Tailor-made cybersecurity

Renewable energies are one of the key growth markets of our time – but at the same time, they are also a highly regulated and digitised sector. Companies such as Krannich Solar are not only faced with the task of managing complex international supply chains and business processes, but also have to reliably protect their sensitive data and systems. In the following, we demonstrate the role that cloud security solutions play in this regard and how Krannich Solar secures its IT infrastructure with Zscaler from Vodafone Business.

The Challenge

Efficient processes for a dynamic environment

Challenges such as the volatility of component prices and the rapidly changing political framework require agility and speed in all internal and external processes of the company – whether in establishing international locations, in goods and supply logistics, in providing professional customer consulting, or in handling warranty claims.

The necessary agility and speed are enabled by powerful, globally networked IT systems. In addition to reliability and performance, their cyber security is a crucial prerequisite for business operations. Krannich Solar achieves this by operating its own data centres for strategically central functions and a complementary cloud infrastructure.

This hybrid environment runs business-critical applications for the wholesaler, such as the company-wide ERP system, as well as Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure and many others. High availability and short SLA times are crucial to the company's success. To secure and control access to its global corporate network, Krannich Solar relies on the zero-trust solution Zscaler, which is provided by Vodafone Business.

The Company

Solar pioneer with an international presence

Founded in 1995 in Weil der Stadt, Baden-Württemberg, the Krannich Solar Group is a wholesaler for all products related to photovoltaic systems. Today, the company has over 30 locations worldwide and more than 1,000 employees from over 40 countries. Its customers are installers and planners of PV systems of all sizes.

With 30 years of experience, the Krannich Solar Group offers in-depth market knowledge and has established a strong network of manufacturers, partners and customers. Since its foundation, the company has sold a total of over 86 square kilometres of solar modules. The PV systems installed by its customers cover an area equivalent to around 12,100 football pitches.

In addition, Krannich Solar offers a seamless supply chain that guarantees minimum delivery times for ordered products with the help of selected logistics partners.

The Solution

Trust is good – control is better

The zero-trust solution Zscaler Cloud Security provided by Vodafone Business combines granularly adjustable security functions with the secure network services of Vodafone Business. This cloud-based tool allows access to all Krannich Solar IT resources to be secured for each employee as required. This applies both to the company's own data centres and to the cloud infrastructure used by Krannich Solar.

In addition, the solution package provides Krannich Solar's IT department with a complete 360-degree overview of the services, applications and IT systems used in the company at all times. This also includes regular reports on attempted attacks detected by Zscaler Cloud Security, for example through the "Deception" module – a so-called honeypot that attracts the interest and activities of cyber attackers through supposedly weakly protected access points, thus allowing a deeper analysis of their modus operandi.

"The IT solutions from Microsoft and other providers become even more secure and reliable with the additional use of Zscaler," reports Alexis Ladas, Head of IT at Krannich Solar. "Implementation is significantly less complex than with conventional security solutions, while the level of IT security achieved is still higher."

This has also simplified many workflows in the internationally active company. New devices are configured and rolled out using Windows Autopilot and equipped with the Zscaler Agent. Before Microsoft 365 and Zscaler Cloud Security were implemented, this process could take hours per device and quickly add up to several person-days. Numerous business trips for internal coordination or the establishment of new locations at home and abroad were also eliminated. "If I had to quantify the total cost savings," says Benedikt Hermann, Head of IT International at Krannich Solar, "I would estimate them at around €100,000."

"With Vodafone Business, we have an experienced partner who routinely implements projects of this magnitude," says Alexis Ladas with satisfaction. "Our contacts know us very well, provide us with advice and always take our requirements into account in a tailor-made manner."

This was very different with the previous partner in the area of IT security. "Zscaler Cloud Security gives us the security we need to work and grow quickly and flexibly."

What does “zero trust” mean?

Traditional security concepts are based on the assumption that all services, devices and users within the company's own network are trustworthy. They only consider network traffic and access from outside the network to be potentially dangerous. However, once an attacker has penetrated the company network, security measures are largely ineffective.

The zero trust model, on the other hand, represents a fundamental change in IT security. Unlike conventional concepts, it treats all devices, services and users equally and fundamentally distrusts them. All data traffic is checked regardless of its source, and every interaction must be authenticated. The aim is to significantly minimise the risk to company networks and applications.

In addition to protection against external threats, internal sources of danger are also consistently excluded. Unlike conventional security concepts, which fundamentally trust internal users and services, the zero trust model relies on comprehensive security and mistrust as the default.

The Advantages

Granular protection for IT infrastructure – on-premises and in the cloud

ZScaler Cloud Security protects access to applications and services that are provided either on-premises in Krannich Solar's own data centre or in the cloud. The level of protection can be granularly adjusted for each employee and each application as needed. In addition, ZScaler Cloud Security offers numerous other features, such as network traffic optimisation, shadow IT identification, detailed usage logs, and the "Deception" honeypot module, which specifically attracts cyber attackers, enabling a deeper analysis of their methods.

A conversation with Alexis Ladas and Benedikt Hermann, the two IT managers at Krannich Solar, about the importance of IT security for modern companies and the advantages of Zscaler Cloud Security.

What importance does IT security have for your company?

Alexis Ladas: As an international company, the security and reliability of our corporate network and all services and applications provided over it are of central importance to us. In addition to the constant provision of business-critical processes for the company, there is also a strategic dimension: in order to be able to quickly commission new locations at home and abroad, we need a security solution that is both reliable and quick and easy to implement.

Which IT components or services do you secure with Zscaler Cloud Security?

Benedikt Hermann: We operate our own data centre, which runs our merchandise management and ERP systems, for example, as well as cloud-based solutions such as Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Azure. One of the many advantages of Zscaler Cloud Security is that we can protect both types of infrastructure with the same security solution.

What security solution were you using before switching to Zscaler?

Alexis Ladas: Before deciding on Zscaler Cloud Security, we used another provider's security solution. We were particularly dissatisfied with the cooperation with this provider – unlike Vodafone Business today, they were unable to respond to our individual requirements.

What are the key benefits of Zscaler for you?

Benedikt Hermann: The zero trust architecture can be granularly adapted to requirements. We can guarantee exactly the right level of security depending on the application or service and depending on the user and their location. There are also many other functions, such as optimising network traffic and identifying shadow IT. The detailed logs provided by Zscaler give us a perfect overview of the use of services and components. The honeypot module "Deception" is also very useful, showing us how often and with what techniques cyber attackers target our company network.

How would you rate your collaboration with Vodafone?

Alexis Ladas: The collaboration is always close and based on partnership. Our contacts fully understood our needs and implemented them in a routine and tailor-made manner when providing the solution. Zscaler Cloud Security gives us the security we need to work and grow quickly and agilely.

Traditional security concepts are still based on the idea of a "secure inner circle": anyone who is part of the company network is trusted. But this model is now outdated. Attacks do not only come from outside, they also originate within the organisation – whether through compromised accounts, unintentional errors or targeted attacks.

The answer to this threat is zero trust. This model fundamentally questions every access request and requires continuous verification. But how can this paradigm shift be implemented in practice? A white paper by PwC outlines six key steps that can guide companies on their way to a zero trust architecture.

Conclusion: From buzzword to strategy

Zero Trust is more than just an IT buzzword – it is a new standard in cybersecurity. The path to achieving it is challenging but clearly structured: understand data, create safe spaces, define rules, monitor continuously and automate consistently. Following these six steps not only strengthens your security architecture, but also builds trust among customers, partners and employees. In a world where threats are omnipresent, security becomes a key prerequisite for agility, innovation and growth. Secure your business processes proactively – talk to Vodafone today about your individual zero trust strategy.