Challenge
The financial services firm was operating an unstable network infrastructure whilst spending enterprise-level budgets without enterprise-quality results. Frequent outages were damaging client trust and disrupting internal operations across multiple locations.
Their existing provider had recommended a rapid MPLS-to-SD-WAN migration. Executive leadership remained cautious about potential service disruption. They questioned whether the proposed changes would actually resolve the underlying performance issues.
The billing situation was equally problematic. Multiple providers delivered overlapping services, hidden charges, and little transparency about what was actually being delivered or utilised. This created a complex web of vendor relationships that obscured true costs and accountability.
Approach
Si Futures was engaged to conduct a comprehensive, no-obligation infrastructure review. This provided independent analysis of the current network architecture and identified optimisation opportunities. Our analysis revealed:
- Legacy Exchange servers were creating significant network bottlenecks and throttling overall performance
- Services were being duplicated across multiple carriers without delivering any additional value or redundancy
- Cost inefficiencies were embedded throughout the infrastructure, including hidden charges, unmonitored failover circuits, and unmanaged licensing arrangements
- Network architecture lacked proper visibility and performance monitoring capabilities
- Multiple vendor relationships created complexity without corresponding benefits
We proposed a strategic approach that would consolidate services, optimise performance, and create a foundation for future cloud transformation. It would maintain business continuity throughout the transition.
Solution
Our implementation focused on comprehensive network re-architecture whilst maintaining operational stability. Key components included:
- Consolidated redundant services across multiple providers into a single, managed infrastructure approach
- Re-architected the network topology for enhanced stability without causing business disruption during migration
- Introduced a hybrid MPLS–SD-WAN model specifically tailored to different workload requirements and performance needs
- Established comprehensive visibility into network usage, billing transparency, and real-time performance metrics
- Created a strategic roadmap toward cloud-optimised infrastructure with SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) alignment for future scalability
- Implemented proactive monitoring and management protocols to prevent issues before they impact operations
Outcome
The infrastructure transformation delivered substantial business benefits:
- 50% reduction in total network spend through service consolidation and optimised carrier relationships
- Dramatic performance improvements with 70% fewer support tickets logged by internal teams
- Above-SLA uptime consistently achieved with improved application delivery across all locations
- Simplified operations through single contract management, unified point of contact, and complete billing transparency
- Enhanced scalability with cloud-ready infrastructure positioned for future growth requirements
- Improved business continuity with properly architected redundancy and failover capabilities
What Made the Difference
- Independent analysis that identified root causes rather than symptoms, preventing costly migrations that wouldn’t address core issues
- Systems thinking approach that considered network architecture, application performance, and business requirements as integrated elements
- Hybrid technology strategy that leveraged existing investments whilst introducing optimised solutions where needed
- Single-provider accountability that eliminated finger-pointing between multiple vendors and created clear performance ownership
- Proactive management approach that prevents issues rather than simply responding to outages and problems
Client Impact
“We halved our network costs without compromising on performance. With Si Futures managing everything, our internal team finally had space to focus on growth initiatives rather than constantly firefighting network issues.”
The transformation enabled the financial services firm to redirect internal IT resources from reactive troubleshooting to strategic initiatives. This maintained the high-availability network performance essential for client service delivery and regulatory compliance.
Transform Your Network Infrastructure
Is your organisation spending enterprise-level budgets on network infrastructure without achieving enterprise-quality results? Our comprehensive network analysis identifies hidden costs, performance bottlenecks, and consolidation opportunities. These deliver both immediate savings and long-term scalability.
Contact Si Futures for a no-obligation infrastructure review and discover how strategic network consolidation can transform your operational efficiency whilst reducing costs.
