Juniper Mist Wi-Fi drives digital transformation at JA Group Osaka

JA Group executives and staff wanted to transition to web meetings and online collaboration tools that would allow them to work in an increasingly paper-free environment. Employees and visitors wanted a mobile-first environment for connecting their tablets, laptops, and smartphones.

A non-negotiable goal was that the performance, security, and reliability of the wireless network needed to match—or exceed—that of the wired network. At the same time, the IT team wanted to take advantage of automation to streamline supporting and troubleshooting the Wi-Fi network.

"Our company wanted a paperless meeting system using tablets, along with a Wi-Fi environment in meeting rooms, but we mainly used a wired LAN in work areas,” says Masayuki Nishimura of the Planning Department at JA Osaka. “Building a Wi-Fi environment that met our different groups’ security, performance, and operational needs was challenging."  

Previously, the IT team had no Wi-Fi documentation and operational management was complex, which led to trial-and-error remediation. Since upgrading to Juniper Mist, Wi-Fi connectivity is stable, and the company is achieving its goal of driving digital transformation through web meetings and anytime, anywhere connectivity. Employees easily move between floors without their video sessions or app connections dropping.  

Wi-Fi issues are rare, and those that do arise are resolved quickly. When one performance issue came to the help desk recently, for example, the team used Mist AI to promptly determine that a problem with the user’s device was the culprit.

Network management is significantly easier. With Juniper Mist, IT can manage all APs centrally, even for its different groups. Improved visibility and single-pane-of-glass control have greatly improved the IT digital experience.

The benefits of better Wi-Fi are getting lots of attention throughout the JA Group organizations that have gone live, and other groups now want to follow suit to accelerate their own digital—and business—transformation.