From Slow, Script-Based Operations to Agile, Standardized Automation
Colt, a global service provider connecting enterprises across the US, Europe, and Asia, faced a challenge familiar to many IT organizations: fragmented scripts, siloed processes, and painfully long timelines for rolling out new services. Deployments could take six months to two years, leaving innovation stalled and customers waiting.
With Itential, Colt transformed its approach. By introducing a software-defined networking (SDN) layer and a unified automation platform, the team eliminated inconsistency, accelerated delivery, and unlocked new possibilities for scale.
CHALLENGES
From Siloed Scripts to Orchestrated Scale
Colt’s engineers were building their own scripts in isolation, scattered across laptops and repositories. Without standardization, the result was inconsistency, delays, and constant rework. What should have been fast and innovative became slow, error-prone, and difficult to scale.
Disjointed Scripts: Engineers built automation in isolation, hidden on laptops and repos.
No Standardization: Configurations lacked consistency, leading to errors and delays.
Slow Time to Market: Rolling out new services often took up to two years.
Innovation Bottlenecks: Pressure mounted as customers demanded faster, more agile connectivity.
SOLUTION
Itential: The Platform That Scaled Colt’s Innovation
Colt adopted Itential after seeing widespread industry trust and real-world success. With Itential’s platform, they gained a foundation for true automation at scale:
- Integrated Systems Seamlessly: Connected IP allocation systems, Azure Git repos, and more into one unified platform.
- Split Teams for Efficiency: Freed network engineers to focus on design, while a dedicated automation team codified operations into workflows.
- Standardized Automation: Ensured every device and configuration followed consistent, programmatic rules.
- Accelerated Delivery: Reduced service rollout timelines from years to just weeks or months.
Since we deployed Itential, the speed at which we are developing automations and innovation has increased massively.
Shirish Basant Rai, Network Platforms & Systems Architect, Colt
BUSINESS IMPACT
Transforming Teams, Accelerating Delivery
With Itential, Colt shifted from fragmented, script-based processes to a model where every team plays to its strengths. Network engineers now focus on designing high-performance networks, while automation specialists turn those designs into scalable workflows.
This transformation not only accelerated service delivery but also empowered Colt to innovate at a pace that meets – and often exceeds – customer expectations.
Faster Innovation
Cutting-edge services delivered at speed.
Agile Teams
Clear roles between network engineers and automation specialists.
Customer Impact
Reliable, global connectivity with rapid new service introduction.
Confidence in the Future
Colt is now leading, not lagging, in delivering next-generation network services.
WHY ITENTIAL
Why Colt Chose Itential
Colt needed a trusted partner to break through innovation barriers – and found it in Itential.
- Trusted by Leading Providers: Proven in global, mission-critical networks.
- Robust & Flexible: Technical depth with seamless integrations.
- Support that Delivers: A partner committed to Colt’s automation journey.
Itential definitely is one of the products that has helped us massively in delivering innovation quickly. The support you get from it, the technical features that’s delivered for the level of support and the level of innovation that Itential is bringing in this space.
– Shirish Basant Rai, Network Platforms & Systems Architect, Colt
ROADMAP
Driving the Future of Network Automation
Colt’s journey with Itential shows what’s possible when automation is no longer a bottleneck but a catalyst. By standardizing processes and accelerating delivery, Colt has built the foundation for continuous innovation. Today, they’re not only rolling out services faster – they’re also advancing new use cases and exploring how AI-driven operations can further optimize performance, resilience, and customer experience.
With Itential, Colt is future-ready: delivering for customers today while laying the groundwork for the networks of tomorrow.
Learn More with Itential Content
Blogs
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- How a Global Biotech Company Standardized Network Automation to Eliminate Errors & Enable Safe, Secure Self-Service
- Multi-Vendor Network Security: From Backlog to Blocking as a Service
- Gartner® Hype Cycle for I&O Automation Highlights Shift Towards “Automation-First” & Need for Broader Orchestration
- More Impact, Same Effort: Orchestrating Your Automations
Other Resources
- Orchestrate Your Network Automations: Building Workflows to Integrate with your IT Ecosystem (NFD 36)
- How to Connect ServiceNow to Your Infrastructure with Itential
- Gartner® Market Guide for Infrastructure Automation & Orchestration Tools
- Building Compliance Rules for Ordered Lists in CLI Configurations with Itential
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- Network Automation & Orchestration Evaluation Guide