Fashion Warehouse Case Study

What if you could securely connect your assets in all your warehouse and storage spaces? What if you could manage it all from a single pane of glass? What if there was a simple solution that could do it all? Look no further, because MLR and Cisco delivered a solution for a large online fashion retailer that did just that – delivering security, scalability, visibility, and agility to its warehouse operations. Effortlessly managing peak network loads at a warehouse larger than four football pitches.

“MLR is very responsive and familiar with working with us and understands our culture. We work in a fast-paced environment with tight deadlines and quick turnarounds a given. With MLR’s proven track record, we had the confidence that the project would be completed, and any potential issues escalated and resolved quickly due to the flat management structure. We have excellent relationships with all people in the organisation from engineers to C-level. MLR can respond to immediate pressures. They are the right-sized organisation to respond agilely to requests. I’d go as far as saying that MLR go beyond the partner model to become an extension of the team..”

– Infrastructure and Networking lead

Connectivity for a world-leading fashion darling

One of the most searched-for fashion brands, the client operates websites in multiple countries offering affordable, trendy clothing aimed at Gen Z women. In 2020, they began looking at automation options for its 31,000 square metre warehouse. As a preferred supplier, MLR was asked to submit a tender response for hardware and implementation of networking plus provisions for the installation of a full structured cabling infrastructure.

The client had three main foci for this project. These were:

Security & performance – It wanted a modern network design where layer three segmentation and differentiated access meet a zero-trust model. This needed to be delivered in tandem with any legacy systems.

Monitoring & visibility – In today’s world, data governs all aspects of business decision making, helping to improve operational efficiency and productivity across organisations.  As such the client needed to ensure the secure performance of huge numbers of handheld IoT devices wirelessly at the edge. To further complicate matters, any new network had to be rolled out during the live operation of the facility.

Management & flexibility – The client desired a simple way to maintain and troubleshoot the network without the difficulties posed by traditional CLI-managed devices. The whole network needed to automatically detect and even resolve issues without human intervention.

As such, Cisco infrastructure was ultimately selected to meet all these requirements with MLR acting as the design and consultancy lead for the project in collaboration with the other on-site teams such as Clipper, a third-party logistics company and facilities company, SSI Shaeffer.

Why MLR?

MLR successfully won all elements of the tender for several reasons. MLR:

• demonstrated an understanding of the client business and its complex relationship with stakeholders
• showed a proven track record of delivering to expectations in similar use cases in the built environment
• has experience working directly with other contractors such as construction companies and automation specialists so is proficient at navigating language and culture barriers and using IT as a facilitator
• deftly applied regulations related to the pandemic and anticipated shortages with a plan to cushion and mitigate risk
• quickly responded to feedback and displayed a willingness to be accommodating & dynamic partners
• managed the changing scope to ensure effective delivery such as a lack of provisioning for CCTV, for example.

Quick review of requirements

Barriers	Requirements
Legacy networks	New, easy to manage network
Security concerns	End-to-end security architecture
Overstretched IT resources	Centralised automation and scale
Lack of reliability, performance & scalability	High availability and redundancy
Multiple vendors and multiple solutions	Best of breed, single vendor approach
Numerous third-party stakeholders and independent operating systems with little control	Multi-tenanted, easy to manage network capability

To start, the project was planned out carefully to ensure that MLR could deliver to meet the operational requirements of the client’s warehouse. Working closely with the main contractor, MLR utilised its app—first approach to scope of works to ensure that the required network infrastructure design was fit for purpose before we started the rollout.

However, this project wasn’t without its challenges.

“MLR had to interpret the requirements of the automation system and then translate these into a design that would offer the levels of security and resilience necessary. MLR worked with multiple stakeholders including Clipper and SSI Shaeffer and acted as a bridge between the client’s desired outcomes and the required technical deliverables. This was tough and, required MLR to deploy the latest technology and solutions while navigating multiple cultures and languages and keeping in mind all the conflicting priorities of the stakeholders.”

Adding to the complexity of the project, the facility was still fully operational as the project was rolled out. So, the solution needed to support the legacy network whilst simultaneously deploying the new network – both networks operating concurrently, with minimal downtime, was no mean feat. This required a good understanding of both networks and their need to co-exist for an undefined period.

Finally, supply constraints of equipment due to the pandemic meant that MLR had to deploy the network without new hardware available. To do this, the company re-architected elements of the design to enable fit hardware available without compromising on the final solution – only an agile and switched-on supplier with excellent supply chain relationships could have achieved this.

Cisco delivers network excellence

The solution MLR devised comprised of the Cisco Software Defined Access solution, SD-ACCESS or SDA. This uses the DNA Center to orchestrate a network fabric across Cisco 9300 and 9500 switches. There is a three-tier design with a Core, Distribution and Access layer comprising 9500s at the core and distribution and 9300s at the access layer. Wireless network access is provided by 9130 access points across the site.

Beyond the need to connect it all, security was imperative because connecting countless new assets in the network increases the threat surface.

In a world that is becoming more complex, IT leaders need a solution that is streamlined, automated, and extendable – one that leverages the network they already know and trust while providing the automation and security that frees them up to work on the bigger challenges. This will define the future for their department and business.

Together with DNAC and the 9000 series devices, MLR also deployed Cisco ISE to secure the network, implementing dot1x security on the network, and adopting a zero-trust network architecture. This offered the security the client so desired.

Two main comms rooms were deployed with 9500 switches forming a small but resilient data centre environment. Layer 2 was minimised across the core infrastructure using EVPN to fit the design constraints that had been introduced by the automation system provider.

A dedicated network to host the automation infrastructure was deployed, extending the EVPN fabric to the edge of the network to support their layer 2 requirements without compromising the design intention of a secure performant network.

Securing the network connectivity between the different security levels and between the site and the internet was a pair of Cisco 2130 firewalls. This provided perimeter security and secure access to cloud-hosted applications.

The outcome

As a result of the solution, the client completed its peak weekend flawlessly – where the load was at its maximum. Even with hundreds of handheld devices and large amounts of critical data traversing the system, there were no issues related to the network. This enabled the client to navigate its busy period without needing to concern itself with the network as it worked as expected for the duration.

James Wilkie, Director, MLR comments on the installation:

“Outcome designed networks can lead to virtually limitless cost savings and revenue generation opportunities across all business areas in a built environment. When mean-time-to-resolution metrics look good, downtime diminishes, and this equates to real financial benefits for companies. MLR knew that this solution would support an over-stretched team, minimise risk, and reduce human errors for the client. It also permits the client to focus on the most strategic technology initiatives, because MLR has either taken on or automated the tasks that can be most tedious, time-consuming, and error prone. This ensures leadership can reallocate IT resources to high-value efforts, where they’re needed most.”

• Previously there were known dead spots within the facility that needed to be avoided, but now those areas are covered. MLR’s wireless network survey showed that there is now excellent coverage across the entire site; in all required areas, and as such, complaints from the end users have ceased.
• The WiFI coverage also means that staff now have access to high-speed WiFi throughout the canteen and breakroom areas, enriching their working environment.
• Internet performance was previously limited to 100mbps of bandwidth. With our solution, we’re providing 1Gbps and this improvement has increased the productivity of the end users dramatically.
• This software-centric, scalable solution has armed the client with the security, automation, and agility to continuously embrace change and drive innovation at the edge and at scale.
• The client can manage security with policy-based automation, complete visibility and control, and assurance across all network areas.
• Cisco’s policy-based automation provides the visibility and control to manage all network devices using the tools the client is comfortable with, so it can shorten deployment cycles and move with confidence and greater agility as conditions change and opportunities arise.
• The solution allows the client and its key partners access to a rich stream of new data, real-time visibility, and when needed remote access to the systems and assets in the operational environments.

A long-term support partner

Network operations are never in a steady state for long. As business needs change, network configurations change, too—from the simple addition of clients into the network to complicated changes in core network routers. With more security, cloud, and controller elements, it becomes more complex to implement required changes without excessive operational rigor. MLR is now supporting the network with the use of the DNAC to provide assurance data and measurable performance metrics which show over 99% of the 3,000 clients on site have an excellent connection quality to the network.

“We truly believe great customer experiences are enabled by great technology but made possible by great people and close working relationships.  We’re not just a partner, we’re their colleagues and co-workers and that’s why the project succeeded,” concludes James Wilkie.