Solving Network Security Issues for Rapidly Growing Global Businesses

Introduction

Ryohin Keikaku is a global manufacturing and retail company that handles everything from product planning to sales for products known as “Mujirushi-Ryohin” in Japan and “MUJI” overseas.

To keep pace with its rapid expansion—adding 100 new stores annually in Japan—and its growing global presence, now spanning 225 locations across 20 countries, including 50 stores in mainland China, Ryohin Keikaku has partnered with GlobalDots to overhaul its service infrastructure. This initiative aims to fundamentally mitigate corporate risks emerging from its accelerated international growth.

Issues Before Implementation

1. The quality and service level of the IT infrastructure necessary for business had not been defined, making it difficult to ensure the required quality, cost, and delivery (QCD).
2. The security policy was not unified across the entire group, both domestically and internationally, and overall cost optimization had not been achieved.

Results After Implementation

1. With network security being visualized and risks controlled, the risk of incidents has been reduced.
2. The initial costs for network implementation in new store openings were reduced by 40%, and running costs were lowered by 25%. This resulted in cost savings of several hundred million yen in Japan alone.

Key Challenges and Adoption Insights:

Cato SASE Cloud Implementation

Ryohin Keikaku previously selected and managed network security products separately for each country. In Japan, the combination of multiple point solutions led to a complex system, making it difficult to ensure the necessary quality, cost, and delivery (QCD). Specifically, two key challenges needed to be addressed:

Firstly, “Scaling Network QCD for Rapid Expansion”. With the company’s annual net increase of 100 new stores, a significant improvement in network QCD was required. Previously, there was no system in place to monitor and enhance network quality, leading to challenges in ensuring both stable service quality and swift recovery from failures.

Secondly, “Standardizing Security Measures Across Global Operations”. There were inconsistencies in security measures across domestic and international operations, making the establishment of a unified risk management framework an urgent priority. To address these challenges, Ryohin Keikaku decided to implement Cato SASE Cloud, the market leader in SASE solutions, covering domestic and international stores, business and logistics hubs, data centers, and remote users. The company began upgrading its domestic network infrastructure in 2022.

The Reason for Selecting GlobalDots

As Ryohin Keikaku advanced its network security transformation, the company sought a new business partner with deep expertise in this field, as well as strong technical capabilities and specialized knowledge.

GlobalDots, composed of experienced engineers and architects, went beyond simply recommending solutions from existing product lineups. Instead, they actively scouted, evaluated, implemented, and supported innovative solutions from the market that were better suited to Ryohin Keikaku’s business needs.

Through this approach, GlobalDots was able to identify the ideal solution for Ryohin Keikaku. Overall, partnering with GlobalDots was a positive experience, and we are pleased to have worked together on this project.

Key Benefits of Implementing Cato SASE Cloud

Revolutionary Cloud-Based Network Security Solutions

While keeping an eye on the future of Ryohin Keikaku’s business, GlobalDots worked closely with the IT department to provide optimal solutions, successfully transforming the domestic network and security infrastructure in a short period.

Adopting Cato Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)

Cato SASE integrates SD-WAN, cloud networking, and Security Service Edge (SSE) functionalities into a unified cloud-native service, enabling all locations worldwide, including China, to connect to a single platform via the internet. Each site simply uses an SD-WAN device that connects to the private cloud network, achieving the following:

Since its founding, Ryohin Keikaku has embodied the principles of ESG by designing its products and resources with reuse in mind. This philosophy aligns with the principles of CATO Networks.

Post-Implementation Benefits of Cato SASE Cloud

Transforming IT Infrastructure to Support the 2030 Vision

Additionally, the company has begun expanding this implementation to 225 locations across 20 countries, with plans to complete the rollout by 2027. The Cato Client, which supports remote work environments, has been deployed to approximately 2,500 users in Japan and is expected to grow by over 700 users annually, both domestically and internationally.

Yuta Tachibana, General Manager of the IT Services Department at Ryohin Keikaku Co., Ltd., stated:
”GlobalDots’ advanced expertise in cloud solutions proves they are a true team of professionals. They are not only technically outstanding but also possess deep insight, allowing them to determine the best solutions—not just for the present, but with the future in mind. This is why we were able to achieve solid results. GlobalDots is a truly powerful business partner.”

Ultimately, the Cato solution recommended by GlobalDots has helped resolve business challenges. Additionally, due to their close relationship with CATO Networks, many of the new features requested by GlobalDots have been adopted, driving ongoing improvements of Ryohin Keikaku’s cybersecurity and overall IT operations.

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