Our Customer: A Nationally-Recognized Utilities Provider
A major utilities and power company serving over 4 million customers and managing significant energy infrastructure anticipated rising operational costs as the organization expanded. The client needed to predict and control these expenses, which were growing in direct proportion to the company’s growth. In fact, inefficiencies were increasing even faster, compounding with each new office or service point.
Critical IT Challenges
To ensure continued growth without major internal issues, operational management identified four critical areas requiring immediate attention. These areas encompassed satellite offices, security posture, infrastructure optimization, and application inefficiencies.
1. Inconsistent Field Stations and Offices
The large network of field stations and offices had varying setups, system access, administration, and security. As the company grew, this inconsistency led to increased operational issues.
2. Security Complexities
Operating a utility in the 2020s presented significant security challenges. The complexity of multiple systems protecting diverse components hindered authorized user access and created potential vulnerabilities during disasters or business continuity events.
3. Infrastructure Optimization
Optimizing the existing hardware and maintenance was costly and complex. The customer needed to avoid service disruptions during any hardware changes, and it preferred not to invest heavily in a new on-premise data center. Additionally, a complete cloud migration was also unsuitable for the business.
4. Application Inefficiencies
The client’s diverse business and infrastructure applications were underutilized within the existing environment. Feature duplication, license redundancies, and data file duplication resulted in significant time and profit losses.
Proposed Solution: A Software-Defined Data Center (SDDC)
A software-defined data center (SDDC) is a data center management and infrastructure provisioning approach. The entire data center is virtualized and controlled through software, which means that physical hardware components (i.e., servers, storage devices, network switches, etc.) are not managed individually. Instead, software is used to create virtual representations of these resources, and the software controls how those resources are allocated and used. The SDDC approach provides the following benefits:
- Greater flexibility in services and specific configurations
- More adaptability to sudden changes or sources of disruption
- Enhanced scalability for evolving business needs
Nutanix and VMware Software for SDDCs
Nutanix and VMware are two industry-leading companies that build and manage SDDCs. Nutanix specializes in hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI). In an HCI solution, software is used to virtualize and control the physical hardware components with a single appliance, creating a tightly integrated and easily scalable infrastructure. Nutanix’s HCI platform leverages a distributed file system to manage and store data across multiple nodes, which eliminates the need for separate storage arrays. The platform also includes advanced data services like data redundancy elimination, data compression, and data encryption to optimize storage efficiency and security.
VMware is a pioneer in virtualization technology and offers a suite of products for building and managing SDDCs. VMware’s vSphere is a virtualization platform that provides the foundation for creating virtual machines (VMs) on physical servers. vSphere consolidates multiple VMs on a single physical server to increase hardware utilization and reduce operational costs. VMware’s NSX solution, software-defined networking (SDN) platform, provides network virtualization and allows staff to create virtual networks disconnected from the physical network infrastructure. Disconnected virtual networks benefit offer more flexibility and agility in network provisioning and management.
Together, Nutanix and VMware are a powerful combination of hyper-converged infrastructure and virtualization technologies that enable organizations to create highly efficient and agile SDDCs. A Nutanix and VMware SDDC benefits from simplified management, improved scalability, increased resource utilization, and enhanced automation—an ideal choice for modern data center deployments.
Solution Implementation from 3SG Plus
3SG Plus designed an SDDC using Nutanix and VMWare to provide a flexible and scalable infrastructure. Our team deployed Nutanix hosts designed to optimize application performance. We also simplified the process to create and add new clusters within the infrastructure, so the SDDC could scale and adapt to the customer’s changing business needs. Our overall implementation included the below components.
Remote Office/Branch Office Configurations
We used Nutanix Remote Office/Branch Office (ROBO) configurations to enhance the customer's remote office environments. ROBO configurations allow satellite locations to leverage the same high-performance infrastructure as the headquarters. Additionally, the ROBO configurations encourage simplicity, scalability, and centralized management to improve efficiency across the organization. The ROBO configuration approach offers a unified data center experience to all of the customer’s business offices regardless of location or size.
Infrastructure and Network Construction
We built the client's network using Cisco equipment and secured it with Palo Alto firewalls, creating a reliable infrastructure. Cisco networking solutions improve network performance and ease of management, and our configured Palo Alto firewalls ensures robust cybersecurity protection to safeguard critical data and system assets from potential threats.
Linux and Windows Server Deployments
The 3SG Plus team deployed unified Linux and Windows applications tailored to the customer's specific organizational requirements. To improve application security, the 3SG team strengthened the Windows and Linux servers. We also used detailed Qualys security scans to identify and apply specific technical security measures to protect the servers from vulnerabilities and unauthorized access. For Windows systems, we implemented security best practices and ensured up-to-date patches. For Linux servers, we set up strong authentication, secure permissions, and a reliable patch management system. These infrastructure improvements were designed to decrease the risk of attacks and improve the client's overall security posture without disrupting normal business operations.
Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC) Deployment Preparation
3SG also configured the client’s servers and related systems in preparation for Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC) deployment. Our team’s in-depth knowledge of Oracle RAC allowed our staff to fine-tune the relevant infrastructure, ensuring high availability and efficient utilization of resources. After careful planning and implementation, the customer was equipped to handle complex the Oracle RAC with ease, and the customer could take advantage of the application’s advanced capabilities to drive innovation and growth.
Splunk and Commvault Integrations
3SG Plus also deployed Splunk and Commvault agents tailored to the customer's unique business requirements and optimized for the new SDDC. The Splunk integration provided the customer with powerful real-time data monitoring and analysis capabilities, so internal staff could quickly identify and resolve IT issues and gain valuable operational insights. Additionally, the Commvault implementation ensured robust data backup and recovery, safeguarding critical information and minimizing potential downtime. Integrating these tools helped streamline operations, optimize IT infrastructure, and empower the customer to focus on driving greater productivity and success.
Wi-Fi Security Audits and Analyses
3SG Plus conducted Wi-Fi security audits of the customer's physical locations to examine network infrastructure and identify and address potential vulnerabilities. The audits identified areas to strengthen the customer Wi-Fi networks in an effort to ensure protection against unauthorized access and potential threats. Our team also conducted detailed Wi-Fi surveys for remote offices locations that require new hardware. Our surveys included a comprehensive analysis of each physical locations, suggested infrastructure recommendations, and suggested placements for new hardware including racks, signal extenders, cables, and access points. We also conducted rigorous Wi-Fi configuration tests to ensure optimal performance under a variety of conditions.
Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Planning
Our staff worked closely with the customer to develop a comprehensive disaster recovery and business continuity (DR/BC) plan. First, we analyzed the client’s IT infrastructure and implemented failover redundancies to safeguard against disruptions. Then we identified the key dependencies and critical processes needed to create strategies designed to mitigate risks and ensure continuous services during adverse situations. The final DR/BC plan promoted swift recovery with minimal downtime and data loss.
InfoBlox Implementation
3SG Plus offered specialized support in setting up InfoBlox, a solution that provides applications and software for Domain Name System (DNS) and Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) management. The InfoBlox solution was customized to meet the client’s unique needs. This integration ensured efficient and reliable performance, streamlined administration and improved network response. Additionally, the successful InfoBlox deployment allowed the client to dedicate resources to strategic initiatives instead of worrying about network infrastructure.
Infrastructure and Security Roadmap Development
Through collaborative assessment and strategic planning, 3SG Plus provided the client with a robust and scalable infrastructure and security roadmap that addressed potential bottlenecks and vulnerabilities as well as examined diverse growth projections. The long-term vision that encompassed detailed recommendations for hardware, software, and network configurations positions the client for continued success and operational excellence. By proactively anticipating future challenges and ensuring seamless integration of new technologies, 3SG Plus empowered the client to confidently navigate the evolving technological environment and drive its strategic business objectives.
End Results: Accessible Data, Improved Security
The customer’s successful shift to an SDDC model resulted in efficient, secure, and easily accessible data and services designed to accommodate the company’s future growth through careful planning for both flexibility and scalability. The following transformations demonstrate how the SDDC approach effectively resolved the challenges initially identified by operational management.
1. Platform Unification
Instead of managing a fragmented collection of applications and data access points, the client now operates on a unified technology platform. The unified platform reduces costs, improves accuracy, and saves time while ultimately increasing net revenues and enhancing customer outcomes and satisfaction.
2. Streamlined Security
The previous complex security environment transformed into a comprehensive suite of harmonized security protocols. The transformation helped reduce and eliminate potential attack surfaces, so company’s overall security level is commensurate with the current threat landscape.
3. Virtualized Data Center Benefits
The SDDC architecture virtualizes the entire data center and delivers substantial efficiency, management, and cost advantages that traditional architectures do not provide. The SDDC implementation proved highly beneficial for customer-facing, power service delivery, and internal business applications.
4. Maximized Application Investments
SDDC has allowed the client to fully leverage its existing investments in business applications, enabling access and benefits across all company points. The SDDC also eliminated costly inefficiencies including data redundance, duplicated licensing, and over-provisioning.
Conclusion: Transforming Operations through SDDC
This case study demonstrates the transformative power of a well-executed Software-Defined Data Center (SDDC) deployment. By leveraging the combined strengths of Nutanix and VMware, 3SG Plus enabled a its customer to overcome significant operational challenges and achieve remarkable improvements in efficiency, security, and scalability. The transition to a unified, virtualized platform streamlined operations, reduced costs, and empowered our client to maximize its existing application investments and enhance customer satisfaction. The successful implementation of robust security measures, disaster recovery planning, and strategic infrastructure roadmaps has positioned our client for sustained growth and resilience in an complex technological landscape. This case serves as a compelling example of how strategic SDDC adoption can drive significant business value and build a resilient foundation for long-term organizational success.