Key Stats

• The network supports approximately 1,800 devices, catering to the organization's varied hardware and systems
• Enhanced network visibility has led to a reduction in troubleshooting time, ensuring consistent SLA adherence

Highlights

• The client is setting up a cutting-edge 9-floor office to accommodate its diverse media operations.
• Velocis delivered an SDA network solution, addressing the client’s challenges and requirements
• ‍Centralized management: The solution offers streamlined network management, enhancing security and efficiency

Overview

The client is a leading media and entertainment (M&E) conglomerate in India, specialising in television, digital content, filmed entertainment, e-commerce, print, and allied businesses. They recently set up a new state-of-the-art office near the nation's capital.

The office, spread across 9 floors, required a highly available, resilient, scalable, and automated network to ensure seamless delivery and protection of media services across the organization. The network solution will play a pivotal role in supporting their growth and commitment to excellence in the media industry.

Requirements

To create a seamless, interconnected environment, they outlined several critical requirements for their corporate wired and wireless network.

• The network needed to accommodate approximately 1,800 end devices, serving the organization's diverse range of hardware and systems. User authentication through Active Directory (AD) credentials was required to ensure secure access to services and the endpoint devices also need to be authenticated.
• The Client's operations, such as music systems, camera RCPs, VIZ, AVID, MV, audio, and animation, required integration into the corporate network with appropriate access rights to protect sensitive information and resources.
• Additionally, the solution called for centralized policy control to streamline network management and enhance overall security.
• Multicast traffic support was essential due to the nature of the client’s media services.  

The existing challenges from the old campus also posed a hurdle to achieving their goals:

• The network was physically segmented between different business segments, and there was no centralized management system in place.
• Moreover, the reactive approach to identifying and resolving issues hampered efficiency and growth.

To overcome these challenges, they sought a comprehensive network solution that could weave all these requirements into a cohesive, high-performing infrastructure, setting the stage for their continued success in the media and entertainment industry.

Solution

We designed and implemented a Software-Defined Access (SDA) network architecture for their new office. This solution would extend virtualization to the network's access layer, bringing significant improvements to campus networks through several key functions.

• Network automation is a central feature, enabling centralized network device management to simplify design, provisioning, and deployment. Additionally, SDA leverages telemetry to provide network assurance and analysis, and proactively predicting network and security risks.
• Velocis' solution also facilitates host mobility for wired and wireless clients
• Cisco's Identity Services Engine (ISE) serves as an AAA server for network access and device administration control. Policy enforcement is streamlined using Security Group Access Control Lists (SGACLs), offering a simpler, more scalable approach.
• Network virtualization enables the physical infrastructure to support multiple Virtual Networks (VNs) with distinctive access policies.
• A spine/leaf architecture is deployed for the data center, with an out-of-band (OOB) solution ensuring an isolated network.

The solution is flexible and scalable with distinct VNs for corporate, guest, and business segments.

Business Outcomes

Overall, Velocis' SDA network solution addressed the client’s challenges and requirements, paving the way for a cohesive, high-performing infrastructure that supports their continued growth in the media and entertainment industry.

Enhanced agility enabled the swift onboarding of new services, while improved network visibility reduced troubleshooting time and ensured consistent SLA adherence. Secure network segmentation provided controlled access to sensitive resources, and network resiliency guaranteed business continuity.

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