ZEB, a leading name in the retail industry and part of the Fashion Society, which in turn is part of the Colruyt Group, was searching for an innovative solution to ensure the safety and future-proofing of their network infrastructure. The challenge was to find a secondary data center location to strengthen their network while meeting growing requirements for high availability and capacity.
Current Situation
The existing logistics dispatch center, "Preenakker," already had a 1GB internet connection and was connected to the headquarters near the Brusselssteenweg in Merchtem via a radio link. However, the headquarters required significantly more bandwidth, namely 10GB. Both the headquarters and the Preenakker site urgently needed redundancy to a second, preferably external, data center location.
Choice of External Data Center
After a thorough analysis of needs and costs, including scalability, Digital Realty (formerly InterXion) was identified as an ideal data center partner. This choice was based on its carrier-neutral nature, cost-effectiveness, and the strategic logistical location of Digital Realty.
Optimization of Fiber Paths
After choosing Digital Realty as the external data center partner, a comprehensive study of possible fiber paths was conducted. Through the Arcadiz backbone and a local Point of Presence (POP), a redundant path was designed to deliver both 1GB and 10GB Internet Access services.
The success of this project is due to our seamless communication and our passion to proactively think with the customer. By leveraging our presence in almost all Belgian data centers and our years of experience in this field, we have realized an efficient and cost-effective solution with high availability.
Project Progress
The successful progress of the project was attributed to seamless communication and Arcadiz's core value of proactively thinking with the customer to achieve the most efficient and cost-effective solutions. Adtran and Infinera optical equipment was used to set up DWDM and MPLS connections. The Arcadiz backbone network was extended to both customer locations through an additional connection (last mile). The technical and administrative support of partner 'RD Engineering' played an essential role in this process.
The collaboration with Arcadiz and Digital Realty has resulted in a sustainable and future-proof network solution. Our network is now secure, scalable, and ready for the challenges of the future.
Final Result
With the successful implementation and optimization of the network infrastructure, ZEB can confidently look to the future. Their network is now secure, scalable, and ready for the challenges ahead. The strategic collaboration between ZEB, Fashion Society, and Arcadiz, combined with the reliable support of Digital Realty, has resulted in a sustainable and future-proof network solution that supports ZEB's growth and strengthens their position in the competitive market.