KEO Replaces VPNs with NetFoundry’s Zero Trust Network
KEO
KEO International Consultants, a global leader in architecture, engineering, and project management, has been at the forefront of delivering iconic projects for over 57 years. Ranked among the top international firms by ENR and World Architecture, KEO’s mission is to drive innovation and create remarkable experiences.
To support its global operations and diverse workforce, KEO recognized the need to overhaul its network infrastructure and find a VPN replacement, ensuring seamless connectivity across project sites, branch offices, and remote locations.
KEO International Consultants transformed its network by partnering with NetFoundry to replace outdated MPLS and VPN technology, achieving over 50% cost savings and a 60% improvement in operational efficiency. This cloud-native, Zero Trust model enhances connectivity and security for KEO’s global workforce, supporting its innovation and digital transformation initiatives.
Case Study Highlights
Cost Reduction
Reduced network costs by over 50% with zero trust connectivity.
Global VPN Replacement
Enabled global workforce support with secure, agile cloud-native networking.
Rapid Deployment
Deployed secure networks in minutes, boosting operational efficiency by 60%.
Scaling Challenges Ahead
KEO needed a secure, cost-effective solution to replace inefficient MPLS circuits.
Obstacle
KEO faced numerous challenges in maintaining and scaling its global network. The reliance on MPLS private circuits and VPNs for secure access proved expensive, inefficient, and unable to support the organization’s growing connectivity needs. The existing VPN technology lacked modern security features and could not provide the robust, agile connectivity required to support their workforce efficiently. As KEO expanded its cloud presence through Azure in Europe, they needed a solution that could securely connect employees across branches, project sites, and remote locations, while reducing costs and improving performance. The firm planned to decommission their outdated MPLS circuits, but the lack of a scalable, secure alternative presented a significant hurdle. They also need a VPN replacement that is less of a burden to manage and maintain for all its customers, 3rd parties, vendors and partners.
Opportunity
KEO partnered with NetFoundry to leverage NetFoundry Cloud, its Zero Trust Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) platform. The solution provided a software-defined, cloud-native alternative to traditional networking models, allowing KEO to implement secure, micro-segmented connections from endpoints, branches, and cloud environments like Azure. The private secure network segments called AppNets were the perfect replacement for VPNs. The benefits of NetFoundry’s platform included:
- Agility: Enabled secure and reliable connectivity, resulting in a 60% improvement in operational efficiency.
- Software-Defined Networking: Eliminated the need for physical circuits and complex hardware, simplifying management and deployment.
- NaaS Model: A fully managed, operational expense model with all infrastructure maintained by NetFoundry.
- Cost Savings: Achieved more than a 50% reduction in costs compared to traditional MPLS circuits.
- Simplification: Unified a single, global, zero trust and SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) environment.
- Future-Proof Flexibility: A scalable solution that adapts to any use case and supports additional cloud and digital transformation initiatives.
Agile Secure Connectivity
NetFoundry’s AppNets deliver cost-effective, scalable, and software-defined networking.
“NetFoundy presented us with the opportunity to reset the old clichés and to disrupt long-standing operating models, creating a far more agile workforce and work itself. By collaborating with NetFoundry we are changing the game and building a highly agile digital organization to deliver unmatched innovation to our clients."
Damir Jaksic, Chief Information Officer, KEO International Consultants
Rapid Network Deployment
KEO swiftly builds secure, global networks, enhancing efficiency and operational flexibility.
Outcome
With the NetFoundry Cloud platform and AppNets, KEO transformed its global network into a fully programmable, cloud-native fabric. The firm can now deploy secure networks in minutes, allowing them to scale quickly and efficiently. By adopting NetFoundry’s NaaS model, KEO eliminated the need for dedicated IT resources to manage hardware and instead shifted their focus to delivering value to clients.
As a result, KEO achieved the following:
- Reduced network costs by over 50% while maintaining high throughput performance.
- Deployed secure networks rapidly, minimizing setup time from weeks to mere minutes.
- Supported a globally dispersed workforce and implemented “Work from Anywhere” initiatives seamlessly.
- Leveraged zero trust architecture and AppNets to provide military-grade security and secure web access, enhancing protection against cyber threats.
- Improved operational efficiency by approximately 60% through simplified network management.
- Reduced the risk of security breaches and vulnerabilities with a robust, end-to-end zero trust solution.
KEO’s network transformation exemplifies the power of cloud-native orchestration, allowing the company to manage zero trust, high-performance networks across the globe efficiently and securely.
VPN Replacement with NetFoundry AppNets
KEO International Consultants successfully transformed its networking infrastructure with NetFoundry’s Zero Trust NaaS platform. By replacing outdated MPLS circuits and VPN technology, KEO achieved significant cost savings, improved network performance, and enabled secure, agile connectivity for its global workforce. The collaboration between KEO and NetFoundry laid the foundation for further cloud-first initiatives and digital transformation, enhancing KEO’s ability to deliver innovative solutions to its clients.
Secure Connectivity Redefined
KEO replaces MPLS and VPN, achieving cost savings and enhanced performance.
About NetFoundry
Networking once limited application innovation and automation, with security and performance improvements often added as an afterthought. NetFoundry is transforming cybersecurity by embedding zero trust networking directly into code. Our NetFoundry Cloud solution integrates zero trust networking as software within apps, APIs, IoT devices, and critical infrastructure—rendering these assets invisible and unreachable to attackers.
As the world’s first programmable, cloud-native, zero trust network, NetFoundry Cloud delivers unmatched scale, concurrency, and performance. It empowers developers, network engineers, DevOps, and cloud teams to programmatically manage private, high-performance, zero trust networking with ease.
Built on the NetFoundry Platform and the Ziti architecture, our solution is available as open-source via the OpenZiti project, the world’s most widely integrated and trusted open-source networking platform. With NetFoundry, secure, zero trust networking is no longer an afterthought—it’s engineered directly into the core of digital infrastructure.