Cisco Network Delivers Efficiency Gains for Hamburg Port Authority

Operating Costs Reduced by EUR3.9 Million, Number of Network Components Halved, Faster Communication with Videoconferencing

MUNICH – Feb. 14, 2012 – The Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) bases its services on a comprehensive Cisco network. The network unites four formerly separate infrastructures – for radar, rail, telephony and IT systems. Cisco  hardware now being used includes Cisco Nexus® and Cisco Catalyst® switches, Catalyst wireless controllers, security routers, a Cisco ASA firewall, a Cisco CallManager and Cisco IP Phones. The solution has helped to enable the HPA to reduce its operating and management costs while at the same time benefiting from a more powerful network with higher availability.

Cargo containers can now be routed faster by water, road and rail than before, and freight forwarders and private individuals alike benefit from fewer consignment holdups and stoppages. To improve communication between employees, the Hamburg Port Authority has also rolled out a new videoconferencing solution, consisting of Cisco TelePresence® room systems and the Cisco WebEx® online conferencing solution.

Improved Traffic Management and Communication

Thanks to the more advanced network with higher availability, 12,000 ships and 83 rail transport companies from various countries, plus truck and car traffic in the port of Hamburg can now be managed much more efficiently. At the same time, communication and coordination between employees has been streamlined by the videoconferencing systems. Mobile working is now possible for the first time too, thanks to the embedded WLAN technology. This helps every employee anywhere inside the port area to access contacts, data and applications.

Thanks to the new network infrastructure, HPA will be able to bring down its operating costs over a period of seven years from EUR5.3 million to EUR1.5 million. The number of network components has been halved, to 200, and the number of core locations has been reduced from 16 to 10. In spite of this consolidation, the network is still resilient. It also supports large-scale server virtualization, and the HPA now runs its infrastructure on 48 instead of 242 servers, supporting the organization to cut its capital costs to EUR576,000, or one-fifth of what they were previously.

Supporting Quotes

• Dr. Sebastian Saxe, CIO, Hamburg Port Authority

“Our vision was to enable users to connect easily to the new HPA_Net from anywhere in the port, no matter what device they’re using. We’ve succeeded in delivering that vision with a smart, comprehensive network from Cisco. It was clear from the outset that we would choose Cisco technology. Based on past experience while working for a previous employer, I knew their solutions were outstanding. What’s more, Cisco is the largest vendor in this field and stands for long-term viability and state-of-the-art technology.”

About Cisco

Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO, news, filings) is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com. Cisco equipment in Europe is supplied by Cisco Systems International BV, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cisco Systems, Inc.

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