- Case Study
- Paragon
Paragon
Case StudyAbout
Paragon Building Consultancy are one of the largest independent building and project consultancy firms in the UK, specialising in a range of building services, among these are; surveying, environmental and sustainability services and dispute resolution support. With offices in London, Esher, Bristol, Manchester and Edinburgh, Paragon’s team of over 200 people carry out instructions and deliver commercial advantage for their clients across the UK and Europe.
The Brief
The client approached Sudlows with a requirement to provide a wireless network and switch architecture to support fixed wired devices for a 30 bedroom student accommodation and a number of communal rooms.
With the students due to move in to the premises imminently and having a strict budget in place, both time and cost were of the essence. Sudlows provided a solution that met both the timeframe and budget required by our client and provided a secure wireless and wired network.
The Project
When looking at the client’s brief, Sudlows felt that a Ubiquiti Unifi Solution would best match the client’s requirements from both a cost and ease of use point of view. As the building had already been fitted with a structured cabling system, the network was designed with this in mind.
Each student bedroom was fitted with a Wireless Access Point providing 802.11ac grade wireless performance in each of the student bedrooms. The wireless network was installed as an encrypted service with an additional guest portal requiring re-authentication every seven days. The two communal rooms in the premises were also provided with wireless coverage.
Unifi PoE (Power of Ethernet) switches were also installed to not only provide connectivity and power for the Wireless Access Points, and to also provide connectivity for each student’s fixed wired outlets; two per student and also general data outlets within the communal spaces. The network was segregated into multiple VLANS (Virtual Local Area Networks) to provide a level of security between student traffic and other building services and general data.
The solution also made use of a Unifi Security Gateway Pro and a Unifi Cloud Key. The security gateway provided Layer 3 services for the network and a firewall between the student network and the outside world. Sudlows engaged with the end client to understand the services that they would permit on the network. The Cloud Key provides the software controller for the overall solution, offering an easy dashboard and management point for the clients’ ICT team and a remote connection point for Sudlows technical support to provide maintenance and support as needed.
In addition to the installation and configuration of the wireless solution, Sudlows have also provided a service contract covering bi-annual maintenance and an on call service, all managed by our dedicated Facilities Management department.
Conclusion
Sudlows designed a solution for Lister Gate Student Accommodation that perfectly matched their requirements. The Unifi Solution met the clients’ budget costs and provided the ideal level of security and performance for the student network. Sudlows were able to procure, set up, deploy and commission the entire network within the tight timeframes required by the client. The bolt-on maintenance and support contract provides comfort for the client that the solution will be fully operational during its life cycle.
Testimonial
Simon Long (MRICS), Associate Director at Paragon, said:
“My client was left in an awkward position following insolvency of a Principal Contractor on this scheme which led to a complex arrangement of different trades being managed directly. As a result the project became labour intensive for the professional team and we actively looked for a company who could take a problem away and resolve it swiftly with minimal fuss. Sudlows were chosen and delivered on the brief brilliantly, they were helpful, decisive and had the full solution designed and installed within a timeframe which was faster than expected. Both the client and myself were very happy with the service.”
Location
UK
Solution
Wireless Network & Firewall
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