Overview
The client is one of the most substantial investor-owned Electric Distribution Companies (EDCs) in the US, catering to approximately 1.4 million customers across 29 counties. With a vast infrastructure comprising more than 48,000 miles of power lines, they respond to over 6 million customer interactions every year, consistently being recognized for their high customer satisfaction standards.
The Challenge
Modernization and security enhancement
Our client was exploring ways to modernize their legacy proxy infrastructure, enhance security, improve the user experience and reduce costs, but they faced several challenges that included:
- Transforming an old, intricate proxy infrastructure with substandard security measures
- Reducing the high costs and complexity of the existing VPN (Virtual Private Network) solution
- Granting users secure, policy-based access to only the necessary internal apps for their work
- Addressing inconsistent user experience issues
The Objective
Advanced security and enhanced user experience
Through their partnership with HCLTech, the client wanted to consolidate and modernize the VPN and proxy infrastructure, enhance security through the implementation of a zero-trust architecture and optimize user experience by providing granular, policy-based access.
The Solution
A security paradigm shift
Several solutions were implemented to address our client’s challenges and objectives:
- Migration of 3,000+ users from the old proxy infrastructure to a cloud-based Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA), enhancing security and efficiency
- Incorporation of a diverse technology landscape, including Bluecoat (Web filter Scalar Private Access) and Zscaler Private Access (ZPA)
- Transfer of 2,000+ users to ZPA to adopt a zero-trust model, replacing the Citric NetScaler VPN solution
- Configuration of app-based access via ZPA to reduce potential security threats
The Impact
Upgraded operations and unmatched user experiences
Our solutions significantly transformed our client's operations, leading to several positive impacts, including:
- VPN dependencies were eliminated, leading to the establishment of zero trust network access
- Complexity was reduced and security was improved through advanced threat protection mechanisms
- By streamlining access to internal apps, user experience was significantly enhanced and security was inline and robust
This is a testimony to how comprehensive infrastructure updates coupled with the adoption of advanced security solutions can provide a significant thrust to a company’s operational efficiency, security protocols and overall user experience. These improvements have stimulated a strong groundwork for the client, paving the way for their future growth, resilient operations and seamless service delivery.
