

Case Study
Ithuba Protection Services
Background
Ithuba Protection Services provides security services across multiple locations, requiring a stable and secure network to ensure seamless communication and data transmission.
When they acquired a national security company with an existing SD-WAN network from another ISP, they were concerned that this provider might cancel services due to unpaid invoices by the previous owner. Ithuba’s IT Manager sought help from 5th Mountain Networks in September 2023 to quickly migrate the network for business continuity.
Solution & Benefits
The SD-WAN migration was completed within two weeks, 5th Mountain Networks was able to analyse the network using its analytic tools to gain better insights into operational requirements.
The Halo Managed Secure SD-WAN as a Service delivered significant improvements, including:
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Seamless Transition & Performance Gains: A phased approach, working closely with the IT Manager, ensured minimal disruption, successfully migrating the WAN at the sites.
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Backup & Failover Connectivity: While waiting for fibre links to be installed, all sites were enabled using 5G and LTE/A services. These became the backup/failover links once the fibre was installed.
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Improved Infrastructure & Scalability: A new data centre presence was established in Teraco Data Centre to host Ithuba’s in-house applications, ensuring scalability and resilience while allowing for seamless future expansion.
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Reliable & Secure Connectivity: All sites connect securely to applications hosted in Teraco Data Centre via VPN tunnels, while remote users access via RAS. All other internet traffic uses local breakout, optimising bandwidth efficiency and reducing latency for non-essential cloud applications. In addition to local security per site, content control is also locally applied.
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Seamless Integration of VoIP Services: 5th Mountain Networks collaborated with Ithuba's existing VoIP providers to ensure seamless integration with their new network infrastructure, supporting voice services without disruption.
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Enhanced Security & Compliance: Built-in encryption, threat detection, and Layer 7 SSL/TLS inspection were implemented without creating a Man-In-The-Middle scenario, ensuring POPIA compliance.
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Optimised Connectivity & Reliability: Intelligent traffic routing improved application performance, while redundant connections minimised downtime.
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Centralised Management & Cost Efficiency: A cloud-based dashboard provided real-time network insights, while the consolidation of network services reduced operational expenses and optimised resource allocation.
This transformation positioned Ithuba Protection Services for future growth with a robust, efficient, and secure network infrastructure.


Customer Testimonial
"We recently partnered with 5th Mountain Networks to implement their managed SD-WAN Firewalls across all our monitoring and response branches. We were impressed with their MountainBox product in the field. Their team's knowledge of SD-WAN and firewalls is extensive, and their turnaround times for implementation are very quick.
What truly sets them apart is their exceptional customer focus. They took the time to understand our specific needs and designed a solution that perfectly fit our requirements.
They added a personal touch throughout the process, making us feel valued and supported.
I highly recommend 5th Mountain Networks to any business seeking a reliable and customer-oriented partner for Managed SD-WAN or Firewall needs."
— Ian Southey, IT Manager
Conclusion & Future Outlook
Ithuba Protection Services’ migration to Halo SD-WAN has positioned them for continued success with a modern, efficient, and secure network. Moving forward, 5th Mountain Networks will continue to provide ongoing support and explore further enhancements to ensure Ithuba Protection stays ahead in a rapidly evolving security landscape.
