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Improved productivity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Learn More About JumpCloud<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
G<\/a>et started<\/a> with JumpCloud.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"