With the building of its new headquarters complete, a Family Agency turned to its trusted partner Long View Systems to transform its aging legacy infrastructure into a next-generation secure, predictable intent-based network

 

With the support of its partners, this Family Agency works with parents and caregivers to build healthy families and a safe, strong community. A critical element to ensure their delivery of a responsive service is leveraging the right technology to improve services to the children, youths, and families the agency seeks to serve.

Having completed construction of their new head office building, the Agency turned to their trusted partner Long View, to address its technology needs by transforming its legacy infrastructure into a next-generation secure, predictable intent-based network.

Utilizing an assess, design, and implement framework approach, Long View analyzed the Agency’s business and technical requirements to design a network and network security infrastructure. The above assessment resulted in the successful deployment of the Cisco DNA Center as the SDN controller supporting the Cisco Catalyst 9000 series switching and routing platforms.

The Agency’s core computing now resides on a Cisco Catalyst 9500 redundant core for server and services appliances that include: Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE), Radius servers, DHCP servers, wireless LAN controllers, and uplinks to the multi-floor wiring closets that provide user cabled and wireless connectivity.

Long View minimized application interruption by providing an architecture migration plan to ensure the smooth transition from the legacy network across the WAN to the new head office location. As a result, the network migration was completed in forty-five days enabling the agency to avoid the added cost of maintaining two head office locations - an incredible achievement given that this project was inflight during the height of the Covid-19 restrictions.

Beyond delivering the business outcomes that the agency requested on time and budget, The Family Agency – Long View partnership is ultimately making a meaningful difference in the community in which they work and live.

 

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SUMMARY

Business Challenges

• Long View digital and technical architects with security architects had to transform the client’s legacy network into a next generation secure predictable network at the client’s new head office.
• The network migration had to be completed within a short timeframe to avoid the added costs resulting from the need to maintain two head office locations.
• The project objectives need to be achieved during the height of the COVID-19 restrictions creating additional challenges.

Response

• Long View leveraged a framework that included an assess, design, and implement approach driven by their subject matter experts (SME) for a head office deployment of Software Defined Network (SDN).
• Long View assigned a dedicated project manager to keep the teams on track and manage unforeseen challenges using outlined project communications to client stakeholders, management and staff which was critical to success as this project was inflight when Covid-19 restrictions were enforced.
• Long View minimized application interruption by providing an architecture migration plan to ensure the smooth transition from the legacy network across the WAN to the new head office location.

Solutions Used

• NextNet SD-Access and NextNet SD-WAN
• The implementation and transition services consisted of a next generation secure, converged network, which included a Cisco DNA Center controller Intent based solution.
• The Core date center was built with Cisco 9500 series switches and user cabled access and wireless were connected to Cisco 9300 series switches for the multi floor access deployment.
• Cisco ISE was used for security in conjunction with next generation firewalls for WAN MPLS and Internet connectivity.

Radius servers, DHCP servers, wireless LAN controllers, and uplinks to the multi floor wiring closets that provide user cabled and wireless connectivity.

Customer Impact

• The project design and deployment provided the business outcomes the client requested on time and on budget.
• The network migration was completed in forty-five days as not to incur the cost of maintaining two head office locations.
• The implementation of a next-generation secure, predictable intent-based network will further enhance the client’s ability to deliver services to the children, youths, and families they seek to serve.