Integrating UniFi with IT infrastructure: A complete guide

As your IT-service grows, staying flexible and scalable are becoming more crucial. In order to maintain operational efficiency and security your IT-stack needs to integrate seemlessly with one another.

This guide explores how UniFi systems can seamlessly integrate with various IT setups. We'll see that UniFi leans itself really well for this, thereby improving the network's value and capabilities.

Let's dive in!

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🚨 Before we dive in, please don't self-host your UniFi Controller if you take care of client networks. Sooner or later this will cause issues! It's fine for home users, but definitely not recommended for IT service businesses and MSPs. If you want secure, reliable and a scalable hosting solution check out UniHosted.

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Table of Contents

• Understanding UniFi's Ecosystem
• Step-by-Step Guide to Integration
• Get more out of your networks
  • Final Thoughts

Understanding UniFi's Ecosystem

UniFi offers a wide range of networking devices including switches, routers, access points, and more, all managed through the UniFi Controller software.

This centralized platform simplifies network management, offering detailed insights and easy configuration of network components. The flexibility and scalability of UniFi products make them ideal for integration with existing IT infrastructures.

Step-by-Step Guide to Integration

1. Assess Your Current Infrastructure: Begin by evaluating your current network setup. Identify the devices, their roles, and how they're connected. Understanding your network's architecture is crucial in determining how UniFi products can best enhance your setup.

2. Identify UniFi Products for Integration: Depending on your network's needs, select UniFi devices that complement your existing infrastructure. For instance, UniFi switches can easily be integrated into networks with existing non-UniFi routers, and UniFi access points can enhance your wireless coverage without replacing the entire network hardware.

3. Plan for Seamless Integration: It's essential to plan the integration process to minimize downtime and ensure compatibility. This may involve configuring VLANs on UniFi switches to match your current network setup or setting up UniFi access points to extend your existing wireless network coverage.

4. Deploy UniFi Controller Software: The UniFi Controller is the heart of the UniFi ecosystem, allowing for centralized management of your UniFi devices alongside existing infrastructure. Deploy the UniFi Controller on a dedicated server, virtual machine, or cloud service like UniHosted to manage your integrated network efficiently.

We wrote an in-dept article about different hosting solutions to explore the differences between them.

5. Configure and Adopt UniFi Devices: Once your UniFi Controller is set up, connect your UniFi devices to the network and adopt them through the Controller. This process involves specifying network settings, SSIDs for access points, and other configurations to align with your existing setup.

6. Optimize and Monitor Your Network: With your UniFi devices integrated, use the UniFi Controller to monitor network performance, identify potential issues, and optimize configurations for optimal performance. The Controller provides detailed analytics and insights, helping you maintain a robust and secure network.

Get more out of your networks

Integrating UniFi products into your existing IT infrastructure not only extends the capabilities of your network but also enhances its overall value. Some of the benefits include:

• Scalability: UniFi's modular design allows for easy expansion of your network as your business grows, without the need for a complete overhaul of your existing setup.
• Centralized Management: The UniFi Controller offers a single pane of glass for managing your entire network, simplifying administrative tasks and improving efficiency.
• Advanced Features: UniFi devices come with advanced features like deep packet inspection (DPI), real-time analytics, and detailed performance metrics, offering deeper insights into your network's operation.
• Cost-Effectiveness: By integrating UniFi products into your network, you leverage the benefits of high-performance networking solutions without incurring the high costs associated with some other enterprise-grade products.

Final Thoughts

Integrating UniFi systems into your existing IT infrastructure offers a pathway to enhanced network performance, scalability, and management efficiency. Whether you're expanding your network, enhancing wireless coverage, or seeking more efficient network management, UniFi provides a great and flexible solution that integrates seamlessly with a wide range of existing IT setups.

At UniHosted, we understand the importance of this. We provide managed UniFi Cloud Controllers to improve your network efficiency. Especially, if you are an MSP or IT-service business looking for flexible and scalable network deployments, this is something for you.

If you would like me to personally walk you through UniHosted, you can schedule a call with me here.