Live Oak Bank future-proofs its network with a strategic refresh
As key network devices neared end of life, Live Oak Bank saw a chance to do more than replace hardware. Katalyst delivered a Network Analysis Roadmap, a full wired and wireless redesign on a software-defined architecture, and managed services, nearly eliminating connectivity issues in a 30-day transition.
About Live Oak Bank
Live Oak Bank is a financial institution specializing in lending and banking services designed for business growth. Headquartered in Wilmington, NC, the bank prioritizes technology-driven solutions to ensure seamless operations, security, and efficiency, and it sought expert insight into its network infrastructure to enhance reliability and scalability for future growth.
The Challenge
As the bank approached the end of the usable lifespan of key network devices, leadership saw an opportunity not just to replace aging hardware, but to strategically assess and enhance the network for long-term growth. "We wanted an outside perspective on the health and state of our network," said Matt Bosch, Senior Staff Network and Enterprise Observability Engineer at Live Oak Bank. "We needed to decide on a refresh strategy that aligned with our future needs."
The Solution
Live Oak engaged Katalyst for a Network Analysis Roadmap in Fall 2022, a comprehensive assessment and plan to optimize performance, security, and scalability.
A roadmap, then a full network refresh
The roadmap highlighted what the bank was doing well, where it could improve, and set priorities for the next 12, 18, and 24 months. A pivotal recommendation was a shift to a Software Defined Networking architecture for centralized management, better visibility, and simplified operations. After a competitive review, Live Oak chose Katalyst to execute the upgrades, citing its clear understanding of both the environment and the migration to a net-new solution.
A fast, well-managed transition
Live Oak signed for managed services in July 2023 and launched an ambitious 30-day onboarding sprint. Despite the compressed timeline, Katalyst ensured a transition with no major user outages, tailoring the approach to the bank's unique infrastructure and even addressing items outside contract terms.
"Katalyst is the company we trust for our network and broader technology needs. I know my network is in good hands with them supporting it and driving all our changes."
Matt Bosch, Senior Staff Network & Enterprise Observability Engineer, Live Oak BankThe Results
The refresh delivered immediate stability and an evolving partnership.
Connectivity issues that had plagued the environment were nearly eliminated after the refresh and troubleshooting, and a persistent random-disconnection issue that took months to diagnose was ultimately resolved. Live Oak now benefits from proactive support and ongoing performance monitoring, consistently met SLA response times, and data-driven decision-making for infrastructure. The partnership has expanded to Office 365 support, AV setups, hardware procurement, and AWS expansion.
Key Takeaways
- Assess before you replace. A Network Analysis Roadmap turned a hardware refresh into a long-term strategy.
- Architecture matters. Moving to SDN delivered centralized management, visibility, and simpler operations.
- Stability restored. Connectivity issues were nearly eliminated, including a long-standing disconnection problem.
- A growing partnership. The relationship expanded into Office 365, AV, procurement, and cloud.
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