01
Client Profile & Background
A fast-growing retail chain with 50+ branches across Java and Sumatra, each handling point-of-sale (POS) transactions, inventory management, and real-time reporting to a central ERP system. The company operates a mix of owned stores and franchise outlets, requiring consistent and reliable network connectivity for daily operations. Their headquarters in Jakarta hosts the core applications, including a Microsoft Dynamics ERP and a centralized database. Each branch is equipped with multiple workstations, barcode scanners, and IP cameras for security. The IT team is lean, with only three staff members responsible for all branches, making centralized management a priority.
Previously, the company relied on MPLS connections from a single provider, but faced frequent outages and high monthly costs. Branch expansion was slow due to long lead times for MPLS provisioning. Additionally, bandwidth was insufficient for simultaneous use of POS, CCTV, and guest WiFi, leading to poor user experience. The company needed a solution that could provide high availability, bandwidth flexibility, and centralized visibility without requiring on-site IT expertise at each branch.
02
Technical Challenge
The primary challenge was the lack of network resilience: 30% of branches experienced at least one MPLS outage per month, with an average downtime of 4 hours. This caused significant revenue loss, as POS systems could not process transactions offline. Moreover, the MPLS bandwidth (10 Mbps per branch) was saturated during peak hours, leading to 500ms+ latency for ERP transactions. The company also struggled with managing diverse internet links (broadband backup) that were not load-balanced, resulting in underutilized resources. Security was another concern: branch networks had no segmentation, exposing POS systems to potential threats from guest WiFi. The IT team spent 20 hours per week on manual troubleshooting and configuration changes across branches.
The cost of MPLS was escalating, with monthly bills exceeding IDR 500 million for all branches. The company needed to reduce WAN costs by 40% while improving performance and reliability. Additionally, they required a solution that could support future growth to 100+ branches without proportional increase in IT overhead.
03
Implemented Solution
Intilogy designed and deployed a multi-vendor SD-WAN solution using Fortinet FortiGate SD-WAN appliances at each branch and a central FortiManager for orchestration. The solution leveraged two WAN links per branch: a primary MPLS (20 Mbps) and a secondary broadband (50 Mbps) from local ISPs. The SD-WAN controller was configured with application-based routing policies: real-time traffic (VoIP, ERP) was prioritized over MPLS, while bulk data (CCTV uploads, software updates) was directed to broadband. Automatic failover was enabled with sub-second convergence. For security, each branch deployed a FortiGate firewall with IPS and web filtering, integrated with the central cybersecurity stack. The solution also included zero-touch provisioning, allowing new branches to be added within days instead of weeks. To ensure high availability at headquarters, we deployed a pair of FortiGate 600F appliances in active-passive mode. The SD-WAN overlay was encrypted using IPsec VPN tunnels. Additionally, we integrated the SD-WAN with the existing HCI infrastructure for application performance monitoring. The entire deployment was completed in 8 weeks, with minimal disruption to operations.
04
Results & ROI
Post-implementation, the company achieved 99.9% uptime across all branches, with zero unplanned outages in the first 6 months. ERP transaction latency dropped from 500ms to under 50ms. WAN costs were reduced by 45% as broadband links handled 60% of traffic, allowing downsizing of MPLS circuits. The IT team's troubleshooting time decreased by 80% thanks to centralized visibility and automated traffic steering. Branch provisioning time was cut from 4 weeks to 3 days, accelerating expansion. The company also reported improved employee productivity and customer satisfaction due to faster POS transactions and reliable guest WiFi.
Within one year, the company expanded to 80 branches without adding IT staff. The SD-WAN solution paid for itself in 10 months through cost savings alone. Furthermore, the enhanced security posture reduced the risk of data breaches, and the company achieved compliance with PCI DSS requirements for cardholder data protection. The success of this deployment has led the company to plan for a full migration to SD-WAN for all future branches.
