Bettolo
A container terminal that never stops
For Bettolo, the first container terminal in Genoa and 100% controlled by the MSC group, we rebuilt the data center, network, yard connectivity and security in a single year — with a converged, redundant and monitored architecture, never stopping the round-the-clock operations.
The challenge
Bettolo launched at the height of the pandemic by relying on the infrastructure of an MSC affiliate. Once the emergency was over, it needed an autonomous, failure-proof IT setup: a terminal runs 24/7 and has its own timing and requirements. The data center had to be rebuilt on-premise (port software is certified on VMware and data transmission is too critical for the cloud), the network had a single point of failure on the radio link between the data center and the terminal, yard vehicles stop the moment connectivity drops, and MSC required a high level of cybersecurity as a non-negotiable requirement.
The solution
Everything started from a security assessment commissioned by MSC headquarters — penetration testing, vulnerability assessment and a detailed remediation list — which guided the design of every intervention. On the security side: endpoint protection with Sophos Intercept X Advanced and a managed service in front of the firewall (anti-DoS, AI-based cloud web application firewall, GEO-IP, CDN, DNS management and balancing across multiple WAN lines). For continuity we built a converged data center on the VMware hypervisor, migrating the VMs from Nutanix and connecting them to NetApp AFF220A all-flash storage (ONTAP, SnapManager) for simple, fast disaster recovery operations, with a separate site acting as backup and DR. Yard connectivity relies on multi-technology Peplink routers with SpeedFusion: vehicles stay always online and the data center-to-offices channel balances three links (symmetrical radio bridge, dedicated fiber and 4G backup). The network was renewed with enterprise-grade Ruckus ICX 7150/7250 switches, stack-manageable and redundant at the most critical points.
The result
All the initial objectives were achieved, within the allocated budgets. Tests carried out by a third-party company certified an excellent level of network security; on the continuity side, the recovery objectives are measured and proven. The Peplink SD-WAN made the network more stable, transparently balancing Wi-Fi and 4G/5G and also connecting the yard vehicles, while the low-cost disaster recovery ensures fast restoration. Once the project was complete, Bettolo joined the all-inclusive Smart Care - NOC support, turning the client-supplier relationship into a true partnership.
“Within a single year we managed to make a major technological leap forward. Being able to count on a consultant always focused on finding the ’smartest’ solution, with no sales orientation, was an important and surprising added value: I have rarely had the chance to work with companies of this kind.”
— Corrado Leoncini, IT Manager · Bettolo S.r.l.
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