Transforming Media Broadcasting with IoT: A Case Study

Technology Category

Application Infrastructure & Middleware - API Integration & Management
Networks & Connectivity - Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)

Applicable Industries

Cement
Telecommunications

Applicable Functions

Maintenance
Quality Assurance

Use Cases

Infrastructure Inspection
Time Sensitive Networking

Services

Hardware Design & Engineering Services
Testing & Certification

The Challenge

The company, a global leader in media and entertainment, was facing a significant challenge in migrating from traditional broadcast technologies to IP-based services. The shift was necessary to keep up with the evolving industry trends and to ensure efficient data movement within the company. However, their existing solution, a multi-vendor proxy access, was not meeting their needs. It was causing frequent outages and operational issues, and the IT department had no visibility into threats or performance issues. The company was also exposed to upper-level application threats due to the lack of deep inspection. The challenge was to find a secure, high-performance solution that could effectively move content without negatively impacting performance.

About The Customer

The customer is a leading global media and entertainment company with a diverse portfolio that includes news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, world-renowned theme parks, and a suite of leading Internet-based businesses. Over the past few years, the company has been transitioning from traditional broadcast technologies to IP-based services to keep up with industry trends and improve efficiency.

The Solution

The company decided to replace the multi-vendor proxies with a single solution, Zscaler, while still leveraging their existing networking and security infrastructure. Zscaler was the only solution on the market that could provide a reliable, secure proxy service to the company’s employees while giving the IT department total visibility into threats and performance issues. The Zscaler service allowed the company to move broadcast content securely through standard IP networks, saving significantly on infrastructure and maintenance costs. It also provided a stable environment, freeing up the IT team to focus on more strategic initiatives. The deep level of inspection of network traffic eliminated upper-layer application threats, and the enhanced visibility and control provided through the Zscaler reporting dashboard allowed the IT department to show tangible, metrics-based results to business units.

Operational Impact

The implementation of Zscaler resulted in a number of operational benefits for the company. Firstly, it provided a cost-efficient solution by enabling the company to move broadcast content securely through standard IP networks, saving on infrastructure and maintenance costs. Secondly, it freed up the IT team's time, allowing them to focus on more strategic initiatives instead of constantly troubleshooting issues. Thirdly, it provided better security by eliminating upper-layer application threats and giving the IT department enhanced visibility and control. Lastly, it improved the user experience by stabilizing internet access and reducing employee frustrations.

Quantitative Benefit

Significant savings on infrastructure and maintenance costs by moving broadcast content through standard IP networks instead of traditional methods like dedicated fiber and satellite.
Reduced time spent on troubleshooting, freeing up the IT team to focus on more strategic initiatives.
Protection of revenue by ensuring a stable internet environment, as network downtime could have significant financial implications due to the impact on advertising dollars.