Renishaw: Global IP VPN

Renishaw operates from over 30 locations around the world and is expanding into the growth markets of the Asia Pacific region. Wherever the business goes, Telstra’s Global IP VPN service goes too.

THE CHALLENGE

Renishaw is a business founded on innovation. Over more than 30 years, it has patented hundreds of products and built up a reputation for manufacturing the most advanced and precise measurement tools and other highly technical instruments. Following years of global expansion, however, the company’s success hinges on more than just technical excellence. Renishaw exports over 90% of its products and has to support sales and deliver a high quality of customer service in over 30 markets around the world. Consequently, fast, reliable global communications are absolutely essential for the business.

To reduce complexity and minimise costs, Renishaw wanted to have a single supplier of communications for its entire business. However, as it expanded into the Asia Pacific region, it discovered that few telecommunications providers could meet its requirements in all of its global markets.

THE SOLUTION

Renishaw selected Telstra because of the company’s strength in the Asia Pacific region and its ability to provide a truly global network. Replacing its existing network, Renishaw opted for Telstra’s Global IP Virtual Private Network (VPN) service with bandwidths ranging from 2MB to 20MB depending on the needs of each location. Based on Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) technology, this service offers Renishaw many-to-many connectivity, lower latency, improved bandwidth performance and Quality of Service (QoS) parameters.

Initially, Renishaw established MPLS connections to around ten offices, including a new office in Hong Kong. Then, as it grew into new regions and opened new facilities, it gradually added further connections and expanded its bandwidth capacity. Today, its Global VPN connects over 30 offices, in more than 25 countries in Europe, America, Asia and the Pacific Rim.

Telstra’s Global IP VPN service is fully managed and includes 24/7 support. Telstra also provides a named account manager and service manager, who can answer any questions or address any concerns. After switching to Telstra’s Global IP VPN service, Renishaw’s overall global communications costs went down.

THE BENEFITS

Renishaw has been a customer of Telstra for close to ten years. During this time, the company has been able to adapt and grow its Global VPN in an easy and progressive fashion, by establishing new links and increasing the bandwidth of existing ones. Renishaw has also been able to develop the use of its network, as its business needs have changed. For example, in several countries, Renishaw is now taking advantage of the QoS parameters of the MPLS network to provide voice over IP and video conferencing services between several sites, in addition to traditional data networking.

Renishaw believes that one of the key advantages of Telstra’s Global IP VPN service is the 24/7 technical support, which is included as standard. Round-the-clock service monitoring and support has gradually become more essential to the company over recent years as it has increased the number of employees working in every time zone. The fact that Telstra’s Global IP VPN service is fully managed is also very important because this enables Renishaw’s central I.T. team to focus on other business priorities.

Telstra’s Global IP VPN service provides Renishaw’s remote offices with fast and reliable access to critical business systems that are held centrally. For example, Renishaw uses a regional stock control and management system to help it reduce the amount of stock held at some locations around the world. All of Renishaw’s global offices connect to this system, over the Telstra network, to check product availability and place orders. The performance of the network has been a key factor in ensuring the optimum use of this stock management system and in helping the company to minimise stock.

We do business from over 30 locations around the world, so reliable, global data communications are essential. Telstra’s Global IP VPN service provides us with a single, high speed network to connect all our global offices, including those in the Asia Pacific region. The service is fully managed and supported 24/7, so we can trust Telstra to look after our network while we focus our attention on our business.

- Brian Lyall, Group I.T. Development Manager, Renishaw PLC