COMPAS Automation modernizes network infrastructure and enhances cybersecurity with Fortinet

Compas Automatizace, based in Žďár nad Sázavou with branches in Prague and Brno, is one of the leading Czech engineering and supply companies in the field of production technology automation and production information systems. It operates mainly in the food, pharmaceuticals, chemical, and automotive industries. Its customers include major Czech and international companies with production plants in the Czech Republic and the EU.

We have been working with COMPAS Automatizace for more than ten years and have built a strong partnership during that time. COMPAS is one of our VIP customers, and one of our most recent joint projects was an extensive modernization of their IT infrastructure. Based on a series of consultations and detailed mapping of their needs, we prepared a comprehensive solution for the delivery and implementation of network and security technologies from Fortinet.

The original network infrastructure was nearing end-of-life. Manufacturer support was ending, and it no longer met current security standards. The central firewall, core and access switches, and wireless access points needed to be replaced. A key requirement was the ability to centrally manage the entire network and easily control security policies, configurations, and updates from a single place.. The customer also needed more advanced traffic analysis, clear reports, and centralized log collection from the deployed technologies. At the same time, the question of whether to extend the existing antivirus and security solution for end stations or replace it with a more modern system was also addressed.

The goal of the project was to deploy modern hardware and technologies in line with current trends in network infrastructure, with a strong emphasis on cybersecurity and unified, centralized management of the entire network.

The modernization took place gradually throughout 2024. The basis of the new infrastructure was the deployment of FortiGate firewalls in high availability (HA) mode, which ensured greater reliability and security. At the same time, we also replaced key network elements. We implemented modern 25Gbps core switches of the FS-2048 series, supplemented them with FS-148 end switches, and completely renewed the wireless network with new FortiAP access points.

We built on this layer by implementing FortiAnalyzer, which ensures effective collection and evaluation of logs from the entire infrastructure. Thanks to FortiManager, network management has been unified into a single central tool. The IT team now has full control over configurations and security policies from a single location.

The project also included the deployment of FortiClients on all endpoints and their central management using FortiEMS. This provided the customer with advanced antivirus, firewall, sandbox, and quarantine in a single client, as well as secure remote access thanks to Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) principles.

For maximum visibility and control over connected devices, we also used the FortiNAC solution. This allows the IT team to quickly identify all devices on the network and automatically respond to any security incidents.