Full Lifecycle Automation of Data Centre Networks

A leading application development firm faced significant challenges in managing its growing network infrastructure. To continue supporting their business goals and enhance productivity, they decided to upgrade their network system.

The Challenge

As the business continues to grow, so does its network infrastructure. The company’s legacy system was cumbersome to manage:

• Highly manual and requiring skilled network engineers for every configuration change, causing bottlenecks and delays.
• Frequent network upgrades posed significant risks, often resulting in service disruptions and outages.
• The lack of automation and a centralised management interface made the network increasingly complex and inefficient to operate.

These limitations hindered productivity, delayed project timelines, and posed scalability issues, ultimately impeding their ability to support their evolving business needs.

Implementation

After analysing the business’s network infrastructure, DiGiCOR suggested Juniper's Apstra Data Center Director, along with EX4400 and QFX5120 switches. This new infrastructure was designed not only to eliminate the complexity of their legacy systems but also to enable automation, reduce operational overhead, and support future growth.

Apstra Data Centre Director is an advanced intent-based networking solution that simplifies and automates the design, deployment, and operation of data centre networks. It provides a unified, multi-vendor platform that enables seamless management of diverse network environments. The Data Centre Director's intent-based approach allows network administrators to define desired outcomes and let the system automatically implement the necessary configurations. 

Key Reasons for the Adaption

Data Center Director automation simplifies network management, making it user-friendly even for those without deep networking skills. This allowed the company’s app developers to manage network services independently, reducing reliance on network engineers.

The implementation of EVPN-VXLAN on Juniper switches enabled the creation of a common infrastructure that could be virtualised for different services. This virtualisation allowed services to be provisioned through a graphical user interface (GUI) without the need for physical work, except for occasional cable connections to new servers.

The new system saved considerable time, effort, and resources in building and managing the network. Adding, changing, or removing services became straightforward, which significantly reduced operational costs and improved efficiency.

With Data Centre Director's GUI, app developers could now create services as needed without waiting for the network team. This self-service capability boosted productivity, aligning with the business needs and goals.

Data Center Director's digital twin feature allowed the company to create different network setups for testing purposes. These setups could be saved in time-voyager and easily deployed or dismantled as needed. This capability accelerated their development process, enabling quicker testing and focusing efforts on new developments, thus increasing revenue.

The ability to easily upgrade the network and roll back changes using Apstra Time-Voyager eliminated the risks of issues and outages that previously plagued upgrades. This stability was crucial for maintaining uninterrupted service across different teams and products.

Throughout the process, DiGiCOR and Juniper provided exceptional support, assisting in selecting the right fit and design, proof of concept, and building the production network.

Impact on Business Goals

The upgraded network system transformed the company’s operations. The automation and self-service capabilities led to a more agile and efficient workflow, significantly boosting productivity. The ability to quickly test and deploy new developments accelerated their time-to-market for new products, directly contributing to revenue growth. Additionally, the reduced risk of outages during upgrades ensured continuous service availability, maintaining customer satisfaction and trust.

In conclusion, the adoption of Data Centre Director, along with the EX4400 and QFX5120 switches, marked a transformative shift in their network operations. By embracing automation, self-service capabilities, and a robust intent-based networking solution, the company not only streamlined its infrastructure management but also empowered its development teams and mitigated operational risks. With the support of DiGiCOR and Juniper, the business achieved greater agility, reduced costs, and enhanced productivity—laying a strong foundation for continued innovation and business growth.

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