EXCLUSIVE: Sportsman’s Warehouse unifies network operations
A specialty outdoor retailer has modernized its network through a managed services partnership.
As exclusively released to Chain Store Age, Sportsman’s Warehouse has resolved network issues relating to expansion. Currently operating 145 stores nationwide with a selection of more than 60,000 products, each tailored to local outdoor activities and customer preferences, the retailer previously relied on a legacy, in-house-developed infrastructure that required significant manual configuration and ongoing maintenance.
Each store setup involved multiple switches, access points, firewalls, and SD-WAN routers, often requiring on-site attention from IT staff. This fragmented approach placed a burden on internal IT resources with routine maintenance and troubleshooting taking time. As the business continued to grow, Sportsman’s Wearhouse decided that it needed a more scalable, reliable and flexible network management solution.
The retailer selected a Hughes Network Systems turnkey managed SD-WAN solution, handling installation, security and ongoing management. A pilot rollout covering roughly 10–12% of Sportsman’s Warehouse’s store locations demonstrated that the solution’s performance and reliability exceeded expectations, leading the retailer to pursue a full-scale deployment across the entire network.
Hughes developed a hosted, best-of-breed network architecture for Sportsman’s Warehouse that includes the following components:
- VeloCloud SD-WAN appliances paired with Hughes managed gateways and Cisco Meraki firewalls for granular optimization and security.
- Ericsson Enterprise Wireless (formerly Cradlepoint) 5G modems for high-availability backup to the primary wireline transport, providing connectivity resilience for critical applications.
- Hughes managed firewall, switching, and Wi-Fi services on the unified Meraki platform, as well as access to the HughesON Portal, for network visibility, operations, and case management through a unified platform.
Hughes orchestrated the network transformation, scheduling cutovers around store hours to minimize business disruption, while also providing 24/7 technical support. A stack and a centralized dashboard gave IT teams complete visibility and control, while Hughes’ handling of day-to-day maintenance enabled internal engineers to focus on strategic initiatives.
In addition, the Hughes solution supported seamless migration to cloud environments and allowed for streamlined adaptation to meet evolving business needs. Enterprise-grade security and high-availability backup protected critical applications and helped ensure consistent performance, even during outages.
[READ MORE: Batteries Plus supports franchise growth with store network visibility]
Other benefits reported by Sportsman’s Warehouse include a smoother, more reliable shopping experience, as well as cost savings and IT staff optimization that help support innovation and growth.
