The challenge
Elna Magnetics manufactures precision magnetics components for Department of Defense programs. Their facility in the Hudson Valley runs engineering workstations, file servers, CNC machines, and PLCs on a flat factory network. Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) flows through all of it: engineering designs, production plans, export-controlled specifications.
To keep their DoD contracts, Elna needed to meet CMMC Level 2. That meant isolating every system that touches CUI and proving it with auditable evidence.
The options were limited. GCC High is expensive and does not cover operational technology on the production floor. Legacy manufacturing equipment cannot run endpoint agents. Rearchitecting the network would mean halting production.
Elna needed a way to create a CUI enclave around their existing infrastructure, without replacing hardware or disrupting operations.
The solution
Elna deployed a Trout Access Gate appliance inline on their existing network. No network redesign. No forklift upgrade.
The Access Gate created a CUI enclave around every system that handles controlled information: engineering workstations, shared file servers, and shop floor equipment. Identity-based access control ensures only authorized personnel reach CUI resources. Micro-segmentation separates IT and OT traffic, so a compromised office laptop cannot reach a CNC controller.
Every access attempt is logged. Every policy decision is recorded. The audit trail maps directly to CMMC Level 2 practices, giving assessors exactly what they need.
The deployment covered agent-capable and agentless systems alike. Workstations, servers, and legacy manufacturing controllers are all inside the enclave, governed by the same policy set.
Results
Elna secured 100% of their CUI data flows in a single afternoon. Engineering designs, production plans, and export-controlled files are now confined to a verified enclave with identity-based access and full audit logging.
Production never stopped. The Access Gate was deployed inline without downtime or disruption to manufacturing schedules.
The result: Elna is assessment-ready for CMMC Level 2, with documentation that maps directly to every applicable practice.