The University of Sheffield

• Future-proof the network infrastructure and reduce technical debt
• Replace complex legacy DNS, DHCP, and IPAM environment with a more supportable platform
• Reduce dependency on individual experts
• Improve scalability, security, performance, and ease of use across network services
• Establish a foundation for network modernization, automation, and future operational improvements

• Reduced operational risk: no reliance on individual knowledge and legacy infrastructure
• Improved usability: faster searches and easier navigation
• Strengthened network resilience: minimized potential impact of service disruption
• Increased scalability: a platform better positioned to support future network growth
• Future efficiency potential: new opportunities for automation and delegation of routine tasks

The University of Sheffield is a prestigious higher education institution based in the United Kingdom, renowned for its research excellence and academic rigor. With thousands of students, faculty, and staff, the university relies on a critical, complex, and scalable network infrastructure to support its daily operations and long-term growth.

“EfficientIP SOLIDserver™ has provided a more scalable, manageable, and resilient DDI architecture for the university’s future network needs.”
– Alison Bennett, Infrastructure Project Program Manager

The University of Sheffield was replacing a 20-year-old, bespoke DNS, DHCP, and IPAM environment developed and maintained in-house. The highly customized architecture relied on extensive scripts, configurations, and aging hardware, with critical operational knowledge concentrated among a small number of network specialists.

The legacy DDI infrastructure had become increasingly complex, difficult to scale, and time-consuming to maintain, creating significant supportability and operational risks. Manual processes, limited scalability, and high-risk upgrades placed additional pressure on the Core Networks team.

To overcome the above challenges and support its broader network transformation and infrastructure modernization strategy, the University decided they needed a sustainable DDI platform.

“Three EfficientIP strengths sealed our buying decision: better value for money than other vendors like Infoblox, flexibility suited to our specific needs, and responsive collaboration”
– Alison Bennett, Infrastructure Project Program Manager

The university conducted a competitive tender evaluating major DDI vendors. EfficientIP was selected above the competition for its competitive pricing, flexibility, and willingness to adapt to specific requirements, including complex and non-standard use cases. Its collaborative approach and ability to propose tailored solutions were key differentiators.

The university deployed EfficientIP SOLIDserver™ as a unified DDI platform for DNS, DHCP, and IP Address Management. The solution provides centralized management and automation, greater visibility into devices and IP addresses, advanced security capabilities, and the scalability needed to support future growth.

Implementation took approximately one year, from planning to final migration. Despite the complexity of migrating from a highly customized legacy environment, the teams adapted quickly and worked collaboratively to resolve challenges. The migration was completed smoothly with no major incidents, and the solution has remained fully operational since the cutover.

EfficientIP SOLIDserver™ has provided a more scalable, manageable, and resilient DDI architecture for the university’s future network needs. In terms of specific benefits brought, Infrastructure Project Program Manager Alison Bennett highlighted the reduction in risk, gains in efficiency, business value, and future-proofing capability.

Reduced Risk

The university now has a secure, scalable DDI platform that provides a more resilient foundation for its network. Reduced technical debt and lower reliance on individual experts also makes critical network operations easier to manage and sustain.

Greater Efficiency

The new platform brings simplified DDI administration through an intuitive management interface and faster searches. This together with streamlined IP address and network resource management reduces the time spent on routine tasks. With opportunities to automate and delegate activities, the IT team can focus more on higher-values priorities.

Business Value

By combining strong functionality with greater flexibility and value for money, the solution delivers long-term business benefits. Lower operational complexity and improved network resilience help reduce infrastructure costs while minimizing the potential impact of service disruption.

Future-Proof

The scalable platform is designed to support the university’s growing network, users, devices, and applications. Its automation and API integration capabilities provide a foundation for continued modernization, while allowing DDI capabilities to evolve alongside changing infrastructure needs.

“EfficientIP’s DDI solution has fully met our main objectives of network modernization and technical risk reduction.”
– Alison Bennett, Infrastructure Project Program Manager

The university is looking to identify opportunities for further workflow optimization, automation, and operational improvement. As resources and the network team’s capacity allow, it will look to expand the use of EfficientIP’s capabilities, particularly by automating routine tasks and enabling non-technical teams to handle selected network activities.

The university also sees potential to develop additional use cases over time as its modernization strategy progresses. With the platform already operating reliably and the partnership viewed positively, EfficientIP is expected to remain a strategic technology partner, supporting the university’s evolving network requirements and future efficiency initiatives.