Within its purpose-built data centres in Ash and Newbury, The Bunker has implemented A10 Networks’ Application Delivery Controllers (ADCs), a fully managed network solution with firewall, switching, routing, load balancing and SSL termination. Additionally, The Bunker is using A10 Networks as part of its overall managed service offering and has just closed its first customer with A10 Networks’ ADCs as part of the overall solution.
Founded in 1994, The Bunker is now a mature business with a prestigious base of long-standing clients with a stronghold in financial services, healthcare, telcos, mobile and professional services. The Bunker serves businesses that have specific requirements driven by compliance and regulation and are concerned with how their data is protected, the value it has, as well as the reputational risk should that data ever be disclosed.
The Bunker’s two data centres operate hand-in-hand and availability and fast access is paramount, but at the same time this cannot compromise security, privacy or expose data to any undue risks. Up until recently it was using three different solutions to deliver this high level of security and availability. It had an in-house developed solution, a network storage solution and an application management performance solution. This was proving cumbersome and expensive to manage, so the decision was taken to consolidate these three solutions into one.
The Bunker invited A10 Networks to pitch for this business and undergo a proof of concept and a number of pre-sales technical engagements within its lab environment. The Bunker was impressed with not only A10’s high performance server load balancers and ease of use, but also its flexible licensing model cost in relation to comparable solutions and its Secure Application Services. As a result the decision was taken to deploy A10 ADCs.
Philip Bindley, Managing Director, The Bunker comments: “We had three separate companies doing what we are now delivering with A10 Networks. By deploying A10 we have combined all three technologies into one physical and virtual appliance which keeps everything a lot neater.”
“The performance out of the box compared to other solutions was far superior which means that we effectively get a lot more bang for our buck. We were really impressed with A10’s SSL mutual authentication load balancing which enables us to authenticate any client connecting to our systems. This means we can effectively move our perimeter a further layer up in the security stack and stop attacks faster.”
The A10 ADC platform allows traffic to utilise multiple CPUs without slowing down or blocking. As a result, applications run exponentially faster - especially during peak usage conditions. Also, unlike incumbents, A10 includes all functionality within the A10 ADC platform and does not charge additional software licencing fees.
Last year The Bunker had a new round of investment into the business and was acquired by Palatine Private Equity. It is now part of the Cyberfort Group, delivering an end-to-end cybersecurity service. The Bunker is at the heart of this capability, augmented with an offensive and defensive security SOC. So not only will The Bunker be using A10 Networks for its own internal systems, but as a service provider it will be offering the platform as its product of choice to its customers, making A10 Networks the de facto offering for all its other customers going forward.
Philip Bindley comments: “We have big growth plans and scalability is key. The fact that A10 can consolidate a number of technologies into one solution that the team can easily manage is crucial to our growth ambitions because that way we can look after more customers and provide a better service.”
