USE Case

How a Global Analytics Provider Leveraged Digital Twin Technology to Enhance Network Efficiency and Developer Agility

Business Overview

This global analytics leader provides critical intelligence to capital and commodity markets worldwide. Operating multiple data centers and cloud environments, the company serves clients in over 100 countries. Their real-time data services support essential decision-making for government, economic, and business sectors.

To meet these demands, the company depends on a robust, always- available network. This complex infrastructure distributes data through various channels, including private and public networks, SaaS, and direct internet access. The network team, often seen as the “engine room,” works tirelessly to ensure consistent, secure, and reliable operations that support the company’s continuous data flow for its customers.

Business Challenges

Given its vast operations, the company faced challenges in managing its network efficiently while ensuring the accessibility of network data for developers. Major obstacles included:

OPERATIONAL INEFFICIENCIES: Developers frequently requested basic network information like IP addresses, device details, and network paths. Meeting these repeated requests consumed valuable time and resources, impeding overall productivity.
LACK OF NETWORK VISIBILITY FOR DEVELOPERS: Developers struggled to locate the necessary network data for deploying applications. Traditionally, information was closely controlled by IT, causing delays that impacted application deployment timelines and revenue realization.
SUPPORTING CLOUD MIGRATION AND MERGERS: The organization was undergoing an ambitious cloud migration and had recently completed a major merger. Integrating the IT and network infrastructure of two large entities and migrating on-premises applications to the cloud were daunting tasks that required precise network planning and efficient use of resources. Their existing tools were siloed, creating inefficiencies in an already laborious project.

The Search for a Solution

To address these challenges, the company sought tools that could streamline network automation, deliver real-time visibility, and improve network data accessibility for developers. Key requirements included:

Real-time network visibility
Comprehensive network modeling capabilities
Integration flexibility across hybrid multi-cloud environments
Improved developer experience and self-service access to network data

The chosen solution needed to support digital transformation goals by improving data availability, accuracy, and usability across the company’s IT ecosystem.

Forward Networks Digital Twin Selected

To address these challenges, the company selected the Forward Networks digital twin. Forward Networks provided critical features that enabled the organization to build a comprehensive, always- accurate model of its network. This network digital twin enabled the following key functionalities:

NETWORK QUERY ENGINE: Acting as “Google for the Network,” Network Query Engine (NQE) enables network engineers to “ask the network questions.” Not only can they perform path searches, locate devices, or determine connectivity, they can also use the feature to constantly verify the network is in policy and prevent configuration drift by checking for non-compliance. NQE and the Forward Networks platform enable NetOps engineers to quickly find the network resources they need, visualize network topology and configuration in real time, and ensure the network is behaving as intended.
SELF-SERVICE NETWORK DATA FOR DEVELOPERS: The company used Forward Networks to create a self-service search tool for developers. By using the tool, developers gained access to up-to-date network information in an intuitive and interactive format. This self-service capability allowed them to make informed decisions regarding application deployment, database placement, and middleware setup without extensive IT support.
STREAMLINED M&A INTEGRATION AND CLOUD MIGRATION: Forward Networks’ digital twin technology facilitated the smooth integration of two networks following a recent merger. Network engineers could visualize and map both networks, identifying integration points, and addressing compliance and security requirements efficiently. Forward Networks also assisted with network discovery and analysis during cloud migration, enabling the company to identify outdated configurations and migrate on-premises applications effectively.

Business Benefits

The implementation of Forward Networks provided several advantages, directly supporting the company’s strategic goals:

IMPROVED OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY: By reducing repetitive information requests, the network digital twin enabled network engineers to focus on higher-value tasks while developers independently accessed up-to-date network data, improving response times and reducing IT team workload.
ENHANCED DEVELOPER AUTONOMY AND AGILITY: The self-service model enabled by Forward Networks empowered developers to understand the network environment better and make faster decisions on where and how to deploy applications. This led to improved agility, as developers could experiment and iterate without constantly consulting network engineers.
SEAMLESS M&A AND CLOUD MIGRATION SUPPORT: The platform’s advanced network modeling capabilities streamlined the integration of the newly merged entities and accelerated cloud migration projects. The solution’s analytics provided insights into network configuration impacts, reducing the risk of unexpected outages and errors during transitions.
ENHANCED REAL-TIME VISIBILITY AND SECURITY COMPLIANCE: Forward Networks offered real-time snapshots and continuous monitoring of network states, making it easy to track configuration changes, firewall rules, and routing adjustments. If a non-compliant configuration is detected, the relevant engineers are alerted, and the system can automatically open a ServiceNow ticket for resolution. This always-current visibility supported the company’s high-security standards and compliance needs.
DATA-DRIVEN DECISION-MAKING: The digital twin model provided IT leadership a comprehensive, always-current view of the network. The company can proactively address potential issues, optimize network paths, and ensure alignment with business priorities.

Conclusion

By implementing Forward Networks’ digital twin solution, this global analytics provider has streamlined network operations, improved developer productivity, and optimized cloud migration and M&A processes. Forward Networks’ digital twin technology has allowed the company to transition from static network management to a dynamic approach based on the network’s current state. The team is confident in its capabilities to provide uninterrupted intelligence to customers while laying a strong foundation for future scalability and digital innovation.

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