Sensible company from the French Defense sector

For obvious confidentiality reasons we’re not going to mention the client or the exact context in this case. Just let’s say we have been working on mobile equipment for a company in the Defense base. And that’s all we’re gonna say ! The IT Lumberjack can be silent as a rock.
Sector

Defense

Perimeter

WAN · BGP · OOB

  • Starting point & challenges
When you’re talking about the defense sector, it obviously means complex environments with stringent security requirements.
It also means modifying equipment, either physically or by making it more robust and resistant, so it can be integrated into a tank or armored vehicle. It also means losing the manufacturer’s warranty and setting up a dedicated maintenance offering specifically for this modified equipment.
There are also significant constraints when it comes to network configuration: very high bandwidth requirements and specific traffic flows.
This calls for a highly tailored configuration that needs to be thoroughly tested under the most demanding conditions.
And it’s not over…
Last but not least, the final challenge for the IT Lumberjacks: a dedicated infrastructure that must be tested under every possible condition, across every failure scenario, and through extensive stress testing.
Once validated, the infrastructure is frozen: it can’t be modified or updated without significant impact and mandatory revalidation of the entire platform.
There is no room for error!
  • The Goal & the Plan
Let’s take a quick overview of the situation: we have an infrastructure that looks like a datacenter environment, but in a highly constrained setting: noise, vibration, dust…
So, how do we address that? Basically, we build a “hardened datacenter infrastructure” designed to withstand harsh environmental conditions while providing a very high level of service.
  • Build
Take out a sheet of paper and a pen.
Time for a pop quiz!

Question: How would you operate modified network equipment without voiding the manufacturer’s warranty?

You have three hours.

Spoiler alert ⇒ you can’t!
But “impossible” is not in the IT Lumberjacks’ vocabulary. It cannot be said enough.
03-bras-croises-B-pickup 1 (1)
  • Rule #1: Stay in touch
  • We act as the link between the customer and the manufacturer, enabling us to quickly resolve any issues—and even prevent some of them by anticipating potential problems and working closely with the manufacturer.
  • Rule #2: A Dedicated Lab
  • We keep both the unmodified and modified equipment in a dedicated lab. In the event of a breakdown, we can replay the same test sequence on both versions, analyze what happens, and identify the source of the issue.
  • If the bug only appears on the modified equipment, we know it comes from the modification, and we can fix it internally. Otherwise, we have the manufacturer’s support to rely on.
  • Run
  • A French Defense Industrial and Technological Base (BITD) environment is quite a challenge. It’s a highly regulated and tightly controlled environment, operating at the highest level of security and requiring:
  • Update cycles available at least every 18 months
  • A complex qualification process
But if you’re not resilient, you’re definitely not an IT Lumberjack. We’ve got the hang of extreme situations, and we know exactly how to adapt.
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