BÜCHI replaces expensive MPLS lines with Azure Virtual WAN.

Customer profile

For more than 80 years, BÜCHI Laboratory technology AG, based in Flawil, has been the world's leading supplier of laboratory technology solutions for R & D, quality assurance and production. Its customers include industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, food & beverages, animal feed, environmental analysis and universities. With the BÜCHI Foundation, the company also helps in crisis and emergency situations and is committed to human rights and disadvantaged cultural and social minorities.

The existing IT infrastructure could no longer cope with the constantly increasing demands on communication, collaboration and security of the globally active company. The internal IT team also needed to be relieved of routine tasks in order to create more capacity for innovation. Our cloud solution based on Azure, Intune and Microsoft 365 convinced BÜCHI's management. We were able to meet the high requirements in 12 months and successfully transfer the complex existing on premise environment into a hybrid cloud solution.

Reto Hossmann, Global Head of ICT BÜCHI, is convinced that Azure and Microsoft 365 have taken the innovative company a decisive step further.

{{Referenz (/buechi) | Reto Hossmann}}

Growth with Azure Integration Services

BÜCHI Labortechnik AG has an 80-year history of providing high-quality laboratory technology. The company is currently undergoing a digital transformation and relies on innovative tools to streamline processes and increase profits. Working with Microsoft Solutions Partner CloudFronts, BÜCHI has implemented Azure Integration Services to enable seamless integration of enterprise applications, data and processes. The integration is based on Azure API Management, Azure Service Bus, Azure Functions and Azure Logic Apps.

This enables BÜCHI to support real-time data exchange across various business-critical systems running on global platforms such as Salesforce, SAP, Infor LN and Akeneo. The solution improves data consistency, reduces operational costs and accelerates the development of new applications. BÜCHI plans to redefine its customer journey and create new business models by leveraging its data and aggregating best practices for customers.

Flexibly adaptable solutions

Integration is supported by Azure Integration Services, which provides flexible customisable solutions and keeps costs under control. Azure API Management enables the management of APIs and provides additional protection through security policies. Azure Logic Apps orchestrates workflows, while Azure Service Bus provides a reliable messaging infrastructure. The BÜCHI and CloudFronts solution also includes Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) with Azure DevOps to automate the provisioning and management of interfaces.

Azure Monitor enables comprehensive monitoring of the system and supports log and application performance analysis. The integration includes several Azure services such as Azure Virtual Network, Azure Files, Azure App Configuration and Azure Key Vault. By using managed Azure services, BÜCHI can customise the solution architecture without having to worry about managing the underlying infrastructure. Working with Microsoft and using Azure Integration Services supports BÜCHI's strategy to digitise the customer experience, lab operations and internal processes.

The flexible and scalable Azure Integration Services solution enables BÜCHI to manage its complex environment efficiently and implement changes quickly. The company plans to exploit the full potential of the Azure platform to grow further and to use innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) in the future. By working with Microsoft and migrating to cloud services, BÜCHI has strengthened its digital transformation strategy and created added value for its customers.

This reference refers, among others, to this source in the customers.microsoft.com portal.

Facts and figures

Starting point and objectives

The existing on premise environment no longer met Büchi's requirements.

For example, the existing MPLS lines and the local servers caused high costs due to on-site support. The Citrix platform was due for an expensive update and the existing client management solution was not flexible enough, had security flaws and could no longer meet the demands of the employees.

Solution

We built a hybrid cloud infrastructure with Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365. This significantly improved scalability, security and flexibility. In detail, we carried out these steps:

- Transition of the existing ICT services from the classic data centre provider to Microsoft 365 and Azure. The services for the individual locations were rolled out in the nearest Microsoft data centres to ensure maximum performance.
- Standardisation of Windows 10 clients and global rollout with Intune/Auto-Pilot.
- Replacement of the traditional MPLS network with Azure Virtual WAN
- Flexibilisation of the provision of new IT services through cloud services

Results

The Azure and Microsoft 365 services, which are distributed around the globe, have enabled solutions that would not have been possible in the traditional way.

Services and applications can be provided flexibly and scalably.

Thanks to the Azure Virtual WAN, communication costs could be significantly reduced without compromising on security and performance.

Many thanks for the great cooperation

We at Baggenstos are pleased that we were able to successfully implement the project and that the employees of BÜCHI Laboratory technology AG can now communicate with each other around the globe in a modern way and carry out their daily tasks efficiently.

We would like to thank you for the trust you have placed in us and for the productive and open cooperation!