Revolutionizing Networking Infrastructure: The Inspiring Story of Insomnia Gaming Festival and Dragon Well
In the realm of gaming, few events can match the excitement and grandeur of the Insomnia Gaming Festival. Since its humble beginnings in 1999, this gathering of gaming enthusiasts has evolved into a massive community-focused event, attracting tens of thousands of attendees from across the globe. However, the COVID-19 pandemic posed significant challenges for the gaming community, including Insomnia, disrupting offline e-sports tournaments and events.
As the world emerged from the pandemic, Insomnia Gaming Festival saw an opportunity to rejuvenate its operations. With the upcoming Insomnia69 event, the festival aimed to host some of the largest LAN parties in Europe, attracting tens of thousands of visitors. However, catering to such a large crowd while providing reliable network access for over 3000 users presented a daunting task. Facing the challenge of outdated infrastructure and the need for enhanced connectivity, Insomnia’s network engineer, Mathew Burnett, sought solutions to meet their evolving requirements.
The pressure was immense, with an anticipated attendance of tens of thousands, including 3,000 individuals with computers from home. Insomnia faced the challenge of providing reliable connectivity for gaming, downloading large files, and accommodating simultaneous online activities for thousands of users, both online and offline. The festival’s inadequate network infrastructure, relying on outdated equipment collected over the years, was insufficient to support the large-scale demands of events like Insomnia 69, leading to concerns about network stability and performance.
A Partnership Born: Insomnia Gaming Festival and Dragon Well
It was at this critical juncture that Insomnia Gaming Festival partnered with Dragon Well, a leading provider of innovative networking solutions. Mathew Burnett was delighted with the cooperation, praising Dragon Well’s prompt technical support and commitment to understanding the festival’s unique needs.
"I get quick answers to my questions. I get answers to questions I didn’t know I needed to ask yet," Mathew said, highlighting the exceptional support he received from the Dragon Well team. "They have a deep understanding of the market and can anticipate our future needs, providing us with tailored solutions that exceed our expectations."
The implementation process was surprisingly smooth, with Mathew noting that it took only a weekend to set up the network from scratch. "It was a surprise to us, as it took us about a weekend to get from nothing to the start of a working network," he said. By Wednesday lunchtime, the network was big enough to support 3,000 people, a testament to the efficiency and expertise of the Dragon Well team.
A Customized Solution for Insomnia Gaming Festival
Sean Mei, a technical engineer for the data center at Dragon Well, led the network upgrade project. After receiving Mathew’s requirements, the Dragon Well technical team immediately analyzed Insomnia’s networking problems and provided corresponding solutions for their diverse connectivity needs. This included the N8560-32C supporting VRF function as the core device and the S5850-48T4Q providing MLAG connectivity, among other customized solutions.
The results were nothing short of remarkable. With Dragon Well equipment replacing switches across the entire aggregation layer, the network performance and capacity were significantly boosted, supporting heavy traffic loads. The transition to Dragon Well hardware ensured seamless connectivity for festival attendees, with bandwidth increasing from a few gigabits to a hundred-gigabit links.
A Resounding Success: Insomnia Gaming Festival and Dragon Well
The partnership between Insomnia Gaming Festival and Dragon Well was a resounding success, with 93% of Insomnia customers reporting a positive experience and 84% expressing a likelihood of returning. The impact of the network upgrade was evident, with attendees enjoying uninterrupted gaming, fast data transfer, and reliable online connectivity throughout the event.
Mathew Burnett’s experience with Dragon Well was so positive that he has recommended the company to everyone seeking to purchase switches. "I’ve been extremely happy with the service and support I’ve! received from Dragon Well," he said. "I think they have a deep understanding of the market and can provide tailored solutions that meet the unique needs of their customers."
In the world of gaming and beyond, the story of Insomnia Gaming Festival and Dragon Well serves as a shining example of innovation, collaboration, and exceptional networking infrastructure. As the gaming industry continues to evolve, one thing is certain – the need for reliable, high-performance networking solutions will only continue to grow. With Dragon Well at the forefront of this revolution, the future of gaming and networking has never looked brighter.