Calvert Schools Approve $85k For Firewall Subscription And Updates

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — Calvert County Public Schools approved an $85,048.80 contract renewal with Palo Alto Networks firewall hardware support and software licenses through Skyline Technology Solutions at the May 8 Board of Education meeting.

This contract will offer coverage through July 22, 2027. Due to manufacturer policy, hardware support begins upon delivery, while software licensing begins upon installation. As a result, hardware support is currently scheduled to expire in May 2026, while software licenses expire in July 2026, creating a misalignment in coverage periods. Palo Alto Networks agreed to extend existing hardware support to align with the current software license expiration date of July 22, 2026.

These next-generation firewall services provide application-level traffic inspection, malware and intrusion detection, user-based policy enforcement, secure remote access, and detailed monitoring and logging capabilities.

Funding for this purchase has been budgeted in the FY27 data processing line item, with approximately $93,000 allocated for Palo Alto physical firewall support and licensing.

CCPS first began working with Palo Alto Networks in 2023. The original purchase included three years of hardware support and software licensing. This approach enabled CCPS to receive a 60% reimbursement through the USAC E-Rate program for the hardware costs.

Palo Alto firewalls are a critical component of the district’s cybersecurity infrastructure and are required to meet NIST 2.0 standards and state of Maryland cybersecurity requirements, which are subject to audits.

---