High-performance corporate network
The VDM Metals Group now has a stable, high-performance corporate network. Business-critical applications are available globally at any time, both in production and sales. In addition, the stainless steel company now benefits from more transparency on the use of its network capacity. But most importantly of all, the company now has an experienced provider operating the WAN end-to-end – including proactive fault elimination, for example, in the event of router failures. VDM Metals Group can concentrate fully on its core business again.
Benefits for the customer
- High availability of business-critical applications
- Bandwidths can be tailored to requirements
- Contractually guaranteed service level agreements
- Quality of service – prioritization of key applications
- Secure data exchange thanks to IP tunneling
- Comprehensive network monitoring
- Option for further WAN optimization through application performance management
Because our company is a global specialist, fast, uncomplicated access to data and information is a key requirement for achieving efficient processes and long-term financial success.
Powerful ICT infrastructure required
An ICT network is like a central nervous system. Nevertheless, there are still a number of companies that neglect their own networks. Professional network management? No chance! This was the finding of a study by analysts at TechConsult in August 2017 – even despite one quarter of those surveyed having admitted that "the susceptibility of their own network to problems had reached a level that posed a threat to the proper performance of business processes."
The global materials manufacturer VDM Metals, on the other hand, has recognized for some time that a high-performance corporate network is crucial to success and has acted accordingly. To be able to forge ahead with its international expansion with full peace of mind, it commissioned T-Systems to set up and operate a multinational, high-performance WAN (Wide Area Network) based on MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching).
The challenge
- To build a managed, high-performance WAN
- To connect 14 global corporate locations to the network
- To operate the corporate network and eliminate any faults in it – end-to-end
- To increase bandwidths without investing in additional hardware
Clear Service Level Agreements and scalable bandwidths
Within just 12 months, T-Systems built VDM Metals Group an IP VPN. Fourteen locations around the world, from the U.S. and Canada, to Germany and Europe, all the way through to China, were connected to the new corporate network. To achieve the maximum data transfer rate, some firewalls and switches had to be updated first. Data traffic via the WAN is now stable and the bandwidths have doubled to up to 20 Mbit/s. T-Systems put its global presence and experience from around 3,600 comparable VPN projects to good use. The ICT provider has already implemented more than 100,000 connections via its MPLS backbone.
The solution
The worldwide production and sales locations of VDM Metals Group were networked with the German headquarters via a WAN based on MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching):
- Stable, secure, extendable IP VPN solution from T-Systems
- Bandwidth scaling solely through software configuration
- Data transfer in line with clearly defined service classes
- Fully managed service with end-to-end responsibility
- Proactive fault detection and elimination by T-Systems
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About VDM Metals
VDM Metals Group from Werdohl in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, produces nickel alloys for the global oil and gas, car, and chemical industries.
- Founded in 1930
- Headquarters in Werdohl (North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany)
- Twenty locations in North America, Western Europe, Asia, and Australia
- World market leader for nickel alloys and high-alloy special stainless steels
- Around 2,000 employees generate an annual revenue of ca. EUR 889 million