Curvature’s NetSure® Empowers Fortune 500 Healthcare Company to Boost Operational Efficiencies and Network Support
The healthcare industry remains at the forefront when it comes to making a major impact on improving health outcomes. The same is true for a clinical lab leader that provides diagnostic information services to millions of patients and physicians from thousands of patient locations and dozens of clinical labs around the world.
The Challenge
To ensure reliable, secure access to diagnostic lab results, the company implemented a multinational network primarily consisting of leading-edge Cisco switches and routers. Over time, managing dispersed network hardware created an administrative burden, especially when addressing the constant onslaught of network hardware moves, adds and changes.
The sheer size and scope of the decentralized network made it difficult for the small IT team to manage network assets, resulting in undue operational inefficiencies and potential risk. Moreover, responding to Cisco’s persistent recommendations for massive upgrades was an unwelcome distraction—especially since the company’s cadre of Catalyst switches were stable, solid performers. Moreover, network speed was adequate as the company’s heavily virtualized desktop environment and clinical applications weren’t bandwidth intensive.
For that reason, the benefits of upgrading were minimal, especially since only minor features/functionality improvements would be realized in upgrading to the latest Catalyst switches. To save costs while elevating efficiencies, it made more sense to extend the useful life of the organization’s existing Cisco gear. The only drawback: a significant amount of equipment was nearing end-of-life and end-of-support simultaneously.
“Curvature’s customer-first approach gave us greater confidence that support would be tailored to meet our specific business needs. In contrast, the manufacturer was more focused on their own interests, such as upgrading when it made sense for them regardless of whether it made sense for us. With Curvature, we have the flexibility to support our network on our own terms, not the manufacturer’s.”
-CIO Fortune 500 Healthcare Company
The Solution
In an effort to regain better control of their upgrade timetables, the clinical lab leader conducted a comprehensive survey of alternative support solutions that would enable avoiding expensive, disruptive network refreshes. Curvature, with our NetSure maintenance offering, emerged as the most viable candidate for several reasons.
First, we offered the best mix of technical bench strength and hands-on support to supplement the company’s internal resources, which were severely limited or missing altogether at specific sites. Second, we conducted a thorough analysis of all the Cisco gear to determine the ideal blend of manufacturer and third-party support. Not only was each piece assessed to determine its fit for NetSure service, but we also offered an analysis of potential CapEx/OpEx savings from a delayed upgrade strategy.
Our professional service team provided objective technical advice that was independent of manufacturer influences. A 15-person team provided innovative support recommendations that were aligned with the customer’s risk comfort level and current cost structure.
The Benefits
Together with the customer, we worked to assign appropriate service levels for all hardware deployed across the network. Along the way, we discovered the healthcare company had been overpaying for stringent four-hour response times regardless of whether it was warranted based on business requirements.
By helping right-size service level support for every component in the network, we achieved substantial cost savings without compromising service or support. We also enabled the customer to maximize ROI on their network investments by avoiding an expensive, premature network upgrade. By extending the life of useful gear while providing support contract flexibility, the healthcare leader can now affordably safeguard its multi-generational, multi-vendor, multi-national equipment.
With our vendor-agnostic engineers, the customer can expedite network problem identification and resolution across different types and generations of network access equipment. Meanwhile, our vendor-neutral approach ensures a single point of contact can troubleshoot and support all network gear, which has resulted in a major improvement in overall operational efficiencies.
The customer’s previously overwhelmed support team can now focus on more strategic corporate initiatives, knowing day-to-day network tasks and maintenance are fully covered. Our ability to troubleshoot and resolve end-to-end network issues has led to heightened network performance and reliability for the customer.
Finally, the customer has realized substantial cost savings from their decision to embrace NetSure. Not only had the company saved up to 40 percent over previous maintenance costs, but now there is also unprecedented flexibility for controlling when and how network upgrades are handled. Also appreciated was partnering with a support organization, where we maintain a customer-first mentality and laser focus on lowering costs while improving efficiencies.
Through Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) and independent technology assessments, we off er newfound support flexibility that continues to pay dividends. For this leader in the healthcare industry, our partnership continues to boost operational efficiencies, network reliability and service levels confidence while bolstering the bottom-line business.
Challenges
- Managing decentralized global network was cumbersome and costly
- Desire to avoid expensive network upgrades and extend useful life of viable gear
- Limited awareness of service levels resulted in overpaying for support that wasn’t always warranted
Solution
- Curvature NetSure Maintenance
- Curvature Advanced Technical Support
Benefits
- Significant improvements in operational efficiencies
- Elevated support globally, especially at locations without internal IT resources
- Up to 40 percent savings over previous support contracts
- Single point of contact for multi-vendor support streamlined administration
