Case Study
Network Upgrade and
About the client
Butyl Products Limited is a globally recognised manufacturer of specialist containment solutions. For over 50 years, they have been designing, developing, and manufacturing equipment for liquid storage and distribution, humanitarian aid, water treatment, and environmental protection.
Operating across three large units (10, 11, and 20), their infrastructure needs to support complex manufacturing processes, international distribution, and administrative functions while maintaining both productivity and compliance.
Challenges faced
Switches approaching end of supported lifecycle
As with many established organisations, the network within Butyl Products Limited had developed over time. Several switches across multiple units were approaching the end of their supported lifecycle, creating an impending risk from both a security and compliance perspective.
Risk of non compliance with Cyber Essentials
Allowing these devices to fall out of support would have risked non compliance with Cyber Essentials, where network equipment is expected to remain vendor supported and protected against known vulnerabilities.
Limited visibility across the network
At the same time, visibility across the network was limited, making it difficult to maintain a clear understanding of connected devices, monitor activity effectively, and respond quickly when issues arose.
Less efficient physical cabinet layout
Although the existing infrastructure remained reliable, the physical layout within cabinets had become less efficient. Longer patch leads and inconsistent switch placement had introduced some unnecessary clutter, making maintenance more difficult and limiting effective cooling.
Our process
1
Full network review across Units 10, 11, and 20
A full review of the network across Units 10, 11, and 20 provided the basis for a structured replacement project, designed to modernise and standardise the switching environment while avoiding disruption to day-to-day operations.
2
Four Zyxel 48 port PoE+ switches deployed
Four Zyxel 48 port PoE+ switches were deployed, replacing a mix of Cisco SG and CBS series devices. This consolidation reduced the number of switches in use, increased overall capacity, and created a more streamlined layout across the network.
3
Cabling tested and additional sockets installed
Alongside the hardware upgrade, structured cabling and network sockets were tested to confirm they were performing as expected and capable of supporting the updated environment. Additional network sockets were installed where required, allowing devices to be distributed more evenly and removing the need for small cascaded switches that can introduce blind spots.
4
Cabinet rework with shorter 25cm patch cables
The physical layout within cabinets was also reworked, enabling the use of shorter 25cm patch cables. This reduced excess cabling and improved accessibility, creating a much cleaner and more organised environment.
5
Consistent configuration & cloud onboarding
All switches were deployed using a consistent configuration baseline, with firmware brought fully up to supported levels. The environment was then onboarded into a cloud management platform, providing improved visibility, logging, and centralised control across all units.
The solution
Continued vendor security updates
By replacing hardware approaching end of support, the network now benefits from continued access to vendor security updates, reducing exposure to known vulnerabilities and supporting ongoing compliance. The move to cloud management provides secure remote access to configuration, monitoring, and reporting, enabling a faster and more responsive support model without reliance on physical access to site. This is further strengthened by cloud-based alerting, which allows potential issues to be identified and addressed at an early stage, often before they impact users or business operations. Combined with improved visibility across the network, this provides far greater control over connected devices and overall activity.
Auto voice VLAN for VoIP segmentation
Consistency has also been improved through standardised configurations across all switches, reducing risk and creating a reliable foundation for future changes. The previous reliance on manually configured VLANs has been removed through the introduction of auto voice VLAN, ensuring that VoIP devices are automatically segmented as they are connected. This approach improves flexibility while ensuring SRTP traffic is prioritised to maintain call quality.
PoE+ across all switches
The adoption of PoE+ across all switches further enhances the network by simplifying the deployment of devices such as phones and wireless access points, without the need for additional power infrastructure. Alongside this, cabinet layout improvements and shorter patch leads have significantly reduced clutter, improving organisation and supporting long term reliability.
✦ Proactive alerting
Cloud-based alerting & improved network visibility
Overall, the network now provides greater control, consistency, and operational efficiency, strengthening ongoing management while remaining aligned with both business and security requirements.
Key outcomes
The project delivered measurable improvements across security, performance, and day to day manageability:
Continued alignment with Cyber Essentials
Continued alignment with Cyber Essentials through the removal of unsupported network devices.
20 to 30 percent reduction in troubleshooting time
20 to 30 percent reduction in troubleshooting and investigation time through cloud management and proactive alerting.
Improved network visibility and control
Improved network visibility and control, enabling faster identification and resolution of issues.
Reduced administrative overhead
Reduced administrative overhead through standardised configuration and a more consistent environment.
Elimination of cascaded switches
Elimination of cascaded switches, removing blind spots and improving overall network design.
Automatic segmentation of VoIP devices
Automatic segmentation of VoIP devices through auto voice VLAN, ensuring consistent configuration and reliable voice performance.
Improved cabinet organisation
Improved cabinet organisation, supporting easier maintenance and long term reliability.
The result is a stable, predictable, and fully supported network across all units, providing a strong foundation for future growth while reinforcing Butyl Products Limited’s commitment to cyber security.
