The Syspro Group, a designer and manufacturer of accounting, manufacturing and distribution software experienced an insatiable demand for internal bandwidth capacity, generated by the rapid growth of e-commerce.
Syspro required a leading edge Local Area Network that could provide dynamic resource allocation and iron-clad security for internal developers, end-users accessing the Web Site, clients interacting on the Intranet and internal Operational Requirements.
The solution was supplied by SPS South Africa, a networking company, and is described by Syspro IT manager Sue Gilfillan, Technical Team Leader, as "awesome". The solution was architected by SPS's Internetworking Business Unit Executive, Neels du Plooy.
"We hauled out all the old kit and replaced it with a fully manageable, fully redundant Lucent P330 stackable switched solution which provided necessary growth potential as well as allowing gigabit Ethernet to servers capabilities, which will be implemented as a second phase soon," Du Plooy said.
"The beauty of the new system is that Syspro can now grow its port count three times if need arises. We have provided a redundant solution with redundant back plane and redundant power. This means that at any given time, if one switch becomes faulty, that switch can be removed from stack and replaced without taking the network down."
Gilfillan says that, looking ahead, the new system provides enough expansion capabilities to add more ports without having to shut down the network - an obviously major bonus in knocking away barriers to productivity.
"SPS has provided us with network management whereby Syspro staff can, from any PC anywhere in the network, configure or change VLANs and enjoy general user maintenance at any given time with no disruption," she said.
Gilfillan said the Lucent network would allow Syspro to grow as and when needed.
"Since we went live we have already grown the solution by 10-15%. Now we're looking at taking our big servers to gigabit Ethernet to network, adding modules without affecting users accessing other servers."
Lucent's Cajun P330 Stackable Switching System provides modular functionality and port density, carrier-level reliability and building-block simplicity at a stackable switch price, Du Plooy explained.
"The modularity and power provide the basis for building a network from the closet to the backbone. More importantly perhaps, the Cajun P330 was designed for convergence - the modular features and ease of expansion, in combination with RealNet Rules policy management and full standards compliance, provide the infrastructure for converged networks," he said Key benefits include: modular functionality at a stackable price; stack managed as a single entity (up to 10 units in a stack); saleable architecture - both ports and performance added when required; multi-technology solution in the same stack; multilayer switching (layers 2, 3, 4) for policy based voice and video networks of tomorrow.
There is, says Du Plooy, no Single Point of Failure, with redundancy at stack, LAG and port levels.
Du Plooy says a complete Switching System for the small to medium-sized enterprise can be built with the Cajun P330 Switching System, reducing maintenance and management costs significantly.
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