The main tasks of power engineers include uninterrupted and high-quality energy supply to consumers. However, at each new period of time, such problems have to be solved taking into account the new technological base. One of the priority activities of Azerenergy OJSC today is the digitalization of the power grid complex in order to achieve a qualitatively new level in the field of reliability, availability, efficiency and customer focus. In the process of reconstruction of the Main Management Scientific, Educational and Laboratory Complex of Azerenerji OJSC, the task of building a new network infrastructure arose. The goals of the project were to speed up the decision-making process, simplify and improve employee communications, and reduce capital and operating costs.

The design and deployment of the network infrastructure, taking into account all the requirements and wishes of the customer, as well as in full compliance with the high requirements for fault tolerance and performance in the reconstructed complex, was carried out by iTech Group. The project was implemented on the basis of Hewlett-Packard Enterprise equipment. A network of HPE switches for 2,000 ports was installed in the complex and the network infrastructure was configured accordingly. In total, about 160 km of cable were laid. As a result of the project, the customer received a data transmission network that will provide the required reliability, security and performance in the long term.

- The main management, scientific, educational and laboratory complex of Azerenergy OJSC is a rather complex facility with many premises and separate buildings, therefore, as equipment for creating a network infrastructure, we turned to the solutions of one of our long-standing and reliable partners represented by HPE. We have implemented many joint projects with this vendor and we are well aware of all the advantages of its solutions. In addition to delivering a product that delivers the best value for money and meets today's demands for hardware reliability, HPE Partners can always count on comprehensive support throughout the project. In particular, I would like to express special gratitude to the representative of the company, Orkhan Mirsadigov, for the professional approach and direct participation in the implementation of this project, as well as to the IT department of Azerenergy OJSC, thanks to which most of the project planning process was carried out jointly, - notes the Business Development Director company iTech Group Rovshan Akbarov.

The choice of the solution architecture for creating a scalable network infrastructure was based on the following customer requirements:

• High performance corporate data network.
• High level of information security.
• Reliability and round-the-clock availability of network services.
• Convenience and simplicity of administration and operation.
• The need for continuous connectivity between two geographically distributed divisions of Azerenerji OJSC.

- As part of the project to build a network infrastructure, in addition to laying a cable, deploying switching equipment and creating local jobs, we built a data center to meet the needs of the Azerenergy OJSC complex, which also uses HPE servers and data storage systems. In particular, we used HPE Synergy software-defined infrastructure, which allows you to instantly build and rebuild adaptive pools of physical and virtual computing resources, storage systems, and fabric, creating any configuration for any application or workload. In order to ensure network security at all levels, Fortinet firewalls were used, and consultations were held with the customer on the necessary equipment for conditioning the data center and providing it with solutions for uninterrupted operation. In addition, Aruba equipment was used to build network elements that require a wireless connection, and to ensure access control to the premises of the complex, we chose Anviz solutions, the software for which was finalized and localized for the needs of Azerenerji OJSC by specialists of our company. I want to emphasize that such a complex and non-standard project was carried out using the flexible Agile development methodology, which made it possible to avoid unnecessary costs and complete the work on time. This gave us the flexibility to make decisions. I would also like to note a clear understanding of the processes and readiness for any changes in the work on the part of the customer, - says project manager Tural Zargarov.

The solution of the iTech Group company to build a corporate network infrastructure based on Hewlett-Packard Enterprise equipment ensured the following tasks:

• Reliability and fault tolerance of the data center network infrastructure;
• High performance network infrastructure;
• Centralized management and monitoring;
• Fail-safe connectivity between geographically distributed subdivisions of Azerenerji OJSC and remote offices of the company;
• Flexibility and scalability of the network infrastructure, which allows you to adapt the network to current needs at minimal cost.

- We were pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to equipping the complex of Azerenergy OJSC, which is of great importance for the energy system of Azerbaijan. Our solutions have passed all the necessary certification and meet the highest requirements of both commercial and government structures, - says Orkhan Mirsadigov, a representative of HPE. - A local HPE partner helped us realize the full potential of our products. Understanding by iTech Group specialists of all customer requirements, as well as the high technological competence of Azerenerji OJSC IT specialists, made it possible to work together on such a unique project.

- We opted for the offer of the iTech Group, because only here we found an excellent price / quality ratio, a wide range of products for the necessary segments, convenience and ease of initial setup, as well as compliance with modern requirements for equipment reliability. In addition, our specialists attended trainings specially organized by the project executor, which helped a lot to understand the fine-tuning of devices. A wide range of HPE business products has covered all needs in network design and installation, from access points and switches to edge gateways. The jointly developed unified scenario for the deployment of the network infrastructure reduced the launch time of the restored complex of Azerenergy OJSC to a minimum, allowing not only to fully satisfy the current functional needs, but also providing an opportunity for the development of all systems in the future, the director notes