Customer Profile – Large Accounting Firm
This top-tier accounting firm provides CPA and advisory services to clients in a wide range of industries across the United States. The firm goes beyond providing standard accounting services, with offerings that range from technology and wealth management to forensic and evaluation services. The firm has been recognized by industry publications for its expansions across the Midwest U.S. and growth via mergers and acquisitions.
Business Challenges
A prominent accounting firm wanted to modernize and secure its network. The company realized that its outdated network infrastructure hindered its ability to grow organically and through acquisitions because of several key issues:
- High Costs: Since the firm couldn’t leverage affordable local internet access at the branch office level, it was forced to use costly, private network circuits.
- Resource Inefficiency: An outdated, complex network routing schema was difficult and labor-intensive to manage across 40 locations.
- Compliance Constraints: The existing WAN topology didn’t support SOC II compliance, so the firm couldn’t compete on larger bids.
- Limited Network Insight: With no ability to measure application performance, the company couldn’t easily identify improvement opportunities.
- Integration Challenges: Integrating new systems was slow and cumbersome, hampering the firm’s expansion.
The customer had evaluated a managed SD-WAN platform and completed a proof-of-concept with a third party, but the project stalled. The company was searching for the right network partner to help realize their network and business goals.
The Globalgig Solution
Globalgig took the firm through its comprehensive WAN advisory design program. Globalgig’s experienced network architects and engineers implemented a Palo Alto Prisma SD-WAN solution to meet the customers’ network performance objectives. From defining the optimal network architecture, to managing the implementation, and providing clear documentation, Globalgig delivered an end-to-end network solution that included:
- Replacing expensive MPLS circuits with affordable internet access
- Working with partner Palo Alto to deploy Prisma Access cloud-based firewalls to ensure secure local Internet access and support SaaS growth
- Designing a network infrastructure that greatly streamlined network management and operations, and delivering on-going support
- Circuits which were provisioned with dual and diverse internet carriers at each site, building a resilient network
- Field services which were provided by experienced on-site technicians who checked for site readiness, compiled surveys and prepared for hands-on installation.
Results
By migrating to a modern SD-WAN architecture, the accounting firm realized significant benefits, including:
- A reduction in local branch connectivity expenses
- Improved network security via a comprehensive firewall solution
- Better focus on core business objectives through Globalgig’s on-going managed services
- Greater resilience to support the firm’s geographically disparate office sites
The new infrastructure also supports the firm’s organic growth and acquisition plans by simplifying system integration and supporting the compliance requirements to compete for major accounts.