C U S TO M E R C A S E S T U DY

H E LV E T I A V E R S I C H E R U N G E N S C H W E I Z | 1

CUSTOMERHELVETIA INSURANCE SWITZERLAND

WEBSITEWWW.HELVETIA.COM

INDUSTRYINSURANCE

LOCATIONSWITZERLAND

CHALLENGES

• Additional improvement of existing IT security

• Reducing administrative tasks while maintaining productivity

• Reducing costs

SOLUTION

By implementing VMware NSX in combination with vSEC from CheckPoint, Helvetia’s automation of IT in general as well as IT security processes in the network in particular were improved and business continuity was promoted using simplifi ed management processes.

RESULT

• Fast and secure provisioning of standardised systems and infrastructures

• Higher degree of automation

• Increased effi ciency and business continuity

Digital transformation has arrived in Switzerland: large companies such as Helvetia Insurance are faced with the task of keeping pace with and promoting digital transformation. However, especially when it comes down to data security and availability, caution is advised in IT, because it must always be guaranteed.

Apart from harmonising the existing IT environment and working closely with the business units responsible for insurance business, the IT infrastructure business unit at Helvetia Insurance most importantly had to provide for an ongoing improvement of IT security and for a constant availability of services. With VMware NSX for network virtualisation in combination with security tools of other providers, Helvetia has found a solution that supports these priorities and enables IT to be able to provide necessary resources for the operating business at any time.

Company profi le The Swiss insurance company Helvetia has its headquarters in St. Gallen and – looking back at 150 years of experience – is one of the most renowned insurance companies in Switzerland. The insurance company’s range of products is therefore extensive, including private provisions or occupational pensions, indemnity insurance and mortgages. From a single source, Helvetia off ers everything for private individuals and SME. Meanwhile, more than 4.7 million customers make use of the services off ered and around 7,000 staff are responsible for providing support for those insured. With a revenue of over CHF 8 billion, Helvetia is the third largest insurance company in the Swiss home market. In addition to the headquarters in Switzerland, there are subsidiaries in other European countries such as Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain and France.

The challenge By merging numerous data centres distributed across Europe and the resulting centralisation of the IT infrastructure business unit in Switzerland Helvetia faced the challenge of integrating the legacy systems as quickly as possibly into the existing local infrastructure. Without increasing the number of staff , it was not an easy goal to achieve considering the call for increased productivity and reduced administrative tasks.

Michael Welte explains how every strategic decision in IT aff ects business as a whole: “The automated provision of infrastructure ensures that the demands of additional internal business units can be addressed more quickly and changes can be brought about in a timely manner.”

Helvetia made the decision to press ahead with digitisation in company’s IT. The goals of introducing new technology were to reduce costs and workloads as well as to use resources in a more targeted manner and increase IT security. It was crucial, however, that new technology could be combined with the previous automation solutions.

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF HELVETIA INSURANCE: IT INFRASTRUCTURE IS READY FOR THE FUTURE

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DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF HELVETIA INSURANCE: IT INFRASTRUCTURE IS READY FOR THE FUTURE

“By implementing VMware NSX, we are connected to our own Helvetia Private Cloud, and have the option of outsourcing workloads into external clouds in a safe manner and thus run a Cross-Cloud strategy.” MICHAEL WELTEHEAD OF SERVICE AND CLOUD MANAGEMENTHELVETIA

The solution Michael Welte explains how Helvetia – with the help of VMware – carried out the digital transformation of company’s IT and achieved a cost-eff ective use of resources in three phases: “In order to implement the phase model, in 2012 we initially addressed our infrastructure, which was virtualised with VMware ESX. In 2014, we reached a further milestone when we set up a centralised management, provided servers with the VMware vCloud Suite and implemented an infrastructure-as-a-service solution.” Two years later, digitisation at Helvetia’s IT had fi nally reached the next level. Along with increasing automation and quick provisioning of servers, security needed to be adapted, and servers in existing security and fi rewall regulations needed to be integrated. “Our IT is complex and comprises many diff erent components. To be successful, it is vital that all these components work together seamlessly. With the implemented solutions of VMware to date, we could already gain a range of benefi ts; virtualising our network was the next logical step”, says Michael Welte. Before a decision was made, the staff involved had already taken the solutions of diff erent manufacturers into consideration. Michael Welte describes the fi nal decision: “VMware NSX fi ts into our portfolio perfectly and complements existing IT infrastructure in the best possible way, enabling us to be ready to deliver the relevant services at any time.”

By implementing VMware NSX, the automation of IT in general as well as IT security processes in particular were improved as business continuity was promoted using simpler management processes. Helvetia uses NSX in combination with vSEC from CheckPoint. Thus, the company was able to keep control of increasing complexity. On the other hand, security regulations for all virtual machines can be managed with a central management tool without resulting in complex processes for administrators or an increasing administrative workload. Helvetia also benefi ted from the fact that VMware NSX security tags can be used to support the provision of automated servers, which does not require any changes to fi rewall settings. "We need a scalable and available unterlay network, that NSX is able to fulfi ll the required demands. Therefore we decided to use Arista Networks”, Michael Welte adds.

The result The central IT department in Basel is currently supporting six European subsidiaries with IT services, and these are much more satisfi ed with the services provided today: because of an increased degree of automation, users can provide standardised systems quickly and securely, and respond to the rising demands on infrastructure in a timely manner.

VMware NSX not only provided for a further improvement of data security, but also increased effi ciency and business continuity at lower costs.

Looking to the future During the implementation, one of the greatest challenges for Helvetia was to dispense with obsolete structures. The company therefore formed the virtual team, comprising experts in the fi elds of storage, security, VMware and network, whereby the proof of concept could be implemented as planned. For Helvetia, the task entailed integrating these changes into day-to-day business operations. As a result of the process, existing teams were to become more agile while maintaining their current level of competence.

“By implementing VMware NSX, we are connected to our own Helvetia Private Cloud, and have the option of outsourcing workloads into external clouds in a safe manner and thus run a Cross-Cloud strategy”, concludes Michael Welte.

“Our IT is complex and comprises many different components. To be successful, it is vital that all these components work together seamlessly. With the implemented solutions of VMware to date, we could already gain a range of benefits; virtualising our network was the next logical step.” MICHAEL WELTEHEAD OF SERVICE AND CLOUD MANAGEMENTHELVETIA

VMWARE SOLUTIONS USED

• VMware NSX

• VMware vCloud Suite

• VMware ESX

TECHNOLOGY PARTNER

• CheckPoint Software Technologies Ltd.

• Arista Networks, Inc.

INTEGRATION PARTNER

• Point Solutions AG