Digitally transforming a beloved amusement park
Customer Profile
Parc Astérix, 35km north of Paris, extends over almost 97 hectares, with 47 attractions, three hotels, and 34 food outlets. There are also 2400 employees working in over 200 professions, all supported by an IT department in three areas of expertise: IT infrastructures, IT support, and telecom and digital networks.- Vertical: Networking, Cloud
- Location: Plailly, France
- Customer size: 260 employees + 1000 seasonal workers per year, 2.6 million visitors in 2022, 42 attractions across 97 hectares
Vision
Deploy a modernized infrastructure that optimizes visitor experiences and adapts to meet future requirements.
Objectives
- Modernize the network
- Deliver all information in real time
- Implement automated, intelligent security management
- Prepare for the arrival of new technologies
Solution
Outcomes
- Secure and reliable connectivity throughout the park
- Reduced network downtime and troubleshooting
- Real-time data analysis
An amusement park as big as a small town
For over 30 years, Parc Astérix has been a dream come true for families, with a range of entertaining and thrilling adventures. 35 km north of Paris, it’s an explosive mix of 47 attractions and shows staged in six ‘worlds’ retracing the adventures of the famous Gaul.
It is the second-largest amusement park in France and has been able to evolve and reinvent itself by offering ever-more innovative projects. The park has displayed continuous growth over the last six years, with over 2.6 million visitors in 2022.
Currently, the amusement park extends over almost 100 hectares with its attractions, three hotels, and 34 food outlets. It really is a small town with 10,000 visitor.
There are also 2400 employees working in over 200 professions, all supported by an IT department based on three areas of expertise: IT infrastructures, IT support, and a telecom and digital networks team.
“The main success factor for our IT teams is that they have been released from this daily IT administration.” - Fabrice Martin, Head of IT, Parc Astérix, Compagnie des Alpes Group
Improved user experience
Fabrice Martin, head of IT at Parc Astérix, Compagnie des Alpes Group explains, “Parc Astérix’s vision is to constantly improve and offer new experiences to our customers, introducing new types of connectivity into existing areas, and seamlessly extending connectivity in new zones.”
The overall goal is to accelerate the company’s digital transformation to achieve the greatest possible satisfaction for customers and internal teams. Transformation adds value by increasing staff efficiency, improving customer services, and preparing the business for the future.
A more modern local network ready for the next 10 years
At the heart of the strategy implemented in Parc Astérix is an upgraded network system from HPE Aruba Networking. Over 200 HPE Aruba Networking CX switches reside in 160 technical rooms, spread over 97 hectares. The switches integrate connectivity for many different elements, such as video surveillance, ticketing offices, turnstiles, retail outlets, digital signage, and network access security.
“What’s really important for us is being able to capture all the data necessary for running the park and for analyzing our days.” - Fabrice Martin, Head of IT, Parc Astérix, Compagnie des Alpes Group.
Centralized information available in real time
The system collects and analyzes the data necessary to run the park, enabling staff to know how many people are entering the park in real time to efficiently manage lines and improve the experience for larger groups of visitors.
Beyond infrastructure, the solution includes services such as AI-enabled, cloud-native HPE Aruba Networking Central and HPE Aruba Networking ClearPass for centralized network security management and automation.
Fast provisioning
Aruba Edge Services Platform (ESP) improves processes with the help of tools such as Zero-Touch Provisioning (ZTP). ZTP allows fast, automated device provisioning with minimal manual intervention. To enhance change management, updates can be simulated, verified, and then activated in order to avoid any unwanted downtime. One key advantage of this cloud-native, AI-enabled solution is that Fabrice Martin’s IT team benefits from all experiences of previous similar deployments, globally.
Automated network configurations
HPE Aruba Networking ClearPass enables secure policy-based segmentation of the network based on user profiles and the network’s management policies. There is no longer a need to manage hundreds of access control lists on switches and routers. Everything is automated centrally, with the same policies deployed to all switches from HPE Aruba Networking ClearPass. Admin tasks and cost of change management are significantly reduced, errors are avoided, and the IT team can concentrate on adding value for park employees and visitors.
Parc Asterix’s new infrastructure is now ready for the arrival of new services like Wi-Fi, geolocation, additional retail outlets, more security cameras, and even the seamless and secure integration of third-party platforms.
“Who would have believed that we, the indomitable Gauls, would one day let digital technology into our village?” - Fabrice Martin, Head of IT, Parc Astérix, Compagnie des Alpes Group.
A sustainable solution
The project is now fully operational and aligns with the park’s circular economy principle. Parc Astérix is committed to environmental responsibility and has already developed a sustainability strategy that aims to restore areas and wetlands after each building project, reduce waste, and lower its carbon footprint through initiatives like the use of reusable tableware. It wants its IT department to follow the same path. As a result, the framework agreement with HPE Aruba Networking is committed to sustainable innovation, whereby old equipment is bought back, recycled, refurbished, and resold. Both companies therefore have reduced their direct and indirect emissions.
Parc Astérix’s vision is to constantly improve and offer new experiences to our customers, introducing new types of connectivity into existing areas, and seamlessly extending connectivity in new zones.
Fabrice Martin, Head of IT, Parc Astérix, Compagnie des Alpes Group Customer Profile
Parc Astérix, 35km north of Paris, extends over almost 97 hectares, with 47 attractions, three hotels, and 34 food outlets. There are also 2400 employees working in over 200 professions, all supported by an IT department in three areas of expertise: IT infrastructures, IT support, and telecom and digital networks.- Vertical: Networking, Cloud
- Location: Plailly, France
- Customer size: 260 employees + 1000 seasonal workers per year, 2.6 million visitors in 2022, 42 attractions across 97 hectares
Vision
Deploy a modernized infrastructure that optimizes visitor experiences and adapts to meet future requirements.
Objectives
- Modernize the network
- Deliver all information in real time
- Implement automated, intelligent security management
- Prepare for the arrival of new technologies
Solution
Outcomes
- Secure and reliable connectivity throughout the park
- Reduced network downtime and troubleshooting
- Real-time data analysis
An amusement park as big as a small town
For over 30 years, Parc Astérix has been a dream come true for families, with a range of entertaining and thrilling adventures. 35 km north of Paris, it’s an explosive mix of 47 attractions and shows staged in six ‘worlds’ retracing the adventures of the famous Gaul.
It is the second-largest amusement park in France and has been able to evolve and reinvent itself by offering ever-more innovative projects. The park has displayed continuous growth over the last six years, with over 2.6 million visitors in 2022.
Currently, the amusement park extends over almost 100 hectares with its attractions, three hotels, and 34 food outlets. It really is a small town with 10,000 visitor.
There are also 2400 employees working in over 200 professions, all supported by an IT department based on three areas of expertise: IT infrastructures, IT support, and a telecom and digital networks team.
“The main success factor for our IT teams is that they have been released from this daily IT administration.” - Fabrice Martin, Head of IT, Parc Astérix, Compagnie des Alpes Group
Improved user experience
Fabrice Martin, head of IT at Parc Astérix, Compagnie des Alpes Group explains, “Parc Astérix’s vision is to constantly improve and offer new experiences to our customers, introducing new types of connectivity into existing areas, and seamlessly extending connectivity in new zones.”
The overall goal is to accelerate the company’s digital transformation to achieve the greatest possible satisfaction for customers and internal teams. Transformation adds value by increasing staff efficiency, improving customer services, and preparing the business for the future.
A more modern local network ready for the next 10 years
At the heart of the strategy implemented in Parc Astérix is an upgraded network system from HPE Aruba Networking. Over 200 HPE Aruba Networking CX switches reside in 160 technical rooms, spread over 97 hectares. The switches integrate connectivity for many different elements, such as video surveillance, ticketing offices, turnstiles, retail outlets, digital signage, and network access security.
“What’s really important for us is being able to capture all the data necessary for running the park and for analyzing our days.” - Fabrice Martin, Head of IT, Parc Astérix, Compagnie des Alpes Group.
Centralized information available in real time
The system collects and analyzes the data necessary to run the park, enabling staff to know how many people are entering the park in real time to efficiently manage lines and improve the experience for larger groups of visitors.
Beyond infrastructure, the solution includes services such as AI-enabled, cloud-native HPE Aruba Networking Central and HPE Aruba Networking ClearPass for centralized network security management and automation.
Fast provisioning
Aruba Edge Services Platform (ESP) improves processes with the help of tools such as Zero-Touch Provisioning (ZTP). ZTP allows fast, automated device provisioning with minimal manual intervention. To enhance change management, updates can be simulated, verified, and then activated in order to avoid any unwanted downtime. One key advantage of this cloud-native, AI-enabled solution is that Fabrice Martin’s IT team benefits from all experiences of previous similar deployments, globally.
Automated network configurations
HPE Aruba Networking ClearPass enables secure policy-based segmentation of the network based on user profiles and the network’s management policies. There is no longer a need to manage hundreds of access control lists on switches and routers. Everything is automated centrally, with the same policies deployed to all switches from HPE Aruba Networking ClearPass. Admin tasks and cost of change management are significantly reduced, errors are avoided, and the IT team can concentrate on adding value for park employees and visitors.
Parc Asterix’s new infrastructure is now ready for the arrival of new services like Wi-Fi, geolocation, additional retail outlets, more security cameras, and even the seamless and secure integration of third-party platforms.
“Who would have believed that we, the indomitable Gauls, would one day let digital technology into our village?” - Fabrice Martin, Head of IT, Parc Astérix, Compagnie des Alpes Group.
A sustainable solution
The project is now fully operational and aligns with the park’s circular economy principle. Parc Astérix is committed to environmental responsibility and has already developed a sustainability strategy that aims to restore areas and wetlands after each building project, reduce waste, and lower its carbon footprint through initiatives like the use of reusable tableware. It wants its IT department to follow the same path. As a result, the framework agreement with HPE Aruba Networking is committed to sustainable innovation, whereby old equipment is bought back, recycled, refurbished, and resold. Both companies therefore have reduced their direct and indirect emissions.
Parc Astérix’s vision is to constantly improve and offer new experiences to our customers, introducing new types of connectivity into existing areas, and seamlessly extending connectivity in new zones.
Fabrice Martin, Head of IT, Parc Astérix, Compagnie des Alpes Group Customer Profile
Parc Astérix, 35km north of Paris, extends over almost 97 hectares, with 47 attractions, three hotels, and 34 food outlets. There are also 2400 employees working in over 200 professions, all supported by an IT department in three areas of expertise: IT infrastructures, IT support, and telecom and digital networks.- Vertical: Networking, Cloud
- Location: Plailly, France
- Customer size: 260 employees + 1000 seasonal workers per year, 2.6 million visitors in 2022, 42 attractions across 97 hectares
