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How transforming our network led to a better user experience

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Ian Warburton (Head of Infrastructure, Tech Services) shares how DWP Digital created a virtual network for its IT estate, to enable the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to improve digital interactions with customers.

This hybrid network allows DWP Digital to set up sites within days, deliver more capacity quicker, and it enables high speed traffic flow over the most optimum uncongested routes to the cloud and other DWP sites. The rollout will include 200 new sites. 

Embracing cloud technology is helping to deliver greater operational efficiencies and, more recently, has enabled DWP to flex in response to COVID-19 and the government’s commitment to helping people get back into work.

The traditional physical site centric, private network model is being replaced by a software defined, internet based, data centric and application performance managed network that is agile, scalable, secure and highly performant. This will support the needs of a modern day digital enterprise network.

So far, work to transform DWP’s network capabilities include the rollout of a Software Defined WAN to over half the DWP estate, which includes over 1,000 sites and 84,000 employees serving around 20 million customers. This rollout allows sites and users to access the internet directly using Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) technology. This is cloud-based software that monitors activity and enforces security policies, protecting staff from external cyber threats. DWP is now rolling out fibre to the reminder of its estate and expects 90% to be complete by January 2021, working in conjunction with the Department of Media, Culture and Sport, it will enable gigabit-capable fibre connections in around 50 rural locations. This is particularly important for locations which are unlikely to benefit from commercial investment in the foreseeable future. The remaining 10% of the SD WAN rollout is expected to be complete by April.

The department has also taken on increasing responsibility for the network, managing the new Software Defined WAN, giving them real-time insight into how the network is performing. 

This is just the first stage in the journey. The goal is to migrate the majority of its applications and devices to a zero trust network model by 2023.  


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Digital With PurposeDo you want to play a pivotal role in delivering some of the country’s most important tech projects? We are Digital With Purpose. That’s digital with people, passion and progress at our heart. We’re recruiting innovative, curious, and enthusiastic digital specialists who want to be part of our huge transformation.DWP Digital build and maintain user-friendly digital services for the Department for Work and Pensions, that enable millions of people to access the help, advice and financial support they need. Whether our users need to claim benefit, get help finding a job, or understand their State Pension, we’re the team designing, developing and delivering the world-class digital services they need.Own your careerThe large-scale digital transformation we’re undergoing requires a wide range of skills. We have over 5,000 experts working on a variety of important projects in multidisciplinary teams across the UK.  If you want a career with a real work-life balance, that blends challenge and opportunity with flexibility and support, you’ll find it here. We need people with experience in engineering, data, product design, architecture and much more. Opportunities to work with us range from early talent and apprenticeships that will enable you to grow with DWP Digital, all the way up to senior roles that will allow you to shape the future direction of the organisation. Our dedication to development means you’ll have ample opportunity to learn and thrive at the cutting-edge of the industry.An award-winning teamIn 2022, our award highlights include being awarded Kong’s Top Public Sector Innovation Award and the Red Hat Innovation Award. We also won the Organisational Exit from the Pandemic category at the UK IT Industry Awards and were highly commended for Digital Transformation Project of the Year. At the Civil Service Awards, we won Best Use of Data and Technology and won the cross-government award One Civil Service for collaborating on issuing cost of living payments.Where you’ll workWe have seven digital hubs located across the country – Birmingham, Blackpool, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield. They are designed to enable agile ways of working, allowing teams to collaborate to deliver world-class government digital services.Our Manchester hub is in St Peter’s Square. Right in the heart of the city, it’s easily accessible by tram, bus or rail.On-site facilities include a café, cycle shelter, showers, and Wudu washing facilities. It's also home to our user experience lab and UX command centre.We recognise that a healthy work-life balance is important. That’s why we’ve embraced a hybrid working approach that allows DWP Digital employees to spend up to 60% of their week working from home.Find out more about jobs with us. Visit our careers site today, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.

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Digital With PurposeDo you want to play a pivotal role in delivering some of the country’s most important tech projects? We are Digital With Purpose. That’s digital with people, passion and progress at our heart. We’re recruiting innovative, curious, and enthusiastic digital specialists who want to be part of our huge transformation.DWP Digital build and maintain user-friendly digital services for the Department for Work and Pensions, that enable millions of people to access the help, advice and financial support they need. Whether our users need to claim benefit, get help finding a job, or understand their State Pension, we’re the team designing, developing and delivering the world-class digital services they need.Own your careerThe large-scale digital transformation we’re undergoing requires a wide range of skills. We have over 5,000 experts working on a variety of important projects in multidisciplinary teams across the UK.  If you want a career with a real work-life balance, that blends challenge and opportunity with flexibility and support, you’ll find it here. We need people with experience in engineering, data, product design, architecture and much more. Opportunities to work with us range from early talent and apprenticeships that will enable you to grow with DWP Digital, all the way up to senior roles that will allow you to shape the future direction of the organisation. Our dedication to development means you’ll have ample opportunity to learn and thrive at the cutting-edge of the industry.An award-winning teamIn 2022, our award highlights include being awarded Kong’s Top Public Sector Innovation Award and the Red Hat Innovation Award. We also won the Organisational Exit from the Pandemic category at the UK IT Industry Awards and were highly commended for Digital Transformation Project of the Year. At the Civil Service Awards, we won Best Use of Data and Technology and won the cross-government award One Civil Service for collaborating on issuing cost of living payments.Where you’ll workWe have seven digital hubs located across the country – Birmingham, Blackpool, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield. They are designed to enable agile ways of working, allowing teams to collaborate to deliver world-class government digital services.Our Manchester hub is in St Peter’s Square. Right in the heart of the city, it’s easily accessible by tram, bus or rail.On-site facilities include a café, cycle shelter, showers, and Wudu washing facilities. It's also home to our user experience lab and UX command centre.We recognise that a healthy work-life balance is important. That’s why we’ve embraced a hybrid working approach that allows DWP Digital employees to spend up to 60% of their week working from home.Find out more about jobs with us. Visit our careers site today, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.

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