Secure and modern network infrastructure for the Elbe River Basin

The Elbe River Basin, a state enterprise based in Hradec Králové, is a state organisation responsible for the comprehensive care of water resources in the vast area of the Elbe basin above the confluence with the Vltava River, the Elbe itself below this confluence and also the Odra basin in the Liberec and Hradec Králové regions. Its activities cover a wide range of activities, from the management of watercourses and water works, to water monitoring and flood protection, to water management and the promotion of sustainable use of water resources. It also plays a key role in protecting water resources and ensuring their availability and quality for different needs. Its activities are essential for the sustainable development of the region and the protection of the environment.

The customer needed to improve the availability, performance and security of their network infrastructure due to increasing demands for data communications and increased protection from cyber threats. 
The main objective of the project was to streamline and secure its IT systems, where key requirements included:

• Increase availability and performance: the infrastructure had to be highly available, handle increasing data volumes and seamlessly support more demanding network activities.
• Protecting data from unauthorised access and cyber threats became a priority. Implementing robust security measures was essential to maintain data integrity and protect critical information.
• Simplifying network management: Reducing the administrative burden and streamlining network management was expected to lead to optimised operational costs.

The infrastructure modernisation was thus intended to provide the Elbe River Basin with a reliable, fast and secure IT environment that would fully meet its current and future needs.

On the basis of a comprehensive analysis of the existing infrastructure of the Elbe River Basin State Enterprise, we designed and implemented a modernization project that met all the client's requirements.

The project included installation of a new fibre optic backbone in the headquarters building, delivery and implementation of hardware to all sites, management software, operator training and extended service support. To enhance cyber security, segmentation of the customer's WAN was implemented, which divided the network into isolated segments to allow controlled access to data. To simplify management and optimize operational costs, we delivered a management tool and provided extended technical support.

Investing in the modernisation of the company's network infrastructure proved to be a strategic decision with far-reaching positive impacts. Thanks to the project, the organisation has gained a modern, secure and efficient IT infrastructure that meets all its current and future needs.

The new infrastructure with a high-capacity fibre backbone has resulted in increased network performance and availability, which translates into smooth application operation, seamless response times and overall increased productivity. The modern infrastructure is ready for future data growth and more demanding network activities. This gives the business confidence that its IT systems can continue to operate seamlessly in the face of increased demands.

Great emphasis has been placed on cyber security. Network segmentation and the implementation of modern firewalls minimise the risk of cyber attacks and protect sensitive data. Modern security measures ensure data integrity and eliminate the risk of data leakage. Thanks to these measures, the company avoids the threat of data leakage and cyber extortion and meets all data protection requirements.

The modernisation of the network has also simplified management and optimised costs. The new NGFW management tool makes infrastructure management and maintenance easier and more efficient. Administrators can manage security rules across all NGFWs from a single console, reducing the administrative burden and increasing work efficiency. Optimized operational costs and reduced risk of cyber incidents result in operational cost savings, saving the enterprise significant money to invest in growth.

Thus, upgrading the network infrastructure has proven to be a comprehensive solution that has brought a number of benefits to the organisation. The enterprise now has a modern and reliable IT infrastructure that enables efficient task performance and strengthens the credibility and image of a modern and responsible institution.