Oxford Brookes 4g BMS roll out upgrade
Enhanced remote reporting from previously disconnected sites without any LAN exposure
Client:
Castle Accounting
Location:
Nottingham
Date:
2025
Overview
Project Objectives
The project aimed to:
- Deliver critical BMS and fire alarm alerts from remote buildings to a central monitoring point with no existing IT cabling.
- Ensure the new communication path was secure and isolated from the main university network.
- Seamlessly integrate with legacy BMS software, without exceeding reporting limitations or requiring additional licensed endpoints.
- Enable future scalability for additional remote systems and alarms.
Our Solution
Varciti designed and deployed a tailored 4G-based network infrastructure using industrial-grade Teltonika routers, secure VPN tunneling, and custom firewall routing logic.
1. Secure 4G Connectivity
We installed a Teltonika 4G LTE router at each remote building to establish a robust and reliable cellular data connection. These routers provided the necessary connectivity where physical cabling was not feasible, and were configured to ensure encrypted communication channels.
2. Firewall Deployment and VPN Tunneling
To maintain network integrity and strict security compliance, we installed a dedicated firewall within the university’s infrastructure. This firewall was configured to:
- Handle all incoming VPN connections from the remote Teltonika routers
- Route both existing and new traffic from remote systems directly to the BMS reporting PC
- Prevent any backdoor access to the wider university LAN, keeping the IT environment fully segmented
- Authenticate and isolate traffic per connection to enforce zero-trust principles
3. Legacy Software Compatibility
The existing BMS reporting system had strict limits on how many reporting devices could be registered. Rather than adding new endpoints (which would have required software upgrades or licensing changes), we engineered a seamless integration strategy that:
- Routed all new alerts through the same reporting stream already being monitored
- Maintained existing formatting and protocols to avoid configuration changes on the software side
- Presented new alarms as extensions of existing data flows—ensuring no disruption to historic functionality
"Varciti delivered a technically sound and highly secure solution that addressed all our operational and compliance concerns. Their understanding of legacy systems and ability to work around tight software limitations was impressive. We’re already expanding this setup across more of our estate."
Oxford Brookes University
Results
Maintained security and compliance through isolated VPN tunnels and strict firewall rules
No need for BMS software modification, preserving legacy system integrity and avoiding additional licensing costs
Scalable architecture—since installation, the number of reporting devices has doubled without any performance or policy issues
Reliable critical alarm delivery, ensuring key fire and safety systems now feed directly into central operations
