CUSTOMER SUCCESS STORY
by
Supporting the progress of the latest “RISE of MANA”
role-playing game through a secure cloud platform
Before
With Microsoft Azure as the foundation for game app distribution and
operation, Square Enix was looking for an effective means to increase
security within the application itself.
After
Succeeded in implementing multi-level defense and high-efficiency security
on Microsoft Azure servers, and achieved competitive advantages in both
security and speed in the game business.
Challenge
“Whether you win or lose with smartphone game apps is really determined from the launch of the
service. In addition to making an interesting product, you have to maintain server-side performance,
availability, and security that form the infrastructure of the game at a high-level,” says Masaru
Oyamada, a Producer in Square Enix’s Business Division X.
>> Square Enix Co., Ltd.
RISE of MANA, Mr. Oyamada’s mobile project, is the latest in a series that started in 1 991 with
the action RPG Mana 1st (FINAL FANTASY Adventure). His team adopted Microsoft's cloud
Industry Entertainment/Publishing
platform, Microsoft Azure, as the foundation for the iPhone (iOS) version that began
Number of employees
distribution in Japan in March 2014. The Android version launched in June, and reached
3,581 (incl. Square Enix Holdings, as
of 3 1 March 20 1 4)
1 million users by August. The business model for this app is known as “free-to-play,” which
allows users to download and play the game for free, but may charge for certain items
Location Tokyo, Japan
within the application. “Because the content is essentially free, if the usability and
Customer’s Challenges
●
●
●
performance of a free-to-play game aren’t up to snuff, users will stop playing,” says Mr. Oyamada.
Ensuring security for smartphone
game apps
Improving security at the application
level on Microsoft Azure
Rolling-out security measures without
negatively impacting on the core
business of game software
“We went with Microsoft Azure because we were looking for high-speed communication and
sustained stability even when the game servers receive a large number of access requests
and their workload spikes.”
Square Enix is globally renowned and boasts many games in Japan and overseas that bear its
name. It is for this reason the servers for its online games are prone to becoming targets, so the
Trend Micro Solutions
●
Deep SecurityTM provided by
cloud.config
(A security package that includes
Trend Micro TM Deep Security TM and
is provided by FIXER for users of
Microsoft Azure)
company needed to ensure robust security for the Azure platform that supports RISE of MANA.
Overview of RISE of MANA system using Deep Security
Deep Security
Manager
Microsoft Azure
Data Center
●
●
●
Enhanced security for important
data
Increased cloud service security
Streamlined and automated security
operations
Implemented security measures
with no down-sides for business
IT Environment
●
Microsoft Azure
Cache server
Reverse proxy
System
administrator
Platform server
Game player
Game data flow
Security application flow
Page 1 of 2 • Customer Success Story • Square Enix Co., Ltd.
SQL
Database
Deep Security
Agent
Business Benefits
●
Game server
database
Game server
Deep Security
Agent
Platform server
database
SQL
Database
CUSTOMER SUCCESS STORY
by
Solutions
To ensure the security of RISE of MANA, Square Enix turned to the cloud service vendor FIXER for
the actual implementation of the security measures. FIXER has a rich track record of building and
running Azure systems, and it provides a total management service called “cloud.config” that
includes Azure implementation support, and round-the-clock, year-round operation monitoring
−an advantage based on the knowhow the company has accumulated and the technology it
has developed through its activities. The company has long been involved in Square Enix
game projects and has previously provided Azure implementation and operation services.
Based on this track record , to support RISE of MANA, FIXER has been providing a service
that singlehandedly covers aspects of the cloud implementation, including Azure platform
construction, server operation, management, and monitoring.
Masaru Oyamada
For the RISE of MANA platform, FIXER implemented a security solution based on Trend MicroTM
Producer
Business Division X
SQUARE ENIX CO.,LTD.
Deep SecurityTM called “Deep Security provided by cloud.config”.
Eisuke Sakuhara, General Manager at FIXER’s Enterprise Cloud Unit, explains the background
Thanks to Trend Micro Deep Security and FIXER
we can concentrate on our main business
without being distracted by security issues.
to the implementation of this solution as follows:
“Azure has robust, guaranteed security as a platform. However, it is essential to use tools
such as Deep Security to deal with attacks at the application level such as intrusion and
tampering that can occur through legitimate channels.”
Mr. Sakuhara also explains the benefits of using Deep Security: “Deep Security is easy to
customize, and it has the advantage of allowing multi-level protection with a single product. It
also automatically deals with server auto-scale on a cloud platform. These characteristics
provide efficient security and increase cost-performance, and these strengths are unique to
Eisuke Sakuhara
Deep Security.”
Enterprise Cloud Unit
General Manager
FIXER inc.
Results
The main point when it comes to security
products is whether they can swiftly implement
measures to minimize the damage from
attacks. And from that perspective we chose
Deep Security, and it hasn’ t let us down.
game servers, and a platform server. Of these, the game servers and platform server have
Customer Profile
through a single management console called Deep Security Manager. By doing so, the company
The platform for RISE of MANA is composed of a system that includes a reverse proxy server *1,
databases running behind them, and Deep Security Agent has been installed on these servers to
provide multi-level protection − including intrusion detection and prevention, antivirus
measures, firewall, file integrity monitoring, security log inspection, and other such protections−
maintains a high level of security around important information such as billing details. They
Square Enix Co., Ltd. is an entertainment
provider most famous for the FINAL FANTASY
and DRAGON QUEST series of role-playing
games. The company continuously produces
hits that feature original and revolutionary
content and services. It is involved in the fields
of digital entertainment, amusement,
publishing, and rights and properties.
have also successfully implemented the streamlining and automation of security and
monitoring, such as vulnerability measures and network monitoring.
Updates for RISE of MANA are also frequently released, including a weekly release of new functions.
“Due to this frequency, performing security checks on every aspect of service before the
release is not possible, and it’s essential to maintain statistical information about what kind
of attacks against the services happen and when. We then use figures that indicate threat
trends to preempt attacks,” says Mr. Sakuhara. In order to fulfill this mission, the functions of
Deep Security and information from Trend Micro are very valuable.
However, for Mr. Oyamada from Square Enix, the most important thing is to develop and grow
the RISE of MANA business. As such, no matter how important ensuring and improving
security is, he badly wants to avoid losses in development speed and app performance due to
security measures. It’s also important to avoid being forced to incur costs that squeeze
business. The security solution provided by FIXER meets these demands, and provides
excellent efficiency and cost-performance.
Says Mr. Oyamada “We’re able to thoroughly protect the security of RISE of MANA without
RISE of MANA development staff
incurring any disadvantages to our business. And in that sense, I feel that Deep Security was the
right answer for us.”
*1 “Reverse proxy” refers to a proxy server that reduces the load on a certain server
by responding on its behalf and thereby limits access to that server.
Trend Micro Incorporated
www. trendmicro.com
Copyright © 20 1 4 Trend Micro Incorporated. All rights reserved.
TREND MICRO, Trend Micro Deep Security, and Deep Security are trademarks of Trend Micro Incorporated. All company names, product names, and services names that appear in the text here are a
trademark or registered trademark of the relevant company. The details of this document are current as of August 20 1 4, but are subject to change without prior notification.
[Item No. BR-CASE-049]
© 20 1 4 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All rights reserved.
DRAGON QUEST, FINAL FANTASY, RISE of MANA, SQUARE ENIX and the SQUARE ENIX logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
Page 2 of 2 • Customer Success Story • Square Enix Co., Ltd.