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Tech director outlines XDR cybersecurity purchase, says district would cut costs by nearly $40,000
Summary
Tech director Mr. Evans described a pilot with a cyber center and recommended a one‑year XDR platform that would replace multiple services and reduce recurring costs from about $84,000 to $43,000; the board placed the purchase on the consent agenda.
Mr. Evans, the district’s technology director, briefed the board on a cybersecurity pilot being run with a cyber center in Augusta and recommended purchasing an XDR platform to consolidate services.
Evans said the platform would scan data and logs, block malicious files, and provide broader security operations capabilities; he told the board that moving from current managed detection-and-response services and a separate program would reduce recurring costs from roughly $84,000 to about $43,000—"we'll save almost $40,000, by switching this product," he said. The purchase was described as a one-year contract in the pilot phase, with expected uplifts of 5–10% in future years common in competitive markets. The board agreed to place the item on the consent agenda for approval at a later meeting.
Evans also explained non-cost benefits including expanded monitoring, built-in security-awareness training, and access to the cyber center’s red/blue team expertise for K–12 needs. The recommended platform is positioned as a consolidation of two or more existing products and part of a regional pilot effort.
