VyOS Empowers Wholesale Distributor Lexit Group with Unmatched Flexibility and Reliability

““VyOS has proven to be the perfect match for Lexit Group, enabling them to overcome their networking challenges through unmatched flexibility, reliability, and exceptional support. With VyOS as their trusted partner, Lexit Group is poised to conquer new horizons in the wholesale distribution industry.””
— Lexit Group

Customer Overview

Lexit Group AS, a prominent wholesale distributor specializing in integrated solutions, assets, and products within both data capture & digitalisation and industrial coding & marking, faced the pressing need for a robust on-premises firewall and edge router solution across their multiple sites in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. With outdated FortiGate firewalls in their offices and an aging PFSense setup in their data center, Lexit Group sought a modern, flexible, and reliable network operating system (NOS) to address their growing networking requirements.

Challenge

Lexit Group faced the pressing need for a robust on-premises firewall and edge router solution across their multiple sites. With outdated FortiGate firewalls in their offices and an aging PFSense setup in their data center, Lexit Group sought a modern, flexible, and reliable network operating system (NOS) to address their growing networking requirements.

Why VyOS

Among the options evaluated, VyOS emerged as the clear choice. While the team had been accustomed to the constraints of PfSense and FortiGate, they were intrigued by VyOS's unmatched flexibility and adherence to the Unix philosophy of "do one thing well. Key drivers included:

Hardware Freedom: One of the decisive factors was the ability to build their own hardware due to supply chain challenges, offering Lexit Group the desired freedom.
Cost-Effectiveness: VyOS licensing presented an attractive pricing structure, aligning well with their budgetary considerations.
Support: The unparalleled support provided by the VyOS team surpassed expectations, even before formal agreements were in place.

Implementation

Lexit Group began their deployment of VyOS approximately 18 months ago, replacing FortiGate firewalls at their office locations and implementing VyOS in their new data center. Key implementation highlights:

Architecture Shift: Transformed their network architecture from a hub-and-spoke configuration to a more versatile mesh setup.
Routing: Leveraged static routes to ensure continuous operation, with failover capabilities in the data center enhancing reliability.
Functional Separation: The ability to split network functions into multiple systems empowered Lexit Group to focus on specific tasks, such as utilizing newer technologies like Wireguard and bridging external networks seamlessly.

Results

Since adopting VyOS, Lexit Group has experienced exceptional results and continues to rely on VyOS as their go-to networking platform. Key outcomes included:

Supply Chain Resilience: VyOS's hardware flexibility saved Lexit Group from supply chain disruptions.
Flexibility: The separation of functions allowed exploration of alternative solutions, such as using OpenVPN behind the VyOS firewall for client VPN IP assignment based on ID.
Support: During a critical deployment phase with tight timelines, Lexit Group received invaluable assistance from the VyOS support team.

Looking Ahead

Looking to the future, Lexit Group plans to enhance their network infrastructure by transitioning from static routes to OSPF and exploring containerization.