EarthLink Business proposed a blended, completely private Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) network with a hub and spoke configuration where the satellite store locations route via their corporate office for Internet access. With a blend of permanent storefronts and seasonal “pop up” or kiosk stores, EarthLink installed ADSL via MPLS in the bulk of the locations, a DS-1 at five locations, frame relay at ten and Evolution Data Optimized (EVDO) at the seasonal locations. EVDO is the standard for wireless transmission of data through radio signals. “EarthLink Business had the most attractive offer, both from a price and technology standpoint,” said Lanni. “It was the natural choice for us.”

1. CASE STUDY HoneyBaked Ham
“
“
EarthLink Business® really helps us with our growth,
particularly with our seasonal Express locations. In the
past, we struggled to get new locations installed in a
timely manner. The EVDO access we’re using on our
MPLS network really is the driving factor in allowing us
so much leeway to expand the seasonal stores.
– Angelo Lanni
Director of Information Technology
HoneyBaked Ham
Finding an
and secure solution
that would reliably
tie their disparate
locations together
was the challenge,
and EarthLink
Business delivered
an ideal solution.
Business Challenges
Before making the switch to EarthLink Business, Angelo Lanni,
Director of Information Technology for HoneyBaked Ham, personally
managed each site location, a task that he was keen to delegate.
“It was clear that I needed to step away from the day-to-day
maintenance and management of each network site to focus on
developing the bigger picture,” Lanni said.
Due to the transactional nature of their retail business, security
of the data was tantamount. Also, the seasonal spike in traffic that
HoneyBaked Ham experienced around holidays in the winter and
spring meant they needed an agile provider able to add locations
quickly. Finding an affordable, scalable and secure solution
that would reliably tie their disparate locations together was the
challenge, and EarthLink Business delivered an ideal solution.
Solution
EarthLink Business proposed a blended, completely private
Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) network with a hub and
spoke configuration where the satellite store locations route via
their corporate office for Internet access. With a blend of permanent
storefronts and seasonal “pop up” or kiosk stores, EarthLink
installed ADSL via MPLS in the bulk of the locations, a DS-1 at five
locations, frame relay at ten and Evolution Data Optimized (EVDO)
at the seasonal locations. EVDO is the standard for wireless
transmission of data through radio signals.
“EarthLink Business had the most attractive offer, both from a price
and technology standpoint,” said Lanni. “It was the natural choice
for us.”
getinfo@earthlinkbusiness.com | www.earthlinkbusiness.com
HoneyBaked Ham Case Study 2012
© 2012 EarthLink, Inc. Trademarks are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved. 1074-07955
affordable, scalable

2. CASE STUDY HoneyBaked Hams
“I have absolutely
recommended EarthLink
Business to my business
colleagues, as we are
extremely satisfied with
the wonderful customer
care we receive,”
said Lanni. “We look
with EarthLink Business
as we continue to
grow the HoneyBaked
Ham business.”
Results
In addition to the convenience of consolidating all of their locations with
EarthLink Business and handing over the monitoring and maintenance
of the locations, Lanni experienced immediate benefits that enabled
HoneyBaked to be more agile in the marketplace. “EarthLink Business
really helps us with our growth, particularly with our seasonal Express
locations,” said Lanni. “In the past, we struggled to get new locations
installed in a timely manner. The EVDO access we’re using on our
MPLS network really is the driving factor in allowing us so much
leeway to expand the seasonal stores.”
Not only have the EVDO locations proven extremely reliable, they can
rapidly be turned up or down. In most of those locations, HoneyBaked’s
only other option would be dial-up, which is not appropriate for retail
transactions. “Because these locations are so cost-effective, often we
just decide to leave the location ‘on’ even though we are not operating
it at the present,” Lanni remarked. “When you lease retail space on a
temporary basis, you never really know from month to month how long
you may be there,” explains Lanni. “If a Mall finds another tenant, we may
need to disappear quickly. With EarthLink Business, we are ready.”
Key issues for HoneyBaked Ham are optimizing the company’s steady
growth, and the importance of tightening security. “Credit card data is
extremely sensitive, and with our EarthLink MPLS network, I’m confident
that it is safeguarded,” he said. But to Lanni, probably the biggest benefit
they receive is the comprehensive network management. “The EarthLink
team manages each circuit centrally, as well as handling any trouble
tickets or service issues. Although I use the EarthLink customer portal
to monitor our network performance, in addition to other monitoring
applications, the turnkey aspect of the managed solution is a big factor in
our satisfaction.”
getinfo@earthlinkbusiness.com | www.earthlinkbusiness.com
HoneyBaked Ham Case Study 2012
© 2012 EarthLink, Inc. Trademarks are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved. 1074-07955
forward to partnering