6connect ProVision is DukeNet’s “Best Choice” for Advanced Network Automation
“After a thorough search, it was obvious that 6connect was the best choice for us. They have lived up to our expectations and beyond.”
Brian Sutterfield, Senior Network Architect, DukeNet
OVERVIEW
Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., DukeNet is a leading regional fiber network provider offering advanced data and high-capacity bandwidth services to enterprise, data center, government and carrier customers. Primarily serving the southeastern United States, DukeNet controls an 8,000 route mile fiber-optic network capable of delivering 100 Gbps services, enabling cloud computing and high-bandwidth applications for enterprise business. A joint venture of Duke Energy and Alinda Capital, DukeNet serves the largest national 4G/LTE wireless services providers and and many of the private data centers operated by the giants of social media, search and apps, among others.
CHALLENGE
DukeNet, which was born out of Duke Energy, has gone through some significant changes over the past year. The company transitioned from Duke Energy’s IPAM to its own IPAM. It also built upon its traditional role as a wholesale fiber-based transport provider by expanding its offerings to include more advanced services such as IPv6 and IP/MPLS, and adding a channel partner program to its business, all within the last year. To keep up with its expanding service offerings and customer base, DukeNet began searching for a fully integrated and scalable IP management solution.
DukeNet was using manual processes such as BlueCat and Excel spreadsheets to provision data. “It took hours for our team to get information to our customers,” explains DukeNet’s Chief Network Architect, Brian Sutterfield. “Our new IPAM could not be provisioned and controlled in a reliable and efficient manner.” To keep up with its expanding service offerings and customer base, DukeNet started searching for a fully integrated, flexible and scalable automated IP management solution. It also wanted a solution that had a DNS feature so that it could offer self-updating capabilities to its customers.
SOLUTION
DukeNet chose 6connect’s ProVision Suite, which offers a faster, more flexible cloud-based solution that reaches across entire fixed and mobile networks and offers management control of complex IP address zones. ProVision is the industry’s first fully-automated suite built from the ground up to support the discovery, planning, provisioning and management of IP networks. In addition, it provides portals and templates that offer better control and faster access to fully automated tools that provide a unified interface to manage networks, DNS and assets.
Time and again, 6connect customers tout the ease of its implementation process as one of the company’s most formidable strengths. In DukeNet’s case, it took less than three weeks after signing the paperwork to install ProVision, import, tag and format DukeNet’s data, and get the new IPAM fully operational. “It was a totally seamless process,” says Sutterfield. “We had no trouble, no outages, and didn’t hit any snags. It was almost too easy.”
DukeNet also installed ProVision’s DNS module to set up a self-service portal for its customers. “6connect’s customer service team is top notch,” notes Sutterfield, “They quickly helped us work through any glitches and really went above and beyond, helping us with DNS issues that were out of the scope of their service.”
“We consider outstanding customer service to be one of the most important attributes of our business,” explains 6connect’s CEO, Bill Bien. “Our team of experts will go the extra mile to ensure that our customers gain the comfort and reliability they deserve when transitioning to an automated IP management system.”
6connect’s other competitive differentiators, which were big selling points with DukeNet, include true integration, full IPv6 support, and unmatched flexibility and technical functionality.
RESULTS
ProVision has provided DukeNet with ease of use, the ability to set up effortlessly, quick provisioning, and less workload for its team. “We finally have an IPAM with a golden data set,” says Sutterfield. “Customer response times for IP assignments used to take at least three days, now they take only one. And, labor associated with provisioning an IP address or a block of IP addresses used to take about 30 minutes, now it takes no more than a minute. It’s all done with a click of a button.”
In addition to saving time and money, ProVision enables DukeNet to better control its network, offer a convenient self-service option to its customers, and provide excellent service reliability. The DNS component is particularly beneficial, enabling DukeNet to allow its customers to login and configure their own accounts.
“After a thorough search, it was obvious that 6connect was the best choice for us. They have lived up to our expectations and beyond,” adds Sutterfield. Looking to the future, DukeNet would like to white label, or rebrand, 6connect’s DNS feature and sell it to its enterprise clients. “We look forward to a very productive ongoing relationship with 6connect.”
ABOUT 6CONNECT
6connect is the leader in software defined network control. 6connect’s unique Dynamic Network ProVisioning (DNP) platform enables the discovery, configuration, and control of physical and virtual devices across distributed and mobile networks, cloud platforms, web-hosting platforms and data centers. Innovative customers like GoDaddy, DukeNet, Amazon, EMC, Aruba Networks, iLand Cloud Infrastructure, and CyrusOne utilize DNP to accelerate service delivery time, accurately provision complex network protocols, and dramatically reduce network complexity and costs, while achieving industry change management and compliance requirements.
