Case Study: Steelcase achieves rapid, low-cost data center SDN transformation with Pluribus Networks' Netvisor

Steelcase deploys data center SDN despite fear of change

Steelcase, a Grand Rapids–based office furniture manufacturer, faced a data center crossroads in 2014: aging proprietary switches, a pressing need for more 10 Gb capacity, and a forced data center move within six months. With only two network architects for a global company and skepticism about the maturity and risk of data center SDN, the team had to weigh high upgrade costs (adding four 10 Gb ports was estimated at ~$100,000) against new software-defined approaches.

After testing Pluribus Networks’ Netvisor on Open Compute switches and running a proof of concept, Steelcase deployed a Pluribus-based fabric—design work took under two weeks and the full migration finished in less than eight months. The result was a virtualized, leaf-spine data center condensed into a single rack with big space and power savings, far lower port costs (a 10 Gb port on Pluribus ≈ $100), easier scaling, and reduced vendor lock-in, giving the company the flexibility it needed.

Steelcase

Matthew Bielecki

Consulting Network Engineer