Government

From castles to cloud: Flemish IT evolution

The IT team at Het Facilitair Bedrijf (HFB) is busy leading the digital transformation of the Flemish government. They support 30,000 end users and manage over 40,000 connected devices across a diverse portfolio of 200 buildings—from historic castles to modern offices.

"Our mission is to create a future-proof, sustainable, and inspiring work environment so our colleagues in the Flemish Government can excel," says Dimitri Brems, ICT Program Manager at HFB. "One of the key challenges is balancing high expectations for digital innovation with the complexity of government operations."

Among its IT projects, the Flemish government is implementing a data infrastructure to give all 6.5 million citizens of Belgium a personal data vault. They also provide free access to itsme, a digital identification app used for secure authentication and digital signatures in interactions with government agencies and banks. The government is hard at work on a comprehensive digital strategy for 2030, focusing on integrating digital technologies across sectors, valorizing data, and supporting public-private-academic partnerships.

User experience in the government is paramount. Employees and visitors benefit from consistent connectivity, 24x7 support, and a responsive help desk that collectively ensures users can rely on uninterrupted services, regardless of location.

A catalyst for secure, automated networking

To address user requirements at a time of fast-evolving digital innovations, HFB adopted Cisco Catalyst Center in a Software-Defined Access (SD-Access) posture, where network access is managed, automated, and secured through software-driven policies rather than manual, hardware-centric configurations. This central platform automates, orchestrates, and manages the campus network, enabling HFB to deliver agile, scalable connectivity. With 7000 access points and 1800 switches, the Catalyst Center platform enables seamless connectivity and operational efficiency to over 2000 rooms in 200 facilities.

For embassy sites outside of the government headquarters in Flanders, HFB relies on Cisco Meraki solutions to provide seamless, secure connectivity. The Meraki cloud management platform allows IT teams to remotely monitor, configure, and troubleshoot network infrastructure in real time, regardless of location. This centralized approach simplifies management and ensures a consistent user experience across international sites.

Security in government agencies is also of critical importance. HFB uses microsegmentation and dynamic authentication with Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) and Cisco Secure Firewalls to isolate critical systems to prevent unauthorized access and to enforce access controls and zero-trust security principles. This approach minimizes risk by restricting users and devices to access only the resources they need. Meanwhile, the AI Endpoint Analytics features in Cisco Catalyst Center enhance security by detecting anomalous behavior and identifying potential threats, ensuring that only authorized resources are accessed.

New infrastructure installations and the onboarding of new network devices are template-driven and automated, producing seamless results that reduce IT workloads.

Sustainability at the core of network strategy

Sustainability is a key driver behind HFB’s strategy. Real-time monitoring of network infrastructure and facility use allow HFB to make data-driven decisions to continually optimize energy usage, aligning environmental and financial benefits.

"By leveraging the Catalyst platform, we were able to save more than 4000 megawatts hours of energy annually, reducing our carbon footprint and cutting energy costs by over €300,000 each year," says Brems.

The organization has also recycled more than 2000 end-of-life Wi-Fi access points and other devices—ten tons of equipment—sending them to Cisco for responsible recycling through Cisco Customer Recycling Solutions. These sustainability efforts support HFB’s role as a Sustainable Development Goals ambassador for the European Union and enhance the energy efficiency of its infrastructure.

Looking ahead: 5G and AI-driven innovation

HFB is actively exploring the potential of 5G to further enhance connectivity and IoT solutions, aiming for smarter and more energy-efficient buildings and services. The organization is also expanding its use of AI-driven analytics and automation, integrating tools like Cisco ThousandEyes for deeper insights into network health and user experience. An AI workgroup has been established to explore further opportunities in security, performance optimization, and automation.

HFB’s choice of Cisco as a strategic partner is rooted in the need for scalable, secure, flexible, and innovative solutions to support digital transformation across government departments.

"Cisco’s strong reputation in security, reliability, and innovation are why we chose them as our strategic networking partner," says Brems. "Their expertise has helped us build a secure and resilient digital infrastructure, ensuring that government services remain adaptable to future challenges."