Admiral India
Admiral India, the technology excellence hub for Admiral Group, a global financial services leader, supports insurance brands with 11,000+ employees and fosters empowerment.
Legacy network hinders growth
Admiral India faced operational constraints due to manual processes hindering efficiency and compliance. Learn how they revamped their network to tackle these challenges.
Challenges and solution architecture
Admiral India faced multifaceted challenges necessitating a comprehensive network overhaul. Manual processes hindered efficiency, transparency, and compliance adherence. Moreover, limited visibility into security advisories and network performance compounded operational complexities. To address these hurdles, Admiral collaborated with Cisco for a complete network transformation.
The chosen solution architecture comprised Cisco Catalyst Center (formerly Cisco DNA Center), Cisco Catalyst Gear, and Cisco ISE. Cisco Catalyst Center served as the robust network controller and management dashboard, providing centralized visibility and automation capabilities. Cisco Catalyst Gear ensured optimized network performance with AI-enabled hardware and software-defined security. Meanwhile, Cisco ISE facilitated endpoint, user, and device access management within a zero-trust architecture, enhancing security posture.
Implementation commenced with the deployment of Cisco Catalyst Center, followed by Catalyst Gear and ISE integration. The Cisco CX Customer Success team played a pivotal role, providing architecture inputs, playbook designs, and deployment assistance. Through collaborative efforts, Admiral streamlined design configurations, automated device onboarding, and deployed key features, adhering to global best practices.
The implementation timeline spanned several months, with key milestones including Cisco Catalyst Center deployment completion, Catalyst Gear integration, and ISE implementation. Each phase underwent rigorous testing to ensure seamless integration and functionality. Partnerships with Cisco CX and adherence to best practices were critical in achieving successful deployment.
Impact and future insights
The network overhaul yielded significant impacts across various dimensions, propelling Admiral India toward enhanced operational efficiency, compliance adherence, and actionable insights.
Refreshed network topology and consistency in network operations were notable outcomes. Automation capabilities of Cisco Catalyst Center led to a 50% reduction in manual processes, accelerating provisioning time and enhancing productivity. Moreover, software upgrade management over weekends minimized downtime and streamlined operations. The correlation of audit logs using configuration drift management features further optimized operational efficiency.
Enhanced compliance was achieved through improved visibility into security advisories and vulnerability detection. Cisco ISE played a pivotal role in managing and monitoring endpoint access within a zero-trust architecture, bolstering security posture and ensuring compliance adherence.
Deep insights into users and devices empowered Admiral India with actionable intelligence for performance optimization. Cisco Catalyst Center AI-driven insights facilitated proactive monitoring and troubleshooting, ensuring optimal network performance. Additionally, Cisco Catalyst Center's ability to pinpoint root causes for issues enhanced troubleshooting efficiency, minimizing downtime and improving user experience.
Looking ahead, Admiral India is poised to leverage AI and business insights for continued innovation and operational excellence. The partnership with Cisco, coupled with the expertise of Cisco CX, positions Admiral India to navigate evolving challenges and capitalize on emerging opportunities in the dynamic financial services landscape.
