MetTel to Provide SD-WAN Architecture for National Archives and Records Administration

MetTel will implement an integrated SD-WAN-based architecture for the National Archives and Records Administration, an agency responsible for preserving publicly available and historically valuable government records.

NARA’s jurisdiction includes 44 sites consisting of federal records centers, regional archives, presidential libraries and museums and the Federal Register. Work will be done under the terms of a potential $65 million Enterprise Infrastructure Services task order, MetTel said.

Robert Dapkiewicz, MetTel’s federal programs general manager and SVP, said NARA’s existing network infrastructure runs on a legacy hub-and-spoke architecture, a model that features a single hub system that facilitates all communication to and from the others.

“NARA requires a modern network to enable staff to communicate from any location, including office, home and while traveling, which the MetTel SD-WAN enabled network provides,” said Dapkiewicz, a member of the Potomac Officers Club.

SD-WAN is an acronym for software-defined networking in a wide area network. The architecture was designed to address the low-latency and high-bandwidth requirements of modern communication applications.

MetTel said its SD-WAN network uses embedded encryption and is defended by an added network firewall protection.

Under the task order, MetTel will also provide Managed Trusted Internet Protocol Service, toll-free service, web conferencing services and other managed network services.

NARA will also have access to MetTel’s EIS portal, which the company said provides real-time details on the voice and data services delivered through the network.

MetTel is a managed communications service provider headquartered in New York City. Over the past 18 months, the company has won work with the Social Security Administration, the General Services Administration and the departments of Homeland Security, State and Veterans Affairs.