GDT and Toy Giant Apply Unprecedented Innovation in Advanced Technology

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Dec 19, 2014, 01:06 ET

DALLAS, Dec. 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- GDT announced today the application of unprecedented innovation in one of its largest projects to date. GDT and a centuries-old, international manufacturer of toys and gifts for children of all ages partnered in the deployment of the latest in sensor technology, analytics, artificial intelligence and facial recognition, as well as cutting-edge, state-of-the-art, best-of-breed network and data center technologies and services. The toy conglomerate, unnamed as of this release, took advantage of the expertise of GDT architects and engineers and the depth and breadth of its partnerships and practices.

The year-long, multi-phase deployment included a complete redesign and build of worldwide manufacturing and delivery processes as well as the redesign of network and data center infrastructure and processes to integrate the latest advances in support of advanced communications, the Internet of Things (IoT), and analytics.

GDT and the manufacturer kicked off the project with the embedding of conductive and optical sensors in the manufacturer's toys. Informed by extensive site surveys as well as on-location testing and fine-tuning, GDT enhanced the manufacturer's Wi-Fi connectivity at each of its five locations -- in the US state of Alaska as well as in Canada, Denmark, Finland, Russia. For the most comprehensive coverage, each facility required a web of more than 1200 Cisco® 1000 Series Connect Grid Routers (CGR) and Cisco Aironet 3700 Series Access Points (AP) to allow for the collection of real-time data and provide for the tracking of all toys during the manufacturing and distribution process.

Through in-memory analysis of the zettabytes of aggregate data collected from each facility, the company generates a number of real-time reports that are checked twice; those reports are then easily shared from the manufacturing floor to the boardroom where determinations of naughty or nice are then confirmed. These reports provide actionable insights into which facilities are operating most efficiently and why. Additional predictive analysis of the data provides the basis for the most informed business decisions.

GDT undertook parallel refreshes of each facility's outdated network and data center platforms, sending engineers to each location to survey physical space and advise on optimum placement of cabinets and cabling and the amount of cooling and power that would be required. They offered insights into the best course for optical transmission of the data from facility to data pool; which processes were in need of further automation, orchestration, and virtualization to allow for speed and efficiency; and which combination of private, public and hybrid cloud solution offered the most secure, cost-effective solution year-round while accommodating the manufacturer's enormous burst in need during peak holiday seasons.

The deployment included the following Cisco equipment: ASR 1000 Series Routers, Catalyst 3850 Series Switches, 4400 Series Integrated Services Routers, Nexus 9000 Series Switches, and much more. GDT provided turnkey professional services and continues to ensure the continuation of uninterrupted operations year-round through its managed services and network operations center (NOC) based in Dallas, Texas.

GDT also constructed a mobile command unit for the manufacturer that features a multi-display, touch enabled command and control center, for deployment into both rural and urban environments. From this nerve center, the company can monitor the municipal Wi-Fi grid using Cisco hardened access points and Connected Grid Routers and alter distribution routes based on traffic patterns. Additionally, GDT hardened the manufacturer's physical refueling stations, located in remote locations around the globe. These remote sites can report on their fuel levels, equipment health and perimeter security via IP cameras, embedded sensors, and a closed network of access gateways connected to a cellular network. With tens of thousands of these stations online around the world, the data is fed back to the GDT NOC where any anomaly can be identified and resolved with a minimum amount of downtime.

When asked for quote about the speed with which GDT accomplished this remarkable and near-magical feat of innovation, the conglomerate's CEO said simply, "Ho, ho, ho."

About GDT

GDT is an award-winning technology integration partner with revenue nearing a billion dollars annually. GDT is a Cisco Gold Reseller with triple master specializations and an impressive list of awards that includes Cisco Architectural Excellence US: SP Architectures and Cisco Enterprise Partner of the Year for four consecutive years. With headquarters in Dallas, Texas, GDT maintains offices in the Northeast and on the West Coast of the US, as well as an international presence in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, Singapore, and the UK. GDT translates the latest ideas and technologies into inventive solutions that accelerate outcomes and realize the goals of IT and the vision of business leaders.

Press Contact:
Darjon Bittner
GDT
214.857.6229
[email protected]

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SOURCE GDT