Sanacorp readies their infrastructure for the future

Optimization of infrastructure management

It was clear to Sanacorp that a profound modernization of the infrastructure could not be ignored. Many current solutions had become outdated, and regular updates resulted in high manual costs, especially in the network department. As a KRITIS company, Sanacorp also had to meet new requirements of the BSI (Federal Office for Information Security); for example, with regard to the construction of a firewalling infrastructure. Last but not least, an SD-WAN and WLAN environment should also be built up.

Due to the long-term, successful business relationship, the decision was made to select NTT DATA as a solution and service partner in the implementation of the project goals.

Future-proofed with new infrastructure

During an initial project step, Sanacorp analyzed the existing infrastructure together with NTT DATA and defined the specific requirements. NTT DATA was then commissioned to evaluate several solutions. In this case, Sanacorp specified some preferred solutions for the various projects in the areas of network components, firewalling and WLAN. After the comprehensive evaluation by NTT DATA with regard to the specific customer needs, the two companies have made the solution selection, especially taking into account the respective performance features and costs.

The implementation of the network components and the construction of the SD-WAN environment have been successfully completed after a project term of approximately one and a half years. The complexity of the project is illustrated by a small example: In a short time, around 320 switches were able to be replaced partially automatically with a new generation. Firewalling has already been implemented; work is still pending here with regard to fine tuning, the granular design of firewall policies and the implementation or activation of intrusion detection systems, as well as intrusion prevention systems. The WLAN project is still in implementation status.

Sanacorp was fully supported by NTT DATA with the introduction of the new infrastructure. After an initial joint pilot phase concerning sizing and configuration, Sanacorp was able to roll out the individual infrastructure components at all company sites independently. The implementation took place without any major problems; smaller challenges were dealt with quickly in close cooperation with NTT DATA. The new environment is currently running smoothly, free of problems. In all areas such as the network, firewalls or WLAN, Sanacorp can also reach a dedicated NTT DATA contact person who knows the company infrastructure in detail.

The basis for the entire infrastructure is a co-scheduled maintenance contract, which also includes a Service Delivery Manager (SDM) as the central contact person. On the other hand, the software was summarized in an Enterprise Agreement (EA), which is managed by the NTT DATA Customer Success Management Team and the software sales department of NTT DATA.

Automation for maximized staff relief

The key advantage of the new network environment at all sites is the high degree of automation. Sanacorp now uses a network management system that provides comprehensive support with provisioning, automation, optimization and analysis of networks. The consequences for Sanacorp include significant process optimization and relief for IT staff.

This involves significant potential for savings, since the on-site support of the individual sites is omitted in case of new implementation or continued maintenance of systems. The implementation of SD-WAN and 10G also ensures that the company is future-proof. Finally, security was also significantly improved, so that the increased requirements of the BSI for KRITIS companies are also comprehensively covered by modern network technologies.