WWT Helps a Large Midwestern Manufacturer Escape Wireless Vendor Lock-In

Challenge: Supply Chain Vulnerabilities and Operational Disruptions 

A large manufacturer was experiencing supply chain issues and delays in the delivery of LAN equipment which impacted its ability to move forward with innovative projects dependent on wireless networks.

When equipment was received, the manufacturer had to address software bugs and struggled to effectively use the equipment due to solution complexity. This led to operational issues such as outages and site instability. Additionally, the manufacturer was concerned about the solution's total cost of ownership (TCO). 

The company wanted to add wireless solutions from a different technology provider that were easy to manage and use, with fast delivery times to get their new projects up and running in a timely manner.

Adding another OEM would also help the customer avoid future risks associated with vendor lock-in and supply chain vulnerabilities.

Solution

WWT took a two-pronged approach to helping the customer solve their challenges.

Initially, WWT established a year-long tiger team, collaborating with essential customer stakeholders and a diverse team of WWT's wireless technology experts. This initiative was aimed at identifying and resolving the customer's urgent issues, and ultimately stabilizing the customer's network.

The effort successfully addressed numerous challenges. For example, the company was experiencing technical difficulties across several sites due to the complex nature of its existing network infrastructure, which was challenging to manage and deploy.

Additionally, persistent software bugs led to frequent outages, significantly complicating daily operations.

Selecting and Implementing HPE Aruba Networking 

WWT also helped the customer identify, test and deploy another wireless OEM—HPE Aruba Networking. 

The selection process involved a paper proof of concept (POC) leveraging the WWT Advanced Technology Center (ATC), a world-class lab that demonstrates, evaluates and tests technologies for customers. 

Many solutions were presented, complete with demonstrations. What's more, the ATC's thought leadership and research library proved to be a key resource in this process where Aruba Networking was ultimately selected. 

The vetting process also included a six-week proof of concept (POC) engagement at WWT St Louis Technology Campus, where a test warehouse was used to simulate a real-world environment for the customer with the Aruba infrastructure and equipment the customer would use in their own facilities, including: 

• Wireless units for automated ground vehicles
• Tablets for plant managers
• Handheld scan guns

Ensuring The Solution Meets the Customer's Specific Requirements & Standards

WWT meticulously evaluated the proposed solution against the customer's requirements, executing a detailed test plan. Before any purchase was made, they demonstrated to the customer that the new solution would perform effectively. For instance, WWT configured the necessary support for essential equipment, such as handheld scanners and robotic units, thereby proving the solution would not only meet but exceed customer needs and expectations.

WWT also performed phase two pilot tests of the solution in production at multiple customer locations. To this point, all the equipment was deployed at scale by WWT's North American Integration Center (NAIC), with all wireless equipment being shipped to the WWT warehouse for labeling, staging and coding before distribution to the required locations.

Achieving Widespread Success with WWT's Collaborative Expertise

The initiative culminated in the successful large-scale deployment of solutions across more than 20 warehouse and plant locations, with plans for further expansion in the next three years. This achievement underscored the power of collaboration within WWT, involving the Account team, presales, the Advanced Technology Center (ATC) teams—including engineers—WWT's regional Global Solutions & Architecture team, wireless architects, and the WWT NAIC team. The project exemplifies WWT's comprehensive and integrated approach, demonstrating their capability to deliver effective solutions on a grand scale.

Products and Services

The Aruba technology employed in this solution has the same features and functionality as the incumbent solution, yet is easier to use and manage while offering a seamless roadmap for future functionality. Key elements include:

• Aruba ClearPass streamlines network access and enhances security by securely authenticating devices connecting to the Aruba wireless network. It employs role-based network policies grounded in Zero Trust Security principles, ensuring only verified users and devices gain network access.
• Aruba Networking Central is a cloud-based central management orchestrator that allows you to manage it all from one place. This cloud-based networking solution empowers IT with AI-powered insights, intuitive visualizations, workflow automation and edge-to-cloud security to manage campus, branch, remote, data center and IoT networks from one dashboard.
• Aruba Wireless Access Points, featuring self-locating technology, provide a foundation for precise indoor location services, extending the convenience and ubiquity of outdoor GPS to indoor settings. The Aruba AP635 access points are designed for carpeted and indoor environments, such as office spaces and indoor plants, while the Aruba AP575 models are tailored for outdoor wireless applications, ensuring seamless connectivity across diverse use cases.
• Aruba CX Lan Switches simplify the complexities of deploying and managing modern enterprise wired access networks with AI-powered automation and built-in security delivered by network switches that scale from edge to the cloud. This open standards technology creates more agile, secure and scalable networks in campuses and data centers.

Outcomes

The business outcomes of this project include:

• TCO Reduction: Achieved a significant 10-15% decrease in TCO, optimizing budget efficiency.
• Deployment Efficiency: Enhanced the speed of deployment, accelerating project timelines and operational readiness.
• System Stability: Improved the stability of both the solution and deployed sites, ensuring dependable performance.
• User-Friendly Experience: Facilitated ease of use, deployment and management, streamlining administrative tasks.
• Operational Reliability: Dramatically reduced outages, contributing to a more reliable network environment.
• Rapid Issue Resolution: Decreased the meantime to repair, ensuring swift resolution of issues as they arise.

Building on Success: Customer to Partner with WWT for HPE Aruba Lan Switches Implementation

In light of the project's achievements, the customer is again partnering with WWT, this time to roll out HPE Aruba LAN switches for wired connectivity in their plants and warehouses.

Why WWT?

At WWT, we deliver tangible business value to our customers. For this customer, we provided a multi-vendor architecture that liberates them from supply chain constraints and dependence on a single partner. Now, with two vendors at their disposal, they have enhanced flexibility in procuring the necessary equipment.