Case Study: Impulse Transforms Network Reliability for Ventura Coastal

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Industry

Food & Beverage

Challenge

Ventura Coastal was facing critical network infrastructure issues with unreliable Juniper SD-WAN devices that frequently crashed during firmware updates, and aging Sonicwall firewalls that were approaching end-of-life. The company needed a solution that would provide reliable connectivity and security for 150 employees without overburdening its small IT team.

Results

Impulse implemented Cato Networks' SASE solution, eliminating network outages while simplifying management through a single interface. The transition resulted in seamless connectivity between all facilities, stronger security without hardware maintenance burdens, and an improved remote work experience.

https://www.venturacoastal.com/

"Impulse's phased implementation transformed our network reliability and security posture while actually simplifying management for our IT team."

Ventura Coastal

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About Ventura Coastal

Ventura Coastal manages Sunkist's citrus fruit juice operations and produces customized blends of orange, lemon, and grapefruit juices, oils, essences, and pulp. Headquartered in Ventura, CA with production and packaging facilities in Ventura, Visalia, and Tipton, the company serves over 300 grocery store chains, dairies, and large branded beverage manufacturers as the leading citrus juices producer in the western United States.

The Challenge

Ventura Coastal's operations depend on reliable connectivity between its three California facilities and colocation data center, where its ERP system resides. Unfortunately, the company's network infrastructure had become a liability, with Juniper SD-WAN devices that would crash during routine firmware updates and shut down operations company-wide. 

Compounding these challenges, the company's Sonicwall firewalls were approaching end-of-life – requiring costly upgrades and renewed support contracts. And with remote workers complaining about slow performance and service interruptions when connecting through VPN to the Sonicwalls, Ventura Coastal's small, overburdened IT team needed a simplified solution that could address both their network and security needs.

The Solution

Impulse proposed a phased implementation of Cato Networks' SASE solution to address Ventura Coastal's network challenges while minimizing disruption to ongoing operations. Phase one focused on the most pressing issue: replacing the Juniper SD-WAN devices with Cato while maintaining integration with the existing Sonicwall network. Impulse's dedicated project manager met with the company's IT team weekly to coordinate the cutover process across all sites methodically.

Once the network infrastructure was stabilized, phase two addressed the aging firewall systems. Impulse compiled an inventory of Ventura Coastal's existing firewall rules and recreated them within Cato's FWaaS platform. They also replaced the problematic VPN with Cato's ZTNA client, providing more reliable and secure connections to company resources regardless of location.

Impulse provided expert guidance and hands-on support throughout both phases, allowing Ventura Coastal's IT team to focus on day-to-day responsibilities while confidently transitioning to the new network architecture.

"Partnering with Impulse gave us the support we needed to modernize our network without disrupting operations." - Ventura Coastal

The Results

With Impulse's help, Ventura Coastal transformed its problematic network infrastructure into a reliable, manageable, and secure platform that supports all aspects of its business operations. The company now enjoys:

  • Reduced network outages thanks to Cato's cutting-edge SASE solution
  • Simplified network management across all sites via a single-pane-of-glass interface
  • One repository for all firewall rules, so making changes is quick and easy
  • Reduced hardware footprint by replacing physical firewalls with Cato's FWaaS
  • Positive feedback from remote workers for improving connection performance

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