Movie Park Germany – Efficient network authentication

Movie Park Germany – Efficient network authentication for Movie Park Germany

The action-packed Movie Park Germany in Bottrop attracts hordes of visitors every year with spine-tingling attractions and unforgettable shows on 45 hectares. To ensure the park’s IT network runs securely and efficiently behind the scenes, Bechtle implemented a highly modern solution for secure network access to the LAN and WLAN using HPE Aruba components. The new technology means all of Movie Park Germany’s devices can communicate securely with each other so as not to put a dampener on visitors’ day.

Project details.

Services

IT Security
Networking Solutions

Industry

Trade / Service

Manufacturer

HPE Aruba Networking

Company size

250 – 1,500 employees

Challenge.

Movie Park Germany is one of the country’s largest theme parks, covering an area of 45 hectares packed full of attractions and spectacular shows that allow you to immerse yourself in the world of film. Behind the scenes, however, a dynamic theme park attracting large number of visitors every year also needs an IT infrastructure that is as powerful as it is secure. The devices used around the park—from computers and cash registers to card readers and multimedia players—need to communicate seamlessly with each to ensure day-to-day business runs smoothly. For guests to enjoy an action-packed day, stable and reliable network connections are as important as great rides and sensational shows. The infrastructure needs to be able to stay up and running even at peak times when up to 5,000 extra devices are connected to the park’s own Wi-Fi. To make sure that only authorised users and devices are able to access the network, Movie Park Germany were looking to boost IT security and facilitate the management of IT resources. What’s more, the park’s staff need to be able to quickly identify which devices are active on the network and who is trying to get access. With this in mind, the search was on for a flexible and future-proof solution that could be tailored to meet Movie Park’s unusual demands all while delivering a great experience to its visitors. In addition, the solution should be easy to implement and support the integration of all existing systems and devices.

Our collaboration with Bechtle was second to none. Implementation went very smoothly and was carried out exactly as we expected, and thanks to Bechtle’s flexibility, the rollout could happen on the days we were closed. In short, the project was a lot of fun, very interesting and exactly what we were looking for. The new solution has given us considerably more security and allows us to more efficiently manage our network.

Dominik Brocks, IT Coordinator, Movie Park Germany GmbH

Solution.

Movie Park Germany had already worked successfully with Bechtle’s specialists and benefited from their extensive expertise, which is why the IT provider was chosen to implement network access controls (NAC). After a thorough analysis of the IT infrastructure in place and Movie Park’s specific needs, Bechtle put together a custom network authentication solution based on HPE Aruba Clearpass. This solution was then implemented according to best practices while the park was closed to ensure that operations and the visitor experience were not impacted. To this end, Bechtle detailed all of the devices on site—from Aruba switches and access points to Fortinet firewalls—before integrating them into the new solution. At the heart of the network authentication solution is an HPE Aruba Clearpass cluster—a powerful system that only allows authorised devices and users to access the LAN and WLAN. At the same time, Clearpass assigns new devices to the correct network segment by using a set of rules defined by Bechtle in collaboration with the park’s IT team in a workshop, considerably simplifying administration and boosting security. The solution is supported by a Fortigate cluster that adds an extra layer of security to the network connections. By combining these technologies, the result is network access is not only secure, but also extremely stable, even during peak times.

Business benefits.

Within just three weeks, Bechtle seamlessly integrated all existing components into the new network authentication solution to take security to a whole new level. The park’s IT team can now see which devices and users are accessing the network at any given time, which not only ensures greater transparency and security, but also simplifies the management of network resources as the IT team can now monitor which devices are active in the network in real time and immediately detect and respond to suspicious activity. To close potential gaps in security and minimise the risk of attacks on the network, only authorised devices and users are given access. What’s more, the system is now audit proof as there is an accurate log of who has accessed the network when. The new solution is so flexible that Movie Park Germany will be able to quickly react to future needs. Whether that’s new attractions or technical devices, the network infrastructure is ready for anything. Implemented by Bechtle with precision, visitors can now enjoy their day, while an invisible safety net ensures that everything runs smoothly in the background. Another spectacular chapter in Movie Park’s story of success.