The Solution
NorthTec put out a public tender for a new Wide Area Network (WAN) to which Softsource vBridge (formerly Softsource) offered Aruba’s industry leading Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN). By explaining that this offering would provide the necessary level of security required for NorthTec’s network, along with improved performance at a third of the price of their competitive offerings, Softsource vBridge was successful in securing the contract to deliver the SD-WAN solution.
“Overall, we were finding that the network capacity we had wasn’t adequate for delivering the experiences and services our students and staff expect. When people are experiencing slow and unreliable network speeds, they simply can’t be productive.”
Sue Milner, NorthTec ICT Manager
The Results
Offering Aruba’s SD-WAN through Softsource vBridge’s industryl eading solution has enabled NorthTec to deliver network services alongside substantial cost benefits. As opposed to a traditional WAN deployment, Softsource vBridge was able to deploy Aruba’s SD-WAN in conjunction with NorthTec’s existing network infrastructure. This meant there was no disruption during the implementation and deployment period.
Within two to three weeks of testing, NorthTec’s SD-WAN was up and running, creating a customised solution that enabled the use of old equipment while meeting the requirements for modern productivity levels.
Across the entire solution, NorthTec now has improved connectivity, smarter overall management, and a more nimble and agile approach to providing users with network access. With vastly improved connectivity in multiple locations, the team at NorthTec is enjoying all the benefits of SvB’s solution. The key to being able to deliver the solution is the combination of Softsource vBridge’s implementation expertise along with the full stack of services that Aruba SD-WAN offers, from the controller to the user.
Aruba SD-WAN empowers NorthTec’s IT team to focus on the innovative initiatives that will drive better strategic organisational outcomes. Rather than wasting staffing resources on simply “keeping the lights on” within their network, they can focus on improving learning experiences and teaching outcomes.
Softsource vBridge's SD-WAN is secured by Aruba ClearPass, which delivers the device identity, policy control, workflow automation and automated threat protection from a single cohesive solution. By capturing and correlating real-time contextual data, Aruba ClearPass enables NorthTec and SvB to create security policies that best protect students and teachers’ sensitive data.
