F5 Case Studies American Systems' Cloud-Based Emergency Notification System: A Case Study

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	American Systems' Cloud-Based Emergency Notification System: A Case Study F5

American Systems' Cloud-Based Emergency Notification System: A Case Study

Technology Category	Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Computing Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Databases
Applicable Industries	Cities & Municipalities National Security & Defense
Applicable Functions	Maintenance Quality Assurance
Use Cases	Leasing Finance Automation Search & Rescue
Services	Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services System Integration
Challenge	American Systems, a government services contractor, was tasked with developing and deploying a cloud-based version of its emergency notification system for the United States Air Force (USAF). The legacy Emergency Mass Notification System (EMNS) was reliable and secure, but required hardware installations at individual major commands and military bases, supporting approximately 700,000 users. The USAF realized that migrating the EMNS solution to the cloud could significantly reduce licensing, hardware, and maintenance costs, and make the system easier to scale and manage. However, the new cloud-based solution had to meet the stringent requirements of the Defense Information Systems Agency’s Secure Cloud Computing Architecture (SCCA). American Systems lacked the internal expertise to meet these requirements and needed a partner to help them tackle the SCCA requirements. Read More
About Customer	American Systems is a government services contractor that has been delivering IT and engineering solutions to the United States Armed Forces and other national priority programs since 1975. Based in Chantilly, Virginia, the company has won the Government Contractor of the Year award twice from the Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards. It has also been named a Top 50 Government Technology Contractor by the Washington Business Journal and listed as a 'Best of the Best' veteran-friendly company by U.S. Veterans Magazine. The company was tasked with developing and deploying a cloud-based version of its emergency notification system for the United States Air Force. Read More
Solution	American Systems chose Microsoft Azure as its cloud service provider and was referred to F5, a long-time Azure partner specializing in SCCA. F5 had previously developed a solution with Microsoft that runs on Azure and meets the SCCA requirements, called Secure Azure Computing Architecture (SACA). American Systems used F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition as its application delivery and security services platform for the cloud-based EMNS solution. The solution has two availability zones—one primary and one backup—with an internal and external BIG-IP VE instance. It also maintains a standby in a different geographic region within Azure, and identical architecture across the regions. Within a year, the cloud-based EMNS was successfully deployed at all major commands and 176 USAF bases around the world. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Computing

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Databases

Applicable Industries

Cities & Municipalities

National Security & Defense

Applicable Functions

Maintenance

Quality Assurance

Use Cases

Leasing Finance Automation

Search & Rescue

Services

Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services

System Integration

Challenge

American Systems, a government services contractor, was tasked with developing and deploying a cloud-based version of its emergency notification system for the United States Air Force (USAF). The legacy Emergency Mass Notification System (EMNS) was reliable and secure, but required hardware installations at individual major commands and military bases, supporting approximately 700,000 users. The USAF realized that migrating the EMNS solution to the cloud could significantly reduce licensing, hardware, and maintenance costs, and make the system easier to scale and manage. However, the new cloud-based solution had to meet the stringent requirements of the Defense Information Systems Agency’s Secure Cloud Computing Architecture (SCCA). American Systems lacked the internal expertise to meet these requirements and needed a partner to help them tackle the SCCA requirements.

About Customer

American Systems is a government services contractor that has been delivering IT and engineering solutions to the United States Armed Forces and other national priority programs since 1975. Based in Chantilly, Virginia, the company has won the Government Contractor of the Year award twice from the Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards. It has also been named a Top 50 Government Technology Contractor by the Washington Business Journal and listed as a 'Best of the Best' veteran-friendly company by U.S. Veterans Magazine. The company was tasked with developing and deploying a cloud-based version of its emergency notification system for the United States Air Force.

Solution

American Systems chose Microsoft Azure as its cloud service provider and was referred to F5, a long-time Azure partner specializing in SCCA. F5 had previously developed a solution with Microsoft that runs on Azure and meets the SCCA requirements, called Secure Azure Computing Architecture (SACA). American Systems used F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition as its application delivery and security services platform for the cloud-based EMNS solution. The solution has two availability zones—one primary and one backup—with an internal and external BIG-IP VE instance. It also maintains a standby in a different geographic region within Azure, and identical architecture across the regions. Within a year, the cloud-based EMNS was successfully deployed at all major commands and 176 USAF bases around the world.

Impact #1	The partnership with F5 allowed American Systems to quickly and easily meet Department of Defense requirements. The success of the project has already led to more opportunities for the company. The choice of BIG-IP VE as a platform made the implementation easier. Prior to the EMNS project, American Systems wasn’t familiar with F5 and its solutions. The experience left them impressed with the company and its people. The cloud-based EMNS solution can now deliver urgent notifications via email, voice calls, text to mobile devices, or push notifications from a mobile or desktop app in an emergency such as severe weather or an active shooter threat.

Impact #1

The partnership with F5 allowed American Systems to quickly and easily meet Department of Defense requirements. The success of the project has already led to more opportunities for the company. The choice of BIG-IP VE as a platform made the implementation easier. Prior to the EMNS project, American Systems wasn’t familiar with F5 and its solutions. The experience left them impressed with the company and its people. The cloud-based EMNS solution can now deliver urgent notifications via email, voice calls, text to mobile devices, or push notifications from a mobile or desktop app in an emergency such as severe weather or an active shooter threat.

Benefit #1	The cloud-based EMNS solution was successfully deployed at all major commands and 176 USAF bases around the world within a year.
Benefit #2	The new system will eventually support a million users worldwide.
Benefit #3	The project has already led to more opportunities for American Systems and its collaboration with F5.

Benefit #1

The cloud-based EMNS solution was successfully deployed at all major commands and 176 USAF bases around the world within a year.

Benefit #2

The new system will eventually support a million users worldwide.

Benefit #3

The project has already led to more opportunities for American Systems and its collaboration with F5.

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Overview

American Systems' Cloud-Based Emergency Notification System: A Case Study

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit