High-availability data center modernization for Paton

About Company

Project Date: 2022 – 2025

Industry: Production

Employees: 3000

Website: https://paton.ua/

Paton is an engineering-driven industrial manufacturer specializing in welding equipment, electrodes, and industrial solutions for various sectors. The Paton brand is widely recognized across the CIS and European markets, actively expanding its export footprint while continuously modernizing its production facilities.

Summary

Before the project began, Paton’s IT environment was fragmented and technologically outdated. Nearly all core operations — including databases, accounting systems, and document management — were running on a single server, creating a critical single point of failure without redundancy, resilience, or centralized control.

The network infrastructure had evolved organically over time: consumer-grade Wi-Fi, distributed unmanaged switches, no access control policies, and virtually no structured cybersecurity mechanisms. Separate facilities — including offices, warehouses, security checkpoints, and production areas — operated independently and were not unified into a centralized infrastructure. This created continuous risks of downtime, data loss, and operational disruption affecting manufacturing processes.

Following a comprehensive technical audit, Senseti designed and deployed a fully scalable and high-availability data center. The project included an HPE server cluster running on VMware, a Veeam + HPE StoreOnce backup architecture, network restructuring and segmentation, enterprise-grade Aruba Wi-Fi managed through AirWave, and a Fortinet security cluster protecting the network perimeter.

In addition, new corporate networks were designed and implemented from the ground up, unifying all facilities into a centrally managed infrastructure. A dedicated server room was engineered and deployed in compliance with technical standards, security requirements, and future scalability considerations.

The project provided Paton with a modern technological foundation — ensuring reliable production system performance, transparent business process management, and scalable infrastructure capable of supporting continued growth.

After repeated outages and constant operational issues, it became clear that without a stable IT infrastructure, the business simply could not scale. Senseti approached the challenge methodically: they conducted a full audit, designed the architecture, and built a complete data center from the ground up. Today, everything operates clearly, transparently, and is centrally managed. It’s real structure instead of chaos.

Sergii Derzheruk

Director, Paton

Need Help with IT?

Our experts will help you conduct a comprehensive audit, modernize your infrastructure, and implement solutions that ensure the security, reliability, and scalability of your business

Contact Us

Business Challenge

Prior to the project, the enterprise IT environment lacked structure, resilience, and centralized governance. Key challenges included:

No high availability: All critical systems and data were hosted on a single server, creating a major single point of failure.
Unstructured network: Consumer-grade Wi-Fi, scattered switches, and no formalized security or access policies.
Disconnected facilities: Offices, warehouses, and production sites were not unified into a single infrastructure.
Limited automation: Accounting, production, warehouse, and sales processes operated manually or within unstable systems.
No reliable backup strategy: Data was not protected against hardware failures or external threats.
Lack of cybersecurity framework: No centralized protection, perimeter security, access control mechanisms, or threat monitoring.

The company required a complete digital transformation — focused on reliability, control, cybersecurity, and scalability to support business growth.

Solution and Business Value

For Paton, Senseti executed a full-scale IT infrastructure rebuild from the ground up, establishing a resilient and centralized digital ecosystem. The primary objective was to ensure stable IT operations, accelerate management processes, and create a scalable foundation for business expansion.

What Was Implemented:

A dedicated high-availability data center based on an HPE server cluster with VMware virtualization.
Centralized backup architecture using HPE StoreOnce managed through Veeam.
Enterprise-grade Aruba Wi-Fi infrastructure with full facility coverage and centralized management via AirWave.
Fortinet NGFW security cluster with multi-layer security policies and Trellix endpoint protection.
Integration of the Centrino CRM system with IP telephony, accounting, and document management workflows.
Webitel-based digital IP telephony with API integrations.
Centralized user management through Active Directory.
High-availability terminal server cluster ensuring stable access to applications and databases.
Secure VPN connectivity (Fortinet) unifying remote facilities into a single infrastructure.
Appointment of a virtual CIO (vCIO) from Senseti for strategic IT governance and development.
On-site IT specialist operating under Senseti’s service desk supervision.
Deployment of an optical core network interconnecting all enterprise facilities.
Access-layer switches and VLAN-based network segmentation implemented according to the designed architecture, ensuring traffic isolation, security, and service stability.

Key Business Value:

Significantly improved system stability, resilience, and cybersecurity posture.
Centralized accounting, access management, networking, and service control.
Scalable architecture prepared for business growth and IT perimeter expansion.
Transition from reactive IT support to a structured, strategic IT governance model.

How the Solution Was Implemented

The project was executed in structured phases, with a strong focus on minimizing downtime and maintaining operational continuity throughout deployment.

1. Audit and Consulting

A comprehensive assessment of the server, network, and engineering infrastructure was conducted. Business processes were analyzed, risks and bottlenecks identified, and a future-state architecture was developed with scalability and resilience as core objectives.

2. Design

A target architecture was designed, including:

Data center layout and topology
Dedicated server room design (power supply, cooling, and physical security considerations)
Wi-Fi coverage planning with RF survey
Network topology
Clustered server model
Security and access control policies

3. Deployment and Installation

The following components were installed and configured:

HPE servers, APC racks, and backup power systems
Core and access-layer network infrastructure, Aruba Wi-Fi, and Fortinet firewalls
Trellix endpoint security solution

4. Integration and Migration

Users were migrated to the Active Directory domain. The Centrino CRM system was deployed and integrated with telephony and accounting systems. Terminal servers, centralized file storage, and all required business-critical applications were launched to ensure secure and resilient operations.

Additionally, data center management and monitoring systems were implemented to provide centralized infrastructure oversight.

5. Testing and Go-Live

The system was rolled out in stages, including load testing and real-world process validation. The stabilization phase lasted approximately 1.5 months.

6. Support and Governance

An SLA agreement was established. A virtual CIO (vCIO) was appointed to oversee strategic IT development, and an on-site administrator was assigned to operate in coordination with Senseti’s service desk.

Technical Details

Server Infrastructure. HPE two-node cluster running on VMware — delivering high availability and flexible scalability.
Backup Architecture. HPE StoreOnce + Veeam — centralized backup management with deduplication and encryption.
Cybersecurity. Fortinet 200F cluster — VPN connectivity, Anti-DDoS protection, access policies, and active failover configuration.
Endpoint Protection. Trellix Endpoint Security — centralized protection for servers and workstations.
Wireless Infrastructure. Enterprise-grade Aruba Wi-Fi managed through AirWave — full facility coverage and stable performance across all zones.
Network Architecture. Optical core network, VLAN-based segmentation, Aruba switches with PoE — ensuring a structured, secure, and resilient network foundation.
IP Telephony. Webitel with API integration into CRM and accounting systems.
CRM Platform. Centrino — unified solution for sales management, warehouse operations, and customer database management.
Terminal Services. Clustered terminal servers with load balancing and session broker — stable access to enterprise applications.
Integrations. Active Directory, Microsoft Exchange, and centralized file resources — unified identity and infrastructure management.
Branch & Remote Access. FortiVPN + FortiClient — secure remote access to centralized systems from any location.

Key Takeaways

Centralized Governance

The entire infrastructure was consolidated into a unified, centrally managed platform. From users and applications to CRM, telephony, and cybersecurity — all systems are monitored and controlled from a single operational center. This simplifies administration, reduces human error, and accelerates incident response.

Scalability and Flexibility

The server, network, and software architecture were designed with performance headroom and structural flexibility. New employees, facilities, and services can be integrated without downtime or infrastructure redesign. The company can scale without risking system overload.

Security and Operational Stability

Fortinet, Trellix, and Veeam form a multi-layer protection framework — safeguarding against external threats, system failures, and data loss. Continuous monitoring, logging, reporting, redundant channels, and on-site IT presence ensure stable operations under any conditions — from routine business days to unexpected disruptions.

Vendors

Fortinet

Cisco Systems, Inc.

IT Infrastructure Modernization and High-Availability Data Center Deployment