The Wrong Network Costs More
Than
Most enterprise networks are assembled, not architected. Disparate switches, standalone access points, and bolted-on security create bottlenecks, single points of failure, and recurring costs that compound over time. We design converged infrastructure for South African businesses where switching, wireless, connectivity, and security operate as one system.
Why Matters
A converged ICT stack eliminates silos. Switching, wireless, connectivity, security, and edge systems share unified policy, centralised monitoring, and a single management platform. One architecture. One operational view.
Switching & Routing
Layer 3 routed access with OSPF and Equal-Cost Multi-Path (ECMP) routing. Broadcast domain segmentation eliminates bottlenecks and doubles available bandwidth across redundant links.
Power Delivery
IEEE 802.3bt PoE++ delivers up to 100W per port. Power Wi-Fi 7 access points, 4K PTZ cameras, and IoT controllers over existing Cat6a cabling without separate power runs.
Wireless Mobility
Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 6GHz Multi-Link Operation delivers sub-5ms latency and 320MHz channel width. Clean spectrum with zero legacy device interference.
Connectivity & Voice
Symmetrical DIA fiber with SD-WAN-managed 5G failover. Application-aware routing prioritises VoIP and video with DSCP 46 Expedited Forwarding across all paths.
Security Posture
Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) replaces broad VPN tunnels with granular, application-specific access. 24/7 Managed Detection and Response with MTTD under 15 minutes.
Edge Systems
IP surveillance on isolated 802.1X-secured VLANs. H.265 codec reduces 4K stream bandwidth to 8-10 Mbps. MAC Authentication Bypass prevents unauthorized device access.
The Network
Every device, application, and user depends on the switching and routing core. In high-density environments, the choice between Layer 2 and Layer 3 architecture dictates scalability, latency profiles, and failure domain boundaries.
Layer 2 switches deliver wire-speed forwarding using CAM tables but create large broadcast domains susceptible to ARP storms and STP convergence delays. Layer 3 switches integrate IP routing into the switching fabric with ASIC-based hardware, segmenting broadcast domains while matching Layer 2 speed.
The target architecture is a Routed Access design. Layer 3 boundaries are pushed to the access layer, minimising Spanning Tree scope. OSPF or EIGRP with Equal-Cost Multi-Path (ECMP) routing load-balances traffic across all available links, effectively doubling usable bandwidth.
IEEE 802.3bt
Wi-Fi 7 access points, 4K PTZ cameras, and industrial IoT controllers exceed the power delivery of earlier PoE standards. IEEE 802.3bt (PoE++) uses all four twisted pairs in a Cat6a cable to deliver up to 100W per port.
Autoclass allows devices to communicate exact power requirements during handshake, preventing budget over-allocation. Perpetual PoE keeps power active during switch reboots. Fast PoE powers devices before the switch OS fully loads.
PoE
Basic VoIP, Simple Sensors
PoE+
Wi-Fi 5/6, Standard IP Cameras
PoE++ Type 3
Wi-Fi 6E/7, Video Conferencing
PoE++ Type 4
LED Lighting, Industrial PCs
6GHz Spectrum.
The 6GHz band delivers 1,200 MHz of contiguous bandwidth restricted to high-efficiency devices. No legacy interference from Bluetooth, microwaves, or older Wi-Fi clients. This is a clean environment for real-time applications.
Multi-Link Operation (MLO)
Connects to 2.4, 5, and 6GHz bands simultaneously. Data transmits in parallel across bands or switches dynamically to avoid interference. Reduces latency by up to 80% compared to single-band operation.
4096-QAM Modulation
Increases modulation density from 1024-QAM to 4096-QAM, carrying 12 bits per symbol instead of 10. This delivers a 20% increase in peak throughput under strong signal conditions.
Preamble Puncturing
When interference occupies a small portion of a 320MHz channel, the access point punctures that segment rather than abandoning the entire channel. Throughput is maintained in complex RF environments.
Deterministic
The external link connects internal infrastructure to the internet and cloud services. Real-time VoIP and video collaboration require deterministic performance. Jitter below 30ms, packet loss under 1%, and symmetrical bandwidth are non-negotiable for voice quality.
SD-WAN abstracts physical links (fibre, broadband, 5G/LTE) into a single virtual network. Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD) probes monitor each path every 50ms. When a link experiences jitter or packet loss, sensitive traffic moves to an alternate path in sub-second intervals. Packet Duplication sends voice packets over two links simultaneously, ensuring zero interruption if one packet is lost.
Symmetrical Fiber (DIA)
Asymmetrical Broadband
Zero Trust.
Network security has shifted from protecting the perimeter to protecting the data and user, regardless of location. Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) replaces broad VPN tunnels with granular, application-specific access verified by identity, device posture, and request context.
ZTNA over VPN
Traditional VPNs grant broad network access after authentication. ZTNA creates a Software-Defined Perimeter where applications are invisible to the public internet. Access is granted per-application, per-session, after verifying user identity and device security posture.
EDR + MDR
Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) provides behaviour-based telemetry to spot anomalies. Managed Detection and Response (MDR) adds 24/7 human expertise for threat hunting and remediation. Target: MTTD under 15 minutes, MTTR under 60 minutes.
Encryption Standards
Data at Rest: AES-256-XTS with Self-Encrypting Drives (TCG Opal 2.0). Data in Transit: TLS 1.3 for application traffic, AES-256 IPsec tunnels for site-to-site links. Hardware-level encryption ensures zero performance degradation.
Target
These Key Performance Indicators define the minimum standard for a properly designed converged ICT stack. Every metric is tied to a published industry standard.
MTBF (Switches)
> 500,000 Hours
MIL-HDBK-217
VoIP Latency
< 150 ms (One-way)
ITU-T G.114
VoIP Jitter
< 30 ms
RFC 3550
VoIP Packet Loss
< 0.1%
ITU-T G.1010
Wireless Latency
< 5 ms
802.11be (Wi-Fi 7)
SD-WAN Failover
< 1 Second
BFD Protocol
Encryption
AES-256-XTS
TCG Opal 2.0 / FIPS 140-2
Security MTTD
< 15 Minutes
MDR / SOC Standard
Availability
99.999%
Five Nines Reliability
Frequently Asked
Direct answers to common questions about network architecture, standards, and performance benchmarks.
TECHNOLOGY
We design around business outcomes, not vendor incentives. Standards-compliant hardware from leading manufacturers ensures interoperability and long-term support.
Build Your
We review your current network topology, pinpoint performance gaps and security vulnerabilities, and design a converged architecture tailored to your operational requirements. No obligation, just expert guidance.