Secure Networking Consolidation at Global Scale with HighPoint and Fortinet
Client Summary
A leading global financial information and analytics provider operating in more than 70 offices in over 35 countries required an approach to secure networking that would balance performance, security, and compliance on a global scale. Following a series of acquisitions, the organization’s infrastructure expanded rapidly, creating a highly distributed network estate made up of multiple security vendors and management tools. This architectural diversity increased operational complexity and cost, while making it harder to deliver the agility and resilience required of a modern, data-driven enterprise.
Recognizing the need to simplify, standardize, and secure its global network, the organization engaged HighPoint to develop a modernization roadmap built around a unified, high-performance security fabric.
The Challenge
Years of organic growth and merger activity created a complex mix of firewall vendors and management tools. The estate was costly to support and slow to change. The organization needed to:
- Standardize on a single platform without compromising performance or resilience
- Reduce total cost and complexity across hundreds of sites and tenants
- Enable demonstrable compliance with industry and financial regulatory requirements
- Accelerate response and change velocity with integrated tooling and automation
The Approach
Phase 1 – Standardize the Core
- Replaced legacy firewalls with FortiGate (physical and virtual)
- Implemented FortiManager and FortiAnalyzer to centralize operations, change control, and reporting
- Elevated observability with FortiMonitor to harden uptime and SLA performance
Phase 2 — Post-Acquisition Rationalization
- Built a data-driven takeout plan to replace a substantial legacy firewall footprint
- Performed a 3:1 consolidation: 192 competitive devices reduced to 106 properly sized FortiGate appliances
- Ran a reverse timeline migration plan with near-continuous weekend cutovers, completed on schedule for downstream commercial milestones
Phase 3 — Operational and Commercial Alignment
- Tuned policy baselines, dashboards, and reporting for steady-state operations
- Finalized an Enterprise Agreement to lock in scale economics and standardization benefits
- Renewed FortiMonitor to extend visibility across the modernized estate
Why Fortinet + HighPoint
The organization’s infrastructure leadership emphasized the need to transition from a fragmented set of tools to a converged secure-networking fabric. Fortinet’s integrated ecosystem improved time-to-detect, time-to-respond, and operational predictability while delivering stronger price-performance than the legacy environment.
HighPoint amplified this transformation by providing the strategic direction, disciplined execution, and operational uplift required to realize Fortinet’s full value. HighPoint delivered:
Roadmap and Governance
A multi-year platform strategy tied to acquisition timelines and business milestones.
Inventory and Contract Hygiene
Normalized asset records and contracts with descriptive tagging and AR/PO cross-references to simplify renewals and forecasting.
Migration Factory
A repeatable model for configuration conversion, policy rationalization, staging, cutovers, and rollbacks executed at global scale.
Operational Uplift
Centralized management, standardized policy baselines, and actionable reporting that reduced toil and improved change velocity.
The HighPoint Difference
Beyond technology and execution, the success of the program was anchored in the strength of the partnership. The organization consistently highlighted HighPoint’s responsiveness, flexibility, and ability to bring the right expertise into every conversation. HighPoint acted as an extension of the internal team, listening closely, adapting quickly, and proactively addressing challenges before they became blockers.
Whether navigating operational transitions, refining onboarding processes, or supporting evolving business priorities, HighPoint delivered with consistency, integrity, and clarity. This collaborative approach-built trust, accelerated decision-making, and ensured that the secure-networking program remained aligned to the organization’s long-term strategic objectives.
Results
Simplicity at Scale
A single platform and a 3:1 device reduction significantly lowered operational burden.
Regulatory Compliance
The modernized architecture provided clear visibility, consistent controls, and documented governance—supporting internal audit readiness and compliance with financial mandates associated with acquisition activity.
Lower TCO, Better Performance
Consolidation and rightsizing improved price-performance and footprint efficiency.
Faster Response and Change
Integrated tools and automation shortened detection-to-action windows and accelerated safe change.
Sustainable Model
A long-term agreement structure ensuring consistent support and predictable growth.
