OVERVIEW
A UK-based customer required a robust and scalable network deployment across two data centre sites in the United States. The objective was to establish a high-performance infrastructure to support their cloud contact centre, incorporating secure interconnectivity, next-generation firewalls, SIP trunking for PSTN connectivity, and seamless data centre interconnections.
PROJECT SCOPE
Our role encompassed the following key responsibilities:
* Remote configuration of network switches, routers, and firewalls.
* Coordination and deployment of third-party services, including:
– Data centre interconnections
– SIP Trunks
– Direct Internet Access (DIA)
* On-site support via the customer’s local engineers to rack and cable all equipment according to the provided design.
DEPLOYMENT PROCESS
Physical Installation and Connectivity
The deployment process commenced with the on-site engineers racking and cabling the equipment as per our design specifications. Once the physical setup was complete, we moved on to network configuration
.
Establishing Direct Internet Access (DIA)
The first priority was configuring the DIA connections through a remote session. Once the internet connectivity was successfully established, this provided us with direct access to manage and configure all other network components.
Core Network Configuration
With connectivity in place, our Tier 3 engineers configured the essential network components, including:
* Local VLANs, networks, and gateways.
* Firewall configuration including IPS and security policies to ensure secure traffic flow within each data centre.
Cross-Site Interconnection and Route Sharing
Following the local configuration, we proceeded with establishing cross-site interconnections between both data centres. This step included:
* Sharing routes between the two sites.
* Configuring dynamic routing to ensure optimal traffic distribution and redundancy.
SIP Trunk Deployment for PSTN Connectivity
Given that the customer’s platform was designed to support a cloud contact centre, SIP trunk connections were deployed to enable PSTN connectivity. This ensured reliable voice communications and call routing.
Next-Generation Firewall Deployment
* Security being a critical component, we deployed and configured next-generation firewalls with the following functionalities:
* Advertising the public IP range.
* Implementing dynamic routing.
* Configuring NAT rules and security policies.
* Enabling Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) features for enhanced threat detection and mitigation.
RESULTS & KEY TAKEAWAYS
* Seamless Deployment: The entire deployment was executed remotely with efficient coordination of on-site technicians.
* Enhanced Security: The integration of next-generation firewalls ensured comprehensive security with advanced threat protection.
* Scalable Infrastructure: The deployed network supports the customer’s growing cloud contact centre operations while maintaining reliability and performance.
*Efficient Cross-Site Connectivity: Secure and optimised data flow between the two U.S. data centres enabled seamless operation.
CONCLUSION
This project demonstrated our expertise in managing remote network deployments, coordinating third-party services, and implementing secure, scalable solutions. By ensuring a structured approach and leveraging advanced technologies, we successfully delivered a high-performance network infrastructure that supports our customer’s mission-critical cloud platform.