The GSi is the primary secure IP network connecting UK government departments with other UK public sector bodies such as those involved in education, local government and a host of public services and their private sector partners. The GSi also provides for onward secure communication to other networks including those for the criminal justice department, police and NHS.

The GSi is an umbrella for a number of interconnected communities and provides a highly available, secure connection via email, secure websites, intranet sites and database. Each organisation can choose different connection communities from the list below depending upon their needs

The GSE Community is for sponsored private sector organisations supplying services to government.

The GCSX Community is for organisations such as English and Welsh Local Authorities who's processes and procedures comply with commercial best practice equivalent to impact level 2 (IL2 'Protect').

The GSX Community is for organisations working with impact level 2 and occasionally impact level 3 data (IL2 'Protect' and IL3 'Restricted').

In order to be permitted to join these networks an organisation must adhere to a code of connection (CoCo). This is a list of security controls with which organisations must comply before their circuit can be activated. A mandatory requirement of being connected to the Government Connect Secure Extranet (GCSX) community is that each connecting organisation has to submit a new Code of Connection annually.

DESlock+ Pro and the GSE, GCSX and GSX communities

The code of connection for these communities states that computers, laptops and portable devices used for mobile / home working with data at rest or in transit must be encrypted and that a CCTM approved or a FIPS-140-2 certified product is acceptable for this. Policy guidance from CESG also recommends the use of CCTM products combined with FIPS-140 cryptographic protection for data considered as IL1 'Private' and IL2 'Protect'.

Approved to FIPS-140-2 and as a CCTM certified product DESlock+ Pro will meet the needs of those organisations who are, or wish to be part of the GSC, GCSX and GSX communities operating with data up to IL2 and occasional L3 ('Restricted').

DESlock+ features such as full disk and removable media encryption along with the use of highly secure industry standard encryption algorithms will ensure data security for those using laptops and removable media such as USB memory sticks and portable hard drives.