Dafgårds is building a reliable network for round-the-clock production
When production never stops, the network has to function – all the time. Together with NetNordic, Dafgårds has modernized its network environment using Extreme Networks. The result is greater operational reliability, better redundancy, and more automation in day-to-day IT operations.
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Stability is essential in continuous production
Dafgårds is Sweden’s largest family-owned company in the food industry and has its roots in Källby, where the company has been preparing food since 1937. All production still takes place there, and Dafgårds’ products reach the consumer market as well as restaurants and institutional kitchens.
Production runs around the clock, year-round. Therefore, the IT infrastructure has to be reliable and available – as any network outage risks having a direct impact on operations.
A network that is available 24 hours a day
When Dafgård’s existing network platform approached its end of life in 2021, it marked the start of a major modernization effort. The goal was not only to replace older equipment, but also to create a significantly more reliable and redundant network environment.
One major challenge was to increase redundancy in the network and meet the need for higher availability and performance. At the same time, the infrastructure needed to be able to scale with the business as new production halls and other parts of the facility expanded.
Extreme Fabric Connect and NetNordic
Dafgårds was looking for a partner with a high level of expertise and experience with Extreme Networks and chose NetNordic.
With Extreme Fabric Connect, Dafgårds has built a network environment in which redundancy and high availability are key components. At the same time, the solution makes it easier for the IT department to keep up the pace with the business’s rapid rate of change.
Automation has also taken on an important role. Tasks that previously had to be handled manually can now be automated. One example is the deployment of the network throughout the factory – a process in which manual steps previously took time and carried a risk of errors.
Automation saves us time and reduces the risk of errors. At the same time, Fabric Connect has made it easier to build a network with the reliability and redundancy that our business requires.
Greater operational reliability and less impact in the event of disruptions
With the new network environment, Dafgårds has increased both operational reliability and redundancy while simplifying day-to-day management for the IT department.
During maintenance, the impact can be limited to the specific part of the operation in question. If a link goes down or equipment fails, the consequences are also minimized because the network is designed to handle disruptions without affecting large parts of the operation.
The result is a more stable network – and an IT infrastructure better suited for a business that operates around the clock.
More automation and enhanced security
The modernization continues. Dafgårds is working to replace the remaining parts of its older network equipment to further increase operational reliability.
At the same time, the company is looking at Extreme Control (NAC) as a potential next step to increase the level of automation and further strengthen security.
For Dafgårds, this initiative means a network platform that not only meets today’s requirements but also creates better conditions for continued development and expansion.
About Dafgårds
Gunnar Dafgård AB is Sweden’s largest family-owned company in the food industry. The company produces, sells, and distributes frozen and refrigerated foods for restaurants, institutional kitchens, and the consumer market. All food preparation takes place in the kitchen in Källby, located just outside Lidköping. The company has annual revenue of approximately 4.5 billion kronor and employs about 1,400 people.
