Ubiquiti Enterprise IT Infrastructure Deployment: IT Modernization For Food Production Plant

As certified Ubiquiti integrators based in California, YesTechie specializes in delivering tailored, enterprise-grade IT solutions for high-demand industries, including manufacturing, defense, aerospace, and media. Our expertise encompasses comprehensive Ubiquiti UniFi network design, installation and integration, eliminating subscription-based licensing while providing scalable, secure infrastructure. This case study on our deployment for California Custom Fruits & Flavors (CCFF) demonstrates how we modernized legacy systems across two facilities, enhancing security, connectivity, and operational efficiency in a regulated food production environment.

Client Background and Challenges

Founded in 1986, California Custom Fruits & Flavors (CCFF) is a premier processor and manufacturer of custom fruit bases, flavors, and ingredients, serving global clients in dairy, bakery, beverages, and foodservice sectors. With expansive facilities in Irwindale, California, and Greenwood, Indiana, CCFF manages office spaces, production floors, cold storage and freezer zones, loading docks and logistics areas to maintain product quality and compliance.

Prior to engaging YesTechie, CCFF encountered critical limitations with their outdated infrastructure:

• Outdated Security Infrastructure: Legacy camera systems delivered substandard video quality, lacked AI-driven analytics, and incurred annual licensing fees, exposing vulnerabilities in monitoring production lines and loading docks.
• Legacy Access Control: Inconvenient door systems hindered efficient management, lacking centralized control. The upgrade to UniFi Access enabled instant user provisioning across states, with integrated cameras ensuring video-linked access logs for enhanced auditing.
• Subpar WiFi Coverage: Inconsistent connectivity, particularly in cold storage (-20°C environments), degraded performance under environmental stress, affecting real-time inventory and employee productivity.
• Aging Network Backbone: Obsolete switches and disorganized racks caused slow data transfers (below 1 Gbps), frequent outages, and scalability constraints during expansion.
• Lack of Integrated PA System: Absence of modern public address capabilities impeded facility-wide announcements and emergency alerts.

These deficiencies elevated maintenance costs, risked regulatory non-compliance (e.g., FDA food safety standards), and disrupted 24/7 operations.

Our Solution: Ubiquiti UniFi Ecosystem for Scalable Enterprise IT

YesTechie engineered a unified Ubiquiti UniFi solution to address CCFF's requirements, emphasizing high-performance Layer 3 networking, AI-enhanced security, robust access control, and integrated public address system. Managed via the cloud-based UniFi dashboard, this ecosystem ensures zero-downtime scalability, seamless ERP integration, and superior ROI through license-free operation—aligning with YesTechie's proven track record in similar manufacturing upgrades, such as our Enterprise Network Modernization for Magnetic Component Engineering.

Key components included:

Core Network Switches:

• Enterprise Campus 48 PoE switches: Layer 3 managed switches with (16) 2.5 GbE PoE+++ and (32) 10 GbE PoE+++ ports, plus (4) 25G SFP28 uplinks, delivering 2150W PoE budget for high-availability redundancy and multi-gigabit backhaul.

Pro Max Switches:

• Pro Max 48 PoE switches: Provided multi-gigabit (up to 2.5 GbE) PoE distribution for cameras, AI Horns, and endpoints, with 720W budget to support power-intensive devices without additional injectors.

WiFi Access Points:

• 31 units (mix of E7 and E7 Campus models): E7 Campus APs, with weatherproof IP67 rating and tri-band WiFi 7 support (up to 9.3 Gbps aggregate), were deployed in cold storage for resilient coverage in sub-zero conditions, minimizing signal attenuation.


Security Cameras:

• 180 x G6 Turret Cameras: 4K resolution with built-in AI for license plate recognition (LPR), facial detection, and event analytics (e.g., loitering alerts), reducing blind spots and enabling proactive threat mitigation.


Network Video Recorders (NVRs):

• Two ENVR units per facility, each with 16 x 24TB HDDs in RAID configuration: Supported 10GbE connectivity for 90+ days of 4K footage retention, ensuring compliance with auditing standards while handling up to 210 HD streams.


Access Control System:

• G3 Reader Pro and G3 Intercoms: Touchless NFC/RFID readers with integrated 1080p cameras for video-verified entry at docks and restricted zones, centralized via UniFi Access for real-time policy updates.

Public Address System:

• 20 x AI Horns (10 per facility): 120dB PoE-powered speakers with AI integration for zoned announcements, emergency alerts, and automated responses triggered by security events.

This deployment integrated with CCFF's ERP systems for uninterrupted data flows, incorporating custom VLANs for IoT segmentation and AI rules for anomaly detection - all without recurring fees, contrasting proprietary systems.

Implementation Process

Executed over 10 days per facility with minimal disruption to 24/7 operations, our phased approach leveraged YesTechie's certified expertise to limit downtime to non-operational hours.

1. Site Survey and Planning: Assessed MDF/IDF locations, mapped WiFi/coverage gaps, and planned Category 6A cable runs for 10 Gbps links.
2. Infrastructure Upgrade: Installed new racks for organized cabling; deployed Enterprise Campus and Pro Max switches as the core, achieving sub-1ms latency.
3. WiFi Deployment: Mounted access points on 10 GbE PoE ports; optimized E7 Campus placements in freezers using heat-mapping tools for -40°C tolerance.
4. Security System Installation: Replaced legacy cameras with G6 Turrets; configured ENVRs with RAID-5 for redundancy and AI analytics via UniFi Protect.
5. Access Control and PA Integration: Deployed G3 devices linked to existing locks; integrated AI Horns for unified alerts, enabling scenario-based automation (e.g., intrusion-triggered announcements).
6. Testing and Training: Validated network throughput (up to 10 Gbps), camera feeds, access logs, and audio clarity; trained staff on UniFi dashboard for in-house management.

A unique challenge at the Greenwood facility involved replacing an isolated solar-powered surveillance unit in the remote parking lot, which incurred monthly subscriptions. We excavated a trench for direct burial fiber, erected a pole with two G6 Turret cameras and an AI Horn, eliminating fees and ensuring wired reliability.

The primary constraint—time—was mitigated through parallel deployments and off-hours work, resulting in zero production interruptions.

System Configuration

The Ubiquiti UniFi ecosystem was meticulously configured to optimize security, performance, and resilience across CCFF's facilities, as illustrated in the UniFi Network dashboard screenshot for the Greenwood site.Network segmentation was implemented using VLANs to isolate traffic: the Security VLAN segments cameras, access control devices, and AI Horns from other networks, enhancing isolation and reducing attack surfaces; IoT VLAN for connected devices; Production Controller + PLC VLAN for manufacturing systems; Management VLAN for administrative access; and additional VLANs like Voice, CCFF Guest and Deacom (Scanner) for specialized functions. Ethernet port profiles, such as GW_CCTV (blocking all but Security VLAN) and UPLINK_TRUNK (allowing all tagged VLANs), ensure granular control over traffic and PoE distribution. WiFi networks were tailored for diverse needs, with Enterprise Access Points (e.g., E7 models) configured to deliver high speeds on 5 GHz and 6 GHz bands for modern devices while optimizing 2.4 GHz channels for robust connectivity to legacy equipment on the production floor, minimizing interference in industrial environments. For video surveillance, each of the two ENVRs per facility features redundant, hot-swappable 550W power supplies and 16 x 24TB HDDs in RAID-5 configuration (standard for nine or more drives on ENVR), providing fault-tolerant storage with up to 384TB raw capacity per unit, ensuring 90+ days of 4K footage retention and high availability. The Access Control system incorporates 24VDC power supplies for fail-secure Mortise Electrified Locks, integrated with battery backups to maintain operational integrity during power outages, allowing doors to remain secured and functional via manual overrides or credential access until power is restored. This layered configuration not only complies with enterprise standards but also facilitates seamless integration with CCFF's ERP, delivering low-latency, secure operations with centralized management via the UniFi dashboard.

Results and Benefits

The UniFi upgrade yielded quantifiable enhancements, positioning CCFF for sustained growth:

• Enhanced WiFi Performance: 100% coverage in cold storage, supporting IoT devices with <50ms latency and enabling real-time inventory via mobile apps.
• Superior Security Outcomes: AI features provided 4x video clarity and 90-day retention, reducing incidents through proactive alerts.
• Access and Audio Reliability: Minimized unauthorized access; AI Horns ensured full audible coverage with <1s response times.
• Network Efficiency: Downtime reduced by 80%; scalable design supported 2x faster transfers and cleaner racks, cutting maintenance significantly.
• Cost Savings and ROI: Projected payback in 2 years via eliminated licenses, leasing, and vendor fees; in-house UniFi management saved $50K+ annually.

Broader advantages include FDA-compliant real-time monitoring for food safety, boosted productivity, and future-proof scalability for expansions. For IT directors, this exemplifies UniFi's value: centralized, license-free management reduces TCO by 40-60% compared to alternatives, while delivering enterprise-grade performance in challenging environments. Contact YesTechie team for similar transformations.

Checkout the video from this deployment: