Tata Consultancy Services has completed the integrations of Zebra’s wireless LAN business, Avaya’s networking business and Brocade’s data center switching, routing and analytics solutions into the ecosystem of Extreme Networks, a software-driven networking company.
Extreme Networks embarked on this ambitious journey by acquiring networking assets from Zebra, Avaya and Brocade, within a short time span of approximately 12 months, to become the only pure-play, end-to-end wired and wireless enterprise networking company in the world.
TCS was chosen by Extreme Networks to drive this initiative due to its highly repeatable Post-Merger Integrations (PMI) methodology and industry leading Quad A framework. Since PMI is a highly complex and an extremely challenging initiative usually taking place under severe time pressure and in parallel to a running business, Extreme Networks required a strategic partner that could work in lock-step, bringing scale, thought leadership and PMI expertise to de-risk and successfully deliver this integration within an aggressive timeline.
To achieve this, TCS established an Integration Management Office (IMO) to drive the program governance, value management, enterprise architecture and organizational change management. The program involved a multi-tower transformation including ERP, CRM, F&A, Supply Chain, and PMO. In addition, TCS put together a cross-functional team to analyse and identify opportunities to harmonize and rationalize Extreme Networks heterogeneous IT landscape comprising of both ERP and non-ERP applications. The rapid pace of the engagement and aggressive timelines necessitated rigorous test and validation along all key phases of the Integration program requiring the establishment of a “test factory” that enabled process standardization and accuracy to ensure high quality deliverables.
As a result, TCS not only delivered the integration on time, but well within budget with a 20 percent reduction of the originally planned spend. The project was executed at four different TCS and Extreme locations within the U.S. and India, delivering substantial value without any impact to Extreme Networks existing business processes post unique strategic acquisition of the new entities.
“By leveraging TCS’ deep contextual knowledge of the Networking business to align with Extreme Networks vision, and coupled with our strong experience in PMI, we have been able to deliver a seamless integration spanning three businesses within an extremely aggressive timeline,” said V. Rajanna, Senior Vice President and Global Head, Technology Business Unit, TCS. “Our partnership with Extreme Networks is a great example of TCS leadership in helping customers create success in large and complex strategic M&A initiatives.”
“We made several acquisitions in a short time frame, and worked under Transition Services Agreements (TSA) for each of the three deals, making timely system integration work imperative,” said Dan Adam, Chief Information Officer, Extreme Networks. “Thanks to TCS, the migration of our newly acquired assets into the Extreme Networks ecosystem was seamless and on schedule, with orders being booked, billed, and shipped on the first day of each cutover from the TSAs. Today, we are tracking and operating in one instance of our ERP, CRM and procurement systems.”
