Key points

• Accelerated research and collaboration efficiency for disaster-resistant crops via Zenlayer’s high-performance, low-latency hyperconnected global network
• Achieved greater network reliability and resilience, bypassing public network limitations via Zenlayer IP transit
• Improved scalability and simplified network management across remote locations leveraging Zenlayer’s premium local network services

 

About the customer

Industry: Agricultural technology (agtech)
Needs: Emerging market connectivity, network acceleration, network resilience, scalability, vendor consolidation, enterprise network standardization
Zenlayer services used: IP Transit, Bare Metal, Edge Colocation, Cloud Networking

The customer is a global agtech research firm focused on the development of disaster-resistant, nutrient-enhanced crops leveraging biotechnology advancements to ensure food security amid climate change.

Operating an expansive global footprint, they rely heavily on field labs and data scientists to collect and analyze data in diverse environments. Their research involves high volumes of sensitive data, requiring frequent, secure large-scale data transfer and collaboration across regions to improve agricultural productivity for vulnerable populations worldwide.

 

The challenge: enhancing global network reliability and scalability for distributed labs

The customer needed a reliable global network to interconnect edge premises and field labs throughout remote locations. The labs share and collaborate on critical data across multiple countries with high bandwidth demands, including locations like the US, Singapore, Japan, China, and various regions throughout Europe. However, their existing network infrastructure was slow and spotty, especially when it came to cross-border connectivity, delaying research processes and hindering productivity for distributed data scientists.

Additionally, the company lacked a centralized point of presence (PoP) to quickly scale and access essential services like colocation, IP transit, and networking to respond to emerging regional needs—particularly in rural areas where they don’t need a full-scale data center presence. This meant they needed an agile solution that offered flexibility and scalability without long-term commitments.

 

Streamlining global research infrastructure deployment

To address the customer’s complex network and infrastructure demands, we devised an end-to-end solution spanning colocation, cloud networking, IP transit, and bare metal across key regions. In Singapore, Japan, China, and throughout Europe, we provided them with high-performance, low-latency connectivity that improves research and real-time data sharing efficiency.

Leveraging our data center presence in Beijing, we established the customer’s colocation and integrated our local IP transit with high-speed global networking under a single service order. This streamlined the agtech firm’s operations and enabled them to deploy essential infrastructure with minimal complexity.

For regions where they did not want full data center presence, the customer can now spin up infrastructure via Zenlayer Bare Metal to deploy edge devices in remote locations as needed. This flexibility lets the customer easily interconnect global research hubs on demand without the upfront costs of hardware or the long-term commitment of a minimum 12-month colocation lease.

 

Optimizing cross-border networking

The need for seamless connectivity between research hubs worldwide—particularly between Singapore and China—demanded a bespoke solution to overcome public network limitations. Instead of relying on public networks, which are prone to peak-hour congestion and security risks, the agtech firm’s internal traffic now flows through our hyperconnected global private backbone with dynamic routing. This minimizes the number of network hops for drastically improved latency, speed, and reliability, ensuring a better performing, more resilient network that automatically reroutes traffic via the best possible paths in case of failures.

To further streamline and unity their enterprise network management, we leveraged our integrated local networking services. This resulted in enhanced collaboration efficiency between data scientists in different regions, enabling faster sharing and more effective research workflows. Our premium local IP transit blend ensures consistent connectivity across all IP addresses throughout the country. Unlike single transit providers, which can degrade service when transferring data outside their covered areas, our network integrates the top Chinese telecom service providers for optimal performance.

 

Looping in remote sites in hard-to-reach locations

To deliver reliable connectivity in rural areas where distributed field labs operate, we sourced and established local loops for seamless interconnectivity. These high-speed connections provide secure, reliable paths to the network backbone, enhancing data transmission and boosting research productivity.

By providing a one-stop solution that includes colocation, networking, IP transit, and local loop services, we simplified the customer’s network management and eliminated the hassle of managing a multitude of vendors for separate services. Reducing their operational complexity empowers the agtech firm with additional agility to scale with greater efficiency and predictability.

 

Looking ahead

Taking advantage of Zenlayer’s solutions to achieve lower latency and a more agile infrastructure, the customer is now positioned for sustained success with streamlined global operations, accelerated research processes, and improved collaboration efficiency. As the company continues to expand its footprint and make waves in the global food supply chain, we’ll be here to provide innovative, flexible infrastructure solutions that support further growth and drive breakthroughs in agricultural research.

 

Simplify and accelerate expansions with a one-stop shop

Leveraging our extensive global bare metal infrastructure, hyperconnected global backbone, and premium local networking solutions, the agtech research firm saw an immediate improvement in their core research operations worldwide. These upgrades enable the company to fast-track innovation and continue leading global efforts in food security.

If you’re looking to expand your business’s global footprint, streamline operations, or accelerate apps or services to improve user experience, talk to a Zenlayer solution expert today!

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