Powering digital acceleration through intelligent network design
Overview
Following successful IT infrastructure modernization across five continents, our global energy and chemicals client recognized another critical transformation opportunity. Their network infrastructure, while functional, was creating bottlenecks that hindered the full potential of their modernized IT environment.
The traditional WAN architecture, built around decades-old connectivity principles, was struggling to support the company's evolving digital landscape. With increasing cloud adoption and the need for enhanced user experiences across their global operations, the organization needed a network transformation that could match their ambitious growth trajectory.
Building on our established partnership and proven track record in their IT transformation, the client entrusted HCLTech to reimagine their network infrastructure and deliver a next-generation connectivity solution.
The challenge
Navigating the complexities of legacy network infrastructure
Despite their recent IT modernization success, our client faced significant network challenges that were limiting operational efficiency and hindering their digital transformation goals.
Their traditional multiprotocol label switching (MPLS)-based WAN architecture forced all traffic to be backhauled through the data center, creating bottlenecks and proving inadequate for their cloud-first strategy. The organization struggled with limited visibility and reactive troubleshooting, making capacity planning difficult and requiring frequent expensive bandwidth upgrades.
Heavy dependency on WAN service providers for both underlay and overlay management, combined with fixed contracts that forced suboptimal active/passive configurations, left valuable bandwidth unused while costs remained high. Manual provisioning processes resulted in extended delivery timelines, creating a network environment that hindered rather than enabled their digital transformation goals.
The objective
Building a future-ready network foundation
Recognizing the need for a comprehensive network transformation, our client established clear goals:
- Eliminate inefficient traffic backhauling and optimize connectivity patterns
- Achieve greater control and visibility across the entire WAN environment
- Implement proactive monitoring and automation capabilities
- Reduce dependency on WAN service providers while optimizing costs
- Enhance end-user experience and support growing cloud adoption
- Create a scalable, future-ready network architecture
The solution
Comprehensive WAN transformation through SDWAN adoption
We designed and implemented a comprehensive network transformation strategy centered on Software-Defined WAN (SD-WAN) technology, fundamentally changing how the client approached connectivity across its global operations.
- SDWAN overlay implementation:
- Deployed a sophisticated SDWAN overlay solution that provided intelligent traffic routing, enhanced security and centralized management capabilities across all locations.
- Integrated advanced security capabilities including Next-Gen Firewall, Zero Trust Network Access and real-time threat detection to strengthen global security posture.
- Leveraged HCLTech’s managed services for centralized orchestration, proactive monitoring and policy enforcement across all sites.
- Active-active connectivity: Replaced inefficient active/passive MPLS configurations with dual high-bandwidth internet connections at every site, maximizing available bandwidth and ensuring continuous connectivity.
- Direct cloud connectivity: Enabled direct connectivity paths to both data centers and cloud environments, eliminating unnecessary traffic backhauling and reducing latency for cloud-based applications.
- Local internet breakout: Implemented secure local internet breakout capabilities at every site, allowing direct access to cloud services and reducing bandwidth consumption on primary links.
The impact
Delivering transformational network performance and business value
The SDWAN transformation delivered immediate and sustained improvements across all aspects of network operations:
Network performance and capacity:
- 100% transformation of the WAN environment, moving away from the legacy architecture
- Migration from legacy MPLS to an internet-based underlay across all locations
- WAN link capacity increased by over 100%, without any changes from a commercial or contractual standpoint
- All available links now actively utilized, delivering up to 4 times the effective bandwidth compared to the earlier active/passive MPLS setup
- Low-latency internet access enabled through secure local internet breakout
- Fast and direct connectivity to cloud infrastructure, eliminating unnecessary backhauling
Operational transformation:
- Full transparency across the WAN, providing clear visibility that was not possible in the MPLS environment
- Complete control over traffic flows, including the ability to allow or block traffic without dependency on ISPs
- Reduced reliance on service providers for overlay management and traffic decisions
- Centralized monitoring and analytics enabling proactive operations and simpler capacity planning
Business impact:
- Improved end-user experience through local internet breakout and optimized application routing
- Enhanced performance for cloud and SaaS applications due to reduced latency
- Improved resilience and continuity through active-active link utilization
- Efficient WAN cost optimization through optimal utilization of high-capacity links
Strategic advantages:
- WAN link capacity doubled without additional commercial cost impact
- SDWAN transformation initiative enabled CapEx savings of nearly $ 1.5million
- Scalable, cloud-ready network foundation aligned to future digital needs
- Reduced operational overhead through simplified network management
Conclusion
The global energy leader successfully transformed their network infrastructure from a legacy, constraint-heavy environment to a modern, software-defined networking powerhouse. This transformation not only optimized current operations but also created a robust foundation for future growth and cloud adoption.
The SDWAN implementation demonstrated how strategic network modernization can unlock significant business value, enhance user experiences and position organizations for continued success in an increasingly connected world. Building on the success of their IT infrastructure transformation, this network evolution represents another milestone in their comprehensive digital transformation journey.
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