Advancing innovation in medical manufacturing and distribution
Customer Profile
Tamer Group began as the first pharmacy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and has today grown to become a leading healthcare, beauty care, prestige products, and fast moving consumer goods company responding to the growing needs of the Saudi and Middle East communities. The Group’s core activities include import, distribution, promotion, marketing and manufacturing.- Vertical: Healthcare, Manufacturing
- Location: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Customer size: 13 Branches across Saudi Arabia, 2 warehouses having Aruba infrastructure
Use Case
Establish robust wired and wireless network infrastructure to support enterprise mobility, secure guest access, and roll out of IoT initiatives
Requirements
- Simplified, centralised management
- Secure, high-performance, reliable network
- Simple and secure Wi-Fi access
Solution
Outcomes
- Combines robust security features with market-leading reliability and performance
- Reduces total cost of ownership of the network by 25%
- Enables enterprise mobility and modernisation of warehouses and manufacturing facilities
By continuously innovating to stay at the forefront of the industry, Tamer Group grew from being Saudi Arabia’s first pharmacy, into one of the largest healthcare companies in the region. As its operations expanded and modernised, the Group recognised that enterprise mobility and automation of its manufacturing processes would be essential.
“Our operations are heavily dependent on engagements with third-party vendors and contractors who regularly visit our branches, and so is the efficiency with which we can manufacture the healthcare products we supply to the market,” said Qutaybah Ghunaim, IT Operations Manager at Tamer Group. “We needed a robust, high-performance network that could deliver secure connectivity for guests, employees, and IoT devices.”
“Our operations are heavily dependent on engagements with third-party vendors and contractors who regularly visit our branches, and so is the efficiency with which we can manufacture the healthcare products we supply to the market,” said Qutaybah Ghunaim, IT Operations Manager at Tamer Group. “We needed a robust, high-performance network that could deliver secure connectivity for guests, employees, and IoT devices.”
Pioneering the Regional Pharmaceutical Industry
In addition to being the official distributor for several global leading healthcare, beauty, and fast-moving consumer goods in the region, Tamer Group also manufactures its own line of pharmaceutical products.
The company has 13 operations centres across Saudi Arabia and operates two of the country’s largest healthcare manufacturing and warehousing facilities.
Addressing unauthorised access
As a hyper-scale distributor, the success of Tamer Group’s business relies on regular engagements with partners and suppliers. “We have numerous business partners visiting our branches on a daily basis, and providing them with world-class Wi-Fi connectivity is imperative to empowering them to work remotely,” said Ghunaim.
“However, we needed to find a better way to provide this connectivity, as previously, we had instances of unauthorised devices breaking in to our systems via this wireless network,” he added.
Mobilising warehouse staff
With the aim of modernising its warehouses to world-class levels, Tamer Group was keen to implement wireless handheld devices in its warehouses. “We own and operate one of the largest warehouses in the Middle East and recognised that providing seamless access to apps and data for warehouse personnel had the potential to significantly enhance their productivity,” said Ghunaim.
To achieve these objectives, Tamer Group decided to upgrade its wired and wireless networks, choosing Aruba for its unified infrastructure and zero-trust security with consistent management and role-based policy automation across both LAN and WLAN infrastructure.
Comprehensive Features and Impressive Value
According to Ghunaim, Aruba’s network architecture offers the ‘best of all worlds’ as it combines market-leading security features, with proven reliability to offer an ‘unmatched value proposition’.
“When comparing to two other major global providers, we found that Aruba offered the best architecture and resulting experiences, while enabling a 25% lower total cost of ownership. This value was simply mind-blowing,” he said.
“Our assessment of Aruba’s capabilities has been affirmed, as in the two years since we deployed Aruba’s switches and wireless access points, we have never had to raise a single support ticket! In fact, we’ve never had a single instance of a device breaking down,” said Ghunaim.
“When comparing to two other major global providers, we found that Aruba offered the best architecture and resulting experiences, while enabling a 25% lower total cost of ownership. This value was simply mind-blowing,” he said.
A Significant Performance Boost
Today, all aspects of Tamer Group’s operations are ultimately dependent on the network – from its sales to its supply chain. “Every second that a medicine isn’t in a fridge or refrigerated truck, we run the risk of its quality being impacted. Similarly, if the network slows down, it translates to a reduction in the number of invoices we can process and the sales we can execute,” said Ghunaim.
With its 10G backbone and high-speed wireless access points, Aruba has enabled Tamer Group to effectively double the Wi-Fi speed for end users. “The experience has been so impressive that it resulted in a surge in network utilisation, to the point where we had to increase the amount of bandwidth we purchase,” said Ghunaim. “At the same time, we have experienced a significant reduction in support calls related to connectivity.”
Seamless, centralised control
Using Aruba’s controllers, Ghunaim and his team have been able to easily segment network access and enforce policies based on user profiles. “We broadcast different SSIDs from the same access point and in this way, offer isolated network access for contractors, employees, and our management,” he explained.
The controllers have also simplified management of the vast number of Aruba APs that are spread across the company’s expansive network of 13 sites across the Kingdom. “We are now empowered to proactively monitor the network, easily apply patches, and troubleshoot potential issues – all from a single pane of glass,” said Ghunaim.
Innovation in the region’s most advanced warehouse
Tamer Group owns and operates one of the largest and most advanced warehouses in the region. Aruba ensured that this multi-million-dollar complex has a network that is up to the mark. “Aruba’s local team created a detailed RF coverage heatmap and provided an exceptional design that now enables over 2,000 devices to connect simultaneously. Since going live, we’ve never faced an issue,” said Ghunaim.
“We have been able to provide our warehouse staff with handheld devices for a completely wireless experience. In this way, the network enables them to have instant access to the information they need, no matter where they are in this expansive facility,” he added.
Close tracking of the average handling time for both inbound and outbound products revealed that shortly after the Aruba architecture was implemented, Tamer Group was able to achieve marked reductions in both these KPIs. Similarly, by helping reduce processing times, Aruba has contributed to the recent decrease in damaged and returned stocks that the Group has seen. This has been thanks to increased efficiencies in operation which lead to faster turnaround times, and therefore, minimising the impact on the products and goods.
Flexibility and support stand out
Offering an example of the flexibility that the new network provides, and the world-class support that the local team offers, Ghunaim said, “During the COVID-19 pandemic, our primary VPN provider was not very supportive in meeting new demands. So, Aruba’s team stepped in and in just three days, offered a solution wherein we could utilise our core switches as VPN hosts.”
“While ultimately we were able to come to an agreement with our VPN provider, this stood as proof of the incredible commitment of Aruba’s team, and the capabilities of their architecture,” he said.
A Robust Network
Tamer Group’s network is comprised of a combination of 10 Aruba core and distribution switches, and 117 Aruba access switches.
The Group has implemented Aruba 7205 mobility controllers and AirWave to unify the management of the wired LAN and the large number of Aruba AP-310 and AP-510 series access points that are deployed across its branches and warehouses.
“While ultimately we were able to come to an agreement with our VPN provider, this stood as proof of the incredible commitment of Aruba’s team, and the capabilities of their architecture,” he said.
A Clear Path Ahead
With network security being a key factor for Tamer Group, Ghunaim and his team are keen to implement Aruba ClearPass to further enhance access control and policy definition and enforcement automation. “We’re especially keen to restrict personal devices from being connected to our network and believe that ClearPass is the perfect solution to achieve the best NAC and onboarding process,” he said.
When comparing to two other major global providers, we found that Aruba offered the best architecture and resulting experiences, while enabling a 25% lower total cost of ownership. This value was simply mind-blowing, and we had to explain to the management that we were in fact selecting the most advanced solution.
Qutaybah Ghunaim, IT Operations Manager at Tamer Group Customer Profile
Tamer Group began as the first pharmacy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and has today grown to become a leading healthcare, beauty care, prestige products, and fast moving consumer goods company responding to the growing needs of the Saudi and Middle East communities. The Group’s core activities include import, distribution, promotion, marketing and manufacturing.- Vertical: Healthcare, Manufacturing
- Location: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Customer size: 13 Branches across Saudi Arabia, 2 warehouses having Aruba infrastructure
Use Case
Establish robust wired and wireless network infrastructure to support enterprise mobility, secure guest access, and roll out of IoT initiatives
Requirements
- Simplified, centralised management
- Secure, high-performance, reliable network
- Simple and secure Wi-Fi access
Solution
Outcomes
- Combines robust security features with market-leading reliability and performance
- Reduces total cost of ownership of the network by 25%
- Enables enterprise mobility and modernisation of warehouses and manufacturing facilities
By continuously innovating to stay at the forefront of the industry, Tamer Group grew from being Saudi Arabia’s first pharmacy, into one of the largest healthcare companies in the region. As its operations expanded and modernised, the Group recognised that enterprise mobility and automation of its manufacturing processes would be essential.
“Our operations are heavily dependent on engagements with third-party vendors and contractors who regularly visit our branches, and so is the efficiency with which we can manufacture the healthcare products we supply to the market,” said Qutaybah Ghunaim, IT Operations Manager at Tamer Group. “We needed a robust, high-performance network that could deliver secure connectivity for guests, employees, and IoT devices.”
“Our operations are heavily dependent on engagements with third-party vendors and contractors who regularly visit our branches, and so is the efficiency with which we can manufacture the healthcare products we supply to the market,” said Qutaybah Ghunaim, IT Operations Manager at Tamer Group. “We needed a robust, high-performance network that could deliver secure connectivity for guests, employees, and IoT devices.”
Pioneering the Regional Pharmaceutical Industry
In addition to being the official distributor for several global leading healthcare, beauty, and fast-moving consumer goods in the region, Tamer Group also manufactures its own line of pharmaceutical products.
The company has 13 operations centres across Saudi Arabia and operates two of the country’s largest healthcare manufacturing and warehousing facilities.
Addressing unauthorised access
As a hyper-scale distributor, the success of Tamer Group’s business relies on regular engagements with partners and suppliers. “We have numerous business partners visiting our branches on a daily basis, and providing them with world-class Wi-Fi connectivity is imperative to empowering them to work remotely,” said Ghunaim.
“However, we needed to find a better way to provide this connectivity, as previously, we had instances of unauthorised devices breaking in to our systems via this wireless network,” he added.
Mobilising warehouse staff
With the aim of modernising its warehouses to world-class levels, Tamer Group was keen to implement wireless handheld devices in its warehouses. “We own and operate one of the largest warehouses in the Middle East and recognised that providing seamless access to apps and data for warehouse personnel had the potential to significantly enhance their productivity,” said Ghunaim.
To achieve these objectives, Tamer Group decided to upgrade its wired and wireless networks, choosing Aruba for its unified infrastructure and zero-trust security with consistent management and role-based policy automation across both LAN and WLAN infrastructure.
Comprehensive Features and Impressive Value
According to Ghunaim, Aruba’s network architecture offers the ‘best of all worlds’ as it combines market-leading security features, with proven reliability to offer an ‘unmatched value proposition’.
“When comparing to two other major global providers, we found that Aruba offered the best architecture and resulting experiences, while enabling a 25% lower total cost of ownership. This value was simply mind-blowing,” he said.
“Our assessment of Aruba’s capabilities has been affirmed, as in the two years since we deployed Aruba’s switches and wireless access points, we have never had to raise a single support ticket! In fact, we’ve never had a single instance of a device breaking down,” said Ghunaim.
“When comparing to two other major global providers, we found that Aruba offered the best architecture and resulting experiences, while enabling a 25% lower total cost of ownership. This value was simply mind-blowing,” he said.
A Significant Performance Boost
Today, all aspects of Tamer Group’s operations are ultimately dependent on the network – from its sales to its supply chain. “Every second that a medicine isn’t in a fridge or refrigerated truck, we run the risk of its quality being impacted. Similarly, if the network slows down, it translates to a reduction in the number of invoices we can process and the sales we can execute,” said Ghunaim.
With its 10G backbone and high-speed wireless access points, Aruba has enabled Tamer Group to effectively double the Wi-Fi speed for end users. “The experience has been so impressive that it resulted in a surge in network utilisation, to the point where we had to increase the amount of bandwidth we purchase,” said Ghunaim. “At the same time, we have experienced a significant reduction in support calls related to connectivity.”
Seamless, centralised control
Using Aruba’s controllers, Ghunaim and his team have been able to easily segment network access and enforce policies based on user profiles. “We broadcast different SSIDs from the same access point and in this way, offer isolated network access for contractors, employees, and our management,” he explained.
The controllers have also simplified management of the vast number of Aruba APs that are spread across the company’s expansive network of 13 sites across the Kingdom. “We are now empowered to proactively monitor the network, easily apply patches, and troubleshoot potential issues – all from a single pane of glass,” said Ghunaim.
Innovation in the region’s most advanced warehouse
Tamer Group owns and operates one of the largest and most advanced warehouses in the region. Aruba ensured that this multi-million-dollar complex has a network that is up to the mark. “Aruba’s local team created a detailed RF coverage heatmap and provided an exceptional design that now enables over 2,000 devices to connect simultaneously. Since going live, we’ve never faced an issue,” said Ghunaim.
“We have been able to provide our warehouse staff with handheld devices for a completely wireless experience. In this way, the network enables them to have instant access to the information they need, no matter where they are in this expansive facility,” he added.
Close tracking of the average handling time for both inbound and outbound products revealed that shortly after the Aruba architecture was implemented, Tamer Group was able to achieve marked reductions in both these KPIs. Similarly, by helping reduce processing times, Aruba has contributed to the recent decrease in damaged and returned stocks that the Group has seen. This has been thanks to increased efficiencies in operation which lead to faster turnaround times, and therefore, minimising the impact on the products and goods.
Flexibility and support stand out
Offering an example of the flexibility that the new network provides, and the world-class support that the local team offers, Ghunaim said, “During the COVID-19 pandemic, our primary VPN provider was not very supportive in meeting new demands. So, Aruba’s team stepped in and in just three days, offered a solution wherein we could utilise our core switches as VPN hosts.”
“While ultimately we were able to come to an agreement with our VPN provider, this stood as proof of the incredible commitment of Aruba’s team, and the capabilities of their architecture,” he said.
A Robust Network
Tamer Group’s network is comprised of a combination of 10 Aruba core and distribution switches, and 117 Aruba access switches.
The Group has implemented Aruba 7205 mobility controllers and AirWave to unify the management of the wired LAN and the large number of Aruba AP-310 and AP-510 series access points that are deployed across its branches and warehouses.
“While ultimately we were able to come to an agreement with our VPN provider, this stood as proof of the incredible commitment of Aruba’s team, and the capabilities of their architecture,” he said.
A Clear Path Ahead
With network security being a key factor for Tamer Group, Ghunaim and his team are keen to implement Aruba ClearPass to further enhance access control and policy definition and enforcement automation. “We’re especially keen to restrict personal devices from being connected to our network and believe that ClearPass is the perfect solution to achieve the best NAC and onboarding process,” he said.
When comparing to two other major global providers, we found that Aruba offered the best architecture and resulting experiences, while enabling a 25% lower total cost of ownership. This value was simply mind-blowing, and we had to explain to the management that we were in fact selecting the most advanced solution.
Qutaybah Ghunaim, IT Operations Manager at Tamer Group
