Overview
A leading retail chain with 300+ stores across the country faced a critical challenge: ensuring secure, seamless, and centralized connectivity for their POS systems and mobile device management (MDM). With stores spread across urban, suburban, and rural areas, the company needed a robust, scalable, and cost-effective solution to maintain uninterrupted communication between store locations and the central mainframe network.
CST, a trusted technology partner, proposed a Cisco Meraki SD-WAN solution to streamline and optimise network operations. This approach not only improved connectivity across multiple types of internet connections, including fiber, broadband, and 4G LTE, but also ensured secure and efficient data flow between the retail sites and headquarters.
Challenges
- Inconsistent Network Connectivity: Stores relied on different ISPs, leading to inconsistent network performance and frequent downtime.
- Decentralized Management: IT teams struggled to monitor and troubleshoot network issues across 300+ locations.
- POS & MDM Reliability Issues: Unstable connections often disrupted transaction processing and mobile device management, impacting customer experience and store operations.
- Scalability Concerns: As the retail chain continued expanding, they required a future-proof solution that could adapt to new locations seamlessly.
Solution: Cisco Meraki SD-WAN with Subsite Configuration
CST designed and deployed a Cisco Meraki SD-WAN architecture tailored to the retailer’s needs:
SD-WAN for Seamless Connectivity
- Implemented Meraki MX security appliances at each store to establish secure, encrypted VPN tunnels to the mainframe network.
- Leveraged intelligent traffic routing to optimise performance and prioritise critical applications like POS and MDM.
Support for Multiple Internet Types, including 4G
- Ensured resilient failover options by integrating broadband, fiber, and 4G LTE to maintain uptime, even in remote locations.
- Automatic failover from primary to backup links ensured zero downtime for transactions and real-time store operations.
Centralized Cloud Management
- Used the Meraki Dashboard for centralized visibility and control over all 300+ stores, allowing IT teams to monitor network health, push updates, and troubleshoot issues remotely.
- Enforced security policies and content filtering to protect against cyber threats.
Scalable Subsite Configuration
- Designed template-based network configurations, allowing rapid deployment of new stores with plug-and-play simplicity.
- Enabled consistent network policies and settings across all locations.
Results & Business Impact
- 99.9% Uptime Across All Retail Locations – POS systems and MDM services now operate without disruptions, ensuring smooth customer transactions and device management.
- 50% Reduction in Network Management Overhead – IT teams can now manage all stores remotely, cutting down on costly site visits.
- Secure & Compliant Operations – The retailer benefits from enterprise-grade security, including auto-VPN, firewall rules, and threat detection.
- Seamless Expansion – New stores can be brought online within hours using standardized configurations.
Conclusion
By leveraging Cisco Meraki SD-WAN with subsite configuration, CST helped this retail company modernise its network infrastructure, ensuring secure, reliable, and scalable connectivity across all store locations. With cloud-based management, intelligent traffic routing, and multi-connection support (including 4G LTE), the retailer can confidently run its operations while staying future-ready for growth.
Looking to enhance your retail network? Let CST design a tailored solution for you!
