Case study · Industrial machinery
5-firewall network security case study: defence-in-depth for heavy engineering.
A 5-firewall multi-layer architecture and 40 TB of CAD storage for a Pune manufacturer of industrial washing machines, automated component cleaning, degreasing and filtration systems. Client name withheld by policy.
Client · name withheld2 plants25 CAD workstations · 20 desktops/laptops
5
firewalls in depth
40TB
CAD storage pool with Smart Fetch
25
CAD workstations accelerated
100%
Vendor portal DMZ isolation
Interactive topology
Five firewalls. Click to inspect each layer.
Site 1 · WAN
Connectivity
- Leased line (primary, SLA-backed) + broadband (secondary)
- automated gateway failover
Layer 1
Outer edge WAN firewall
- First firewall in the defence-in-depth stack
- Terminates WAN links and absorbs internet ingress
Layer 2
Middle DMZ firewall
- Hosts the isolated web vendor portal for supply-chain coordination
- Suppliers and vendors interact with procurement without any route to CAD shares or the ERP database
Layer 3
Inner core firewall
- Protects the Windows domain, ERP and CAD storage
- Only explicitly permitted flows cross from the DMZ
DMZ
Web vendor portal
- Supply-chain coordination with external vendors
- Isolated by design: 100% DMZ separation from internal assets
Storage
Network storage · 40 TB
- 60% utilised, ~24 TB active engineering data
- Smart Fetch: increases efficiency by 90%
- Accelerates heavy 3D machine assembly loads for 25 concurrent engineers
Engineering
CAD engineering centre
- 25 high-performance CAD workstations
- Heavy mechanical 3D machinery modelling and PDM synchronisation
Core services
Domain, ERP & remote access
- Windows Active Directory domain
- On-prem Windows ERP
- encrypted VPN for secure remote engineering access
Site 2
Branch perimeter
- Multi-layer firewall system with 2 firewalls
Site 2
Branch identity & storage
- 4 TB network storage running a local directory server
- AD-compatible domain controller for low-latency local authentication
- Directory survives a WAN outage between plants
Site 2
Endpoints
- 20 commercial desktops and laptops
Tip: use Tab and Enter to move between components.
Key engineering decisions
Three choices that made the difference.
01
Multi-tier DMZ for the vendor portal
Third-party suppliers reach procurement without ever touching internal CAD shares or the ERP database.
02
CAD storage optimisation
Smart Fetch over 40 TB increases productivity by more than 60% on heavy assembly loads for 25 concurrent engineers.
03
Hybrid directory
Active Directory at HQ integrated with a local directory server at the branch for local directory survivability.
Who this pattern suits: industrial machinery, automotive tooling and OEM fabrication plants — particularly in Pune's Bhosari and Chakan belts — where vendor portals and heavy CAD share one estate.
Give vendors a portal, not a path.
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