Networking is a game of cooperation: An Interview with Joakim Löfman

Meet Joakim Löfman, Network and Security Consultant at NetNordic Sweden and our Extreme Hero of the quarter.

What cool projects are you working on?

I’m currently working on a large fabric proof of concept for a municipality in Sweden that should be starting in mid-April. We’re designing a complete Extreme wired and wireless solution.

You’ve served as a trusted advisor on some of NetNordic’s high-profile projects in Sweden, supporting end customers with design, implementation, and deployment of complex networking solutions. What has been your biggest or most ambitious project to date?

That would be all of the legacy networks where we replace obsolete infrastructure with Extreme’s Automated Campus or Extreme Fabric Connect.

Looking further back, I can’t fail to mention our biggest reference customer to date, the municipality of Borås Stad, where we replaced a complete Cisco infrastructure with a traditional Extreme core and distribution network solution, complete with access switches and wireless, adding up to 700+ switches and 3000+ access points, and still evolving. We look forward to continuing working with Extreme and their technologies to continue helping the customer with their ongoing digital journey.

You joined NetNordic in late 2018 as part of the acquisition of RADPOINT, a well-established player in the area of cyber security and smart data centers in Sweden. How did your experience translate into working for one of the biggest system integrators in Scandinavia? How did this transition help you grow as a professional?

I started at RADPOINT in 2011 and ever since then, I’ve been working tirelessly with wired and wireless networks within a small team of fellow Extreme Heroes.

I would say the transition to NetNordic itself was rather straightforward. Today I’m able to focus on bigger projects that are possible being in a larger company with many skilled colleagues and resources.

A little while ago we asked your Norwegian colleague from NetNordic, Strategic Account Director Trygve Wettestad, about his favorite Extreme technology. He chose ExtremeCloud IQ. What is your favorite Extreme technology?

I’ve always been a fan of ExtremeCloud IQ and the possibilities it provides, but from a purely technical point of view, my current favorite technology would have to be Extreme Fabric Connect with the Fabric Attach function.

By introducing the Extreme Fabric Connect infrastructure, many of our customers can re-use their current infrastructure to create a much more resilient network than they currently have.

You’ve repeatedly demonstrated deep knowledge of Extreme’s entire portfolio, ranging from fabric switching to the latest Wi-Fi 6 cloud-based deployments. What new technological developments from Extreme do you hope to see in the near future?

I’m hoping for the possibility to use NAC in combination with Extreme Fabric Attach for the Wi-Fi 6 access points in order to be able to automate I-SID/L2VSN creation even for the wireless side in the same fashion that we currently do for wired.

I’m also looking forward to the continued development of ExtremeCloud IQ for fabric monitoring, configuration, and analytics capabilities.

Lastly, I’m hoping to see ExtremeCloud IQ Site Engine-like handling for reading and pushing switch configurations from the ExtremeCloud IQ platform.

What are you up to when you're not at work?

I play quite a lot of video games. Right now it’s mainly some casual gaming like exploring the world of Medieval Norway and England in Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla or some Counter-Strike: Global Offensive online matches with my friends.

Everyone appreciates good teamwork. What do you value the most in your partnership with Extreme?

The networking business is a game of cooperation. Everyone who ever played computer games knows how it generally goes if one of your teammates spends too much money every round or, even worse, does not communicate with the rest of the team.

I would say that close coordination and cooperation are extremely important with all our vendor partnerships. The close relationship we have with both Extreme’s systems engineers and salespeople makes our business hum with efficiency and satisfied customers.