Challenges Nearly everything required to run CPK’s restaurants depends on the network, including 24/7 online ordering, the point-of-sale system, credit card processing and a VoIP phone system. CPK needed the reliability and security of a private network and wanted to simplify management across its 200 restaurants.

Solution A private MPLS network with EarthLink Business supports PCI compliance and provides the reliability and centralized management CPK needs for 24/7

restaurant operations.

Results

• The network provides CPK with the reliability they need for order and payment processing, VoIP, data collection, and other critical applications.

• CPK’s IT team saves time with one network provider for all 200 restaurants and with its EarthLink Business account team managing third-party providers for the backup network and local maintenance.

• Private MPLS provides security for transaction processing in

support of PCI compliance.

“

“

“We rely on the EarthLink MPLS network 24/7 to run our restaurant operations. The private network also supports PCI compliance and allows us to control and monitor all 200 restaurants from one location.”

Secure EarthLink MPLS Network Enables Reliable Operation for California Pizza Kitchen Restaurants Network Supports PCI Compliance and Restaurants’ Expanding Use of Technology

Patrick Wong Director of Infrastructure, California Pizza Kitchen

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CASE STUDY

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Business Challenges

California Pizza Kitchen

CaliforniaPizzaKitchenCaseStudy2013

Since opening its first restaurant in Beverly Hills in 1985, California Pizza Kitchen has expanded rapidly, led by the popularity of innovative pizzas such as its Original BBQ Chicken, Thai Chicken and Jamaican Jerk Chicken. Now, pizza lovers can find CPK in 30 states, 11 countries and in supermarket aisles across the U.S.

As CPK has grown, so has the need for bandwidth at its 200 company-owned restaurants. Nearly everything required to operate runs on the network, except the pizza ovens.

“We rely a lot on the network nowadays. It’s not like it used to be where we only needed it during restaurant hours; now we’re using it 24/7,” said Patrick Wong, Director of Infrastructure at California Pizza Kitchen. “If we can’t process orders or payments online, in person or via phone, then we lose money.”

All of CPK’s transactions require a reliable network, as online orders as well as all credit card transactions depend on a connection. All voice traffic in and out of CPK restaurants run over the network using VoIP.

CPK restaurants transmit sales data to headquarters, train staff members, run the point-of-sale system and pipe in music. Outside restaurant hours, CPK collects critical data, such as inventory and data for PCI compliance, updates menus and antivirus programs and takes online orders overnight for the next day. The company also offers free Wi-Fi to guests during their visits to CPK.

Manageability is also important. Previously, the company had multiple DSL providers across the country, putting a significant burden on the IT team. On top of that, PCI compliance really demanded the security of a private network.

“A private network allows us to support PCI compliance as it limits the number of connections we have into and out of the restaurants,” Wong explained.

The EarthLink Business Solution CPK moved to a private MPLS network with EarthLink Business to get the security, reliability and centralized management it needed, particularly as its dependence on technology grew.

CASE STUDY

Positioned for the Future The private MPLS network with EarthLink Business provides CPK the security, reliability and manageability it needs to support around-the-clock network operations and the company’s expanding application roadmap.

“Having the EarthLink MPLS network for all 200 locations takes a huge burden off of my team. We can now work with a single service provider and manage one or two types of devices in our restaurants instead of a couple of hundred,” shared Wong.

The efficiency of the network allows CPK to make business decisions that drive lower costs, such as the use of VoIP. Most importantly, it ensures that customers can do business smoothly with CPK restaurants anytime, day or night.

Looking ahead, CPK plans to expand usage of the network with some of the upcoming initiatives they have planned. EarthLink is ready to accommodate the company’s growing needs.

California Pizza Kitchen

California Pizza Kitchen

demanded the security of

EarthLink Business’ private

MPLS network to support PCI

compliance requirements. In

addition, the network provides

the bandwidth and reliability

CPK needs to support current

and future applications in their

restaurants.

In addition, EarthLink’s CPK

account team provides a

high level of support with

close communication and

management of third-party

providers for backup network

and maintenance at each

location.

Why California Pizza Kitchen Selected EarthLink Business

getinfo@earthlinkbusiness.com|www.earthlinkbusiness.com CaliforniaPizzaKitchenCaseStudy2013

“We rely on the EarthLink MPLS network 24/7 to run our restaurant operations, including all online order processing, phone, and in-person ordering as well as data collection from restaurants,” Wong said. “The private network also supports PCI compliance and allows us to control and monitor all 200 restaurants from one location.”

With many restaurants in areas that may be subject to construction, CPK needed network diversity for its backup, so it chose wireless. EarthLink saves time for the IT team by managing the wireless backup service from a third-party provider.

CPK optimizes cost and performance by choosing the right access type depending on the needs at each location. For most sites, CPK selects DSL unless T1 is required. By using EarthLink’s Class of Service prioritization, the company prioritizes voice traffic followed by point of sale and video traffic.

EarthLink manages their private network, significantly reducing the time that the IT team spends on network issues. CPK’s IT team members use EarthLink’s myLink™ customer portal to look at network traffic at restaurants, configurations and any problems, and to report issues for ticketing and quick resolution.

“With EarthLink’s myLink customer portal it’s easy to monitor our restaurants from anywhere at any time,” Wong said.

CPK meets weekly with its dedicated EarthLink Business account team to review any open issues or needs. By also managing the external maintenance provider, EarthLink frees CPK’s IT team to focus on other responsibilities.

When CPK plans to open a new restaurant, the IT team submits a request and EarthLink takes over to ensure the location is connected to the network a month in advance of the opening to allow for configuration and testing.

“Our experience with EarthLink has been very good,” Wong said. “With frequent communication, management of third-party providers and turnkey processes, they are our partner in helping us meet our business objectives.”

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