“Randstad’s contribution to our wireless refresh can’t be overstated. They worked with us to bring order and consistency to our wireless infrastructure and offered innovative approaches that avoided plant downtime, saving us big dollars. Their understanding of the IT aspects of this work proved important in interfacing with plant management, and it distinguishes them from other firms.”
— client’s senior network engineer
challenge
Aging, disparate and outdated network equipment was causing frustration and inefficiencies throughout a global food processing giant’s plant and distribution facilities. More importantly, their IT team’s efforts to remotely support these sites were compounded by the lack of consistent standards and documentation for their networks.
Looking to minimize plant downtime, more fully leverage wireless access and deploy new technologies, the company decided to upgrade their entire wired and wireless network infrastructure (cabling and hardware) across more than 70 North American plants and distribution facilities — and they turned to Randstad Technologies for help.
solution
Randstad was selected based on its extensive deployment and network experience (both wired and wireless), quality focus, innovative approach and structured, yet scalable delivery model.
Randstad Technologies’ integrated approach included:
- building the program’s charter and methodology, consisting of:
- planning and pilot activities
- survey and design of all locations
- staging, kitting, configuration and shipping of new equipment, conducted at Randstad Technologies’ facilities
- installation of new equipment and cabling, management of site cutovers and re-IPing and testing of all equipment
- a post-installation survey to display new equipment and cabling configurations, as well as testing of wireless coverage
- decommissioning old equipment and demolishing old cabling
- providing post-installation deliverables to support client’s ongoing sustainment activities to include AP maps, port maps and rack elevations
- standardizing network wireless equipment and materials, signal strength benchmarks, access point coverage and more to ensure consistency across all facilities
- a dedicated team of network engineers, wireless engineers (15-20 at peak) and project managers (six at peak) who understood IT and developed an intimate understanding of the client and their environment
- a proprietary, tablet-based Android application that automated the inventorying and documentation of existing equipment and displayed floor plan schematics for the redesigned networks
- creating a method used first at the client’s largest, two-million-square-foot plant, allowing them to cut over 50+ IDFs to the new network without ever losing connectivity and avoiding costly plant outages
- decommissioning and recycling of hardware, network infrastructure (cabling, cabinets, fiber) for facilities closing and/or relocating to new facilities
- Outside Technology (OT) integration through secure connection to the corporate network, including:
- server upgrade implementations
- implementation of firewalls
- ongoing complete network implementations for new offices, distribution centers and warehouses
outcome
Randstad successfully completed upgrades to all 70 sites with no disruptions to the client’s operations. Implementing a faster, more stable and secure network led to many wide-ranging benefits:
- Network upgrades cover over 13 million square feet. This involved installing over 600,000 feet of Cat6 cable and over 175,000 feet of fiber.
- Upgrades have vastly improved speed, reliability and security in all facilities, thereby increasing employee productivity.
- Network flexibility accommodates growth and expansion.
- More secure infrastructure reduces the risk of intrusion or corruption.
- Standardization reduced equipment costs and time spent troubleshooting, while improving network performance and access.
- Innovative approach reduced outage time and eliminated downtime during network cutovers.
Throughout the project, Randstad Technologies’ Continual Service Improvement program ensured work proceeded quickly and effectively.
- Client’s network infrastructure was standardized over five days via Randstad Six Sigma Black Belt-led workshops.
- Randstad reduced lead time for hardware design and acquisition from six months to six weeks by leading value-stream mapping exercises to define the client’s original-state process for hardware design and acquisition, and then a future state, optimizing all efficiencies.
- By building the DMZs between the client’s separate corporate and plant control networks, communications and data can now pass seamlessly and securely between the two networks whenever needed.
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