A38 Ship Case Study

Powering Reliable Networks for Entertainment Venues

After years of constant development, A38 has become a cultural entertainment centre with international programme, a restaurant, five bars, one main concert hall, open-air terraces and lounges - all in one aboard as one of the most fascinating venues in Budapest.

Written by Iron Brands

Cofounder UniHosted

Robert is a senior-level IT Executive at A38 with over 15 years of experience in complex infrastructure and network management.

Initial Setup and Challenges

Before adopting UniHosted, Robert faced several challenges with his network management setup:

We used a UniFi cloud controller stick, and before that, we had the controller installed on an old Debian box.

Challenges included:

• Performance Issues: Both the cloud controller stick and the Debian box were very slow.
• Upgrade Difficulties: Upgrading the controller and APs was challenging. Some APs didn't seem to have newer firmwares, and a specific controller upgrade caused a loss of provisioning functionality for older APs.
• Unreliable Upgrades: The controller upgrade went through without any warnings, leading to issues that were time-consuming to resolve.

It was difficult to upgrade the controller, and some APs lost provisioning functionality after upgrades. We didn't have time to do rollbacks, which added to our frustration.

Discovering UniHosted

Robert discovered UniHosted while reading about SaaS topics on Reddit. He found Simple Analytics and subsequently UniHosted. After reaching out via LinkedIn, Robert decided to try UniHosted for a more reliable and efficient network management solution. (And it worked!)

Transition to UniHosted

Transitioning to UniHosted provided several standout benefits for Robert's company:

• Managed upgrades: UniHosted handled upgrades efficiently, solving the previous issues with controller and AP upgrades.

• Improved speed: The virtualized or dockerized infrastructure of UniHosted significantly improved performance.

• Ease of Use: Despite needing to SSH into each new AP to set up the remote URL for adoption, the process was fast and easy after initial setup.

The main benefits are managed upgrades and improved speed. The only minor inconvenience is SSH-ing into each new AP for setup, but overall, it's much faster and easier.

Benefits Realized

Robert highlighted several key benefits from using UniHosted:

• Reduced management Overhead: Managed upgrades and improved speed reduced the time and effort required for network management.

• Improved reliability: The virtualized infrastructure provided a more reliable and efficient solution compared to the previous setups.

• Simplified processes: The ease of use and straightforward setup process made network management more efficient.

Impact and Recommendations

Since switching to UniHosted, Robert's network management has become more efficient and reliable. The proactive management and improved performance have allowed his team to focus on more complex and important tasks.

UniHosted has significantly improved our network management, allowing us to focus on more important tasks. The managed upgrades and improved speed are the main benefits.

Would Robert recommend UniHosted?

We highly recommend UniHosted. The managed upgrades, improved speed, and overall ease of use have made them an essential partner in our network management.

Final Thoughts

UniHosted has greatly improved Robert's network management capabilities, providing a secure, reliable, and user-friendly platform. The proactive support and seamless integration with UniFi devices have made UniHosted an indispensable part of their IT infrastructure.