network optimization and improved performance for applications and collaboration lead to increase in IT service delivery
Global provider of lighting solutions Zumtobel is optimizing the performance of its Wide Area Network with the Business Acceleration network optimization strategy and the Riverbed-based Enterprise Application Management from Orange Business. This WAN optimization solution promises to significantly improve savings on future IT costs.
Before Orange Business implemented the WAN optimization solution, Zumtobel’s IT infrastructure was struggling to meet the company’s growing demands in terms of application performance, available bandwidth and collaboration opportunities, which was becoming a challenge on the company’s productivity.
First, consultants from Orange Business analyzed Zumtobel’s application landscape and requirements profile and developed a central network optimization strategy based on its Business Acceleration solution. Orange Business then functioned as the central contact for Zumtobel and implemented WAN optimization globally. Key elements of the project included the ability to consolidate regional data centers through server virtualization, along with new, modern bandwidth management, and improved application management. Zumtobel decided to choose Orange based on the excellent advice it received from Orange in the preliminary project stages; Orange being the trusted advisor stemming from a long-term partnership that began in 2002; and Orange’s extensive expertise in the Enterprise Application Management solution from Riverbed.
“We see a real benefit with the new IT infrastructure,” explains Tom Brady , CIO at Zumtobel. “Certain applications in particular are much faster now and are no longer a stumbling block for productivity. We no longer need to invest in higher bandwidths which means a return on investment of the costs associated with Business Acceleration from Orange Business after just 12 months. Orange Business gave us sound advice and positioned our IT landscape for the future. In the next step, we will consider unified communication and collaboration solutions with Orange Business that are essential for us as an international company.”
The Austrian lighting specialist asked Orange Business for a general roadmap for the next four years encompassing the complete modernization of its IT systems. In addition to the current WAN optimization, Riverbed’s Cascade technology will be managed by Orange using a service catalog that provides Zumtobel assurance that applications are performing in line with business requirements through monitoring, reporting, problem management and ongoing capacity planning prior to new application deployments.
“If a global company wants to grow, its IT strategy also needs to be geared towards global interaction,” explains Dr. Helmut Reisinger, senior vice president Europe, Orange Business. “The network and the implementation of the right tools are becoming more and more important for the performance of business-critical applications. In view of our global reach and our mature IT services, we are able to provide multinational companies such as Zumtobel with maximum support for their global collaboration in our role as a central contact.”
About Zumtobel
Zumtobel is a global player in the lighting industry. The Austrian firm has over 7,000 employees, 22 production facilities on four continents and sales organisations in more than 70 countries, making it the European market leader in the field of professional lighting, and the global leader for operating equipment and lighting control.
About Orange Business
Orange Business, the France Telecom Orange branch dedicated to B2B services, is a leading global integrator of communications solutions for multinational corporations. With the world’s largest, seamless network for voice and data, Orange Business reaches 220 countries and territories with local support in 166. Offering a comprehensive package of communication services covering cloud computing, enterprise mobility, M2M, security, unified communications, videoconferencing, and broadband, Orange Business delivers a best-in-class customer experience across a global landscape. Thousands of enterprise customers and 1.4 million users rely on an Orange Business international platform for communicating and conducting business. Orange Business is a four-time winner of Best Global Operator at the World Communication Awards. Learn more at www.orange-business.com
About Orange
Orange is the key brand of France Telecom, one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators. With more than 131 million customers, the Orange brand covers internet, television and mobile services in the majority of countries where the Group operates. At the end of 2009, France Telecom had sales of 44.8 billion euros (33.7 billion euros for the first nine months of 2010). At Sept. 30, 2010, the Group had a total customer base of 203 million customers in 32 countries. These include 144.5 million mobile customers and 13.3 million broadband Internet (ADSL, FTTH) customers worldwide. Orange is one of the main European operators for mobile and broadband Internet services and, under the brand Orange Business, is one of the world leaders in providing telecommunication services to multinational companies.
With its industrial project, "conquests 2015", Orange is simultaneously addressing its employees, customers and shareholders, as well as the society in which the company operates, through a concrete set of action plans. These commitments are expressed through a new vision of human resources for employees; through the deployment of a network infrastructure upon which the Group will build its future growth; through the Group's ambition to offer a superior customer experience thanks in particular to improved quality of service; and through the acceleration of international development.
France Telecom (NYSE:FTE) is listed on Euronext Paris (compartment A) and on the New York Stock Exchange.
For more information (on the Internet and on your mobile): www.orange.com, www.orange-business.com, www.orange-innovation.tv.