Case Study: Restaurant Network Infrastructure Modernization at Cameron Mitchell Restaurants

Restaurant network infrastructure modernization became a priority for Cameron Mitchell Restaurants as the organization scaled secure, high-performance connectivity across 74 unique locations.

Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, a nationally renowned restaurant group known for unforgettable dining experiences, needed a network foundation that could support modern restaurant operations, wireless-first point-of-sale systems, guest Wi-Fi, security visibility, and continued growth. Led by Orlando Sprockel, Senior Director of IT, the company partnered with Logically to redesign its network and security environment using Extreme Networks and SonicWall.

Key Takeaways

• Cameron Mitchell Restaurants modernized network infrastructure across 74 locations to improve wireless performance, security visibility, and scalability.
• The move from wired point-of-sale systems to Toast increased the importance of reliable Wi-Fi. Restaurant associates needed stronger wireless coverage for handheld devices, patios, and guest-facing areas.
• Extreme Networks helped Cameron Mitchell gain more granular wireless control. ExtremeCloud IQ supports centralized management of access points, switches, and SD-WAN, along with monitoring, troubleshooting, and device health visibility.
• SonicWall improved firewall protection and management. SonicWall next-generation firewalls provide advanced threat protection and centralized management for networks of different sizes.
• Logically provided the managed services expertise needed for 24/7 support, co-management, implementation, and ongoing operational guidance. Logically also highlights a long-standing SonicWall partnership for managed firewall and cybersecurity solutions.
• The result was a more consistent, secure, and scalable network environment that supports guest experience, associate productivity, compliance confidence, and future restaurant growth.
  

Overview

Cameron Mitchell Restaurants needed a flexible network and security environment that could keep pace with expansion, digital ordering, wireless point-of-sale activity, and location-specific design requirements.

The organization operated across 74 restaurant locations, each with its own layout, guest traffic patterns, patio areas, operational workflows, and connectivity demands. As the business evolved, its existing Cisco Meraki environment began to limit how precisely the IT team could configure wireless coverage and manage distributed locations.

The company turned to Logically to design and execute a full restaurant network infrastructure modernization initiative. The solution combined Extreme Networks switches and access points with SonicWall firewalls to improve performance, strengthen security, simplify support, and create a scalable foundation for future growth.

The outcome was a more reliable wired and wireless environment, stronger control over Wi-Fi coverage, better visibility, and a co-managed model that gave Cameron Mitchell’s IT team both strategic control and hands-on support.

The Challenge

Cameron Mitchell Restaurants had outgrown a network environment that was not flexible enough for its modern restaurant operations.

The company’s infrastructure included Cisco Meraki access points, firewalls, and small business switches. While that environment supported earlier needs, it became harder to fine-tune wireless performance across different restaurant layouts. This mattered more as the company moved from a wired, on-premises point-of-sale system to Toast, a wireless-first platform that depends on reliable Wi-Fi coverage.

The challenges were practical and operational:

Inconsistent Wi-Fi Performance: Each restaurant had different floor plans, traffic patterns, patios, and service areas. Coverage gaps, interference, and signal bleed created risk for associate productivity and guest experience.

Limited Fine-Grained Configuration: The IT team needed more control over access point behavior, wireless power levels, and location-specific network performance.

Lack of 24/7 IT Support: Supporting a distributed restaurant environment required round-the-clock responsiveness, which placed pressure on the internal IT team.

Cybersecurity Pressures: The organization needed stronger security visibility, firewall modernization, alert management, and confidence around payment-related compliance.

Complex Vendor Ecosystem: Mixed equipment and limited co-management options made troubleshooting more difficult and slowed down operational response.

For Cameron Mitchell, the challenge was not simply replacing hardware. The business needed a network foundation that could be tailored to each location while remaining consistent enough to manage at scale.

The Solution: Partnership with Logically, Extreme Networks and SonicWall

Cameron Mitchell partnered with Logically to modernize its network and security infrastructure across all 74 locations.

The solution centered on three connected priorities: improve wireless performance, strengthen security, and simplify ongoing management. Logically helped design and deploy an enterprise-grade architecture built on Extreme Networks for switching and wireless access, along with SonicWall firewalls for advanced network security.

This approach gave Cameron Mitchell a more scalable operational model. Your restaurant environment may have unique layouts, outdoor spaces, handheld devices, and guest Wi-Fi requirements, but the underlying infrastructure still needs to be standardized, secure, and supportable.

Unified, Enterprise-Grade Network with Extreme

Cameron Mitchell began transitioning from Cisco Meraki access points and switches to Extreme Networks cloud-managed networking solutions.

Extreme Networks helped the company create a more consistent and configurable foundation across restaurant locations. ExtremeCloud IQ provides unified, cloud-driven management for access points, switches, and SD-WAN, with configuration workflows, real-time and historical monitoring, troubleshooting, and visibility into client and device health.

The deployment included:

• Extreme Wi-Fi 6 access points tailored to each restaurant’s floor plan
• Reliable wireless coverage for handheld associate devices
• Fine-tuned power and coverage for patios and high-traffic service areas
• Better control to reduce unintended Wi-Fi signal spillover outside venues
• Extreme switches for performance and scalability
• ExtremeCloud IQ for centralized management and visibility
• Predictive access point analytics to guide placement and minimize dead zones

Collectively, the modernization improved wired and wireless bandwidth, performance, coverage visibility, and operational control.

“Every restaurant has different needs and layout challenges. Extreme’s predictive analytics and unified visibility helped us deploy APs more intelligently. Now we have stronger signal strength where it matters most, and no accidental coverage outside the venue.”
- Orlando Sprockel
Senior Director of IT, Cameron Mitchell Restaurants

Co-Management and Customization at Scale

The new environment gave Cameron Mitchell a balance of standardization and location-specific customization.

Through Logically’s support and Extreme’s flexible architecture, Orlando’s team gained more control over how each restaurant network is configured. That flexibility is important in restaurant environments where patios, private dining areas, kitchens, bars, and guest spaces may all have different connectivity needs.

The co-managed model includes:

• Custom virtual local area networks, or VLANs, and policies by location
• Shared access to a centralized network runbook
• Daily operational support from Logically
• Strategic control retained by Cameron Mitchell’s internal IT team
• A scalable model for future openings and upgrades

This helped Cameron Mitchell avoid the trade-off many growing organizations face. The company did not have to choose between outsourcing everything and managing everything internally. Instead, it gained a partner-led model that supports your team while preserving your control.

“It’s not just plug-and-play. We can customize everything for each restaurant.
And with Logically and Extreme, we’re never flying blind.
We always have the tools, support, and visibility we need.”
- Orlando Sprockel
Senior Director of IT, Cameron Mitchell Restaurants

Strengthening Security with SonicWall

Cameron Mitchell also replaced aging firewalls with SonicWall TZ470 firewalls to improve protection and visibility.

SonicWall next-generation firewalls are designed to deliver advanced threat protection and centralized management, while SonicWall’s firewall security services include capabilities such as real-time sandboxing, content filtering, and anti-spam protection.

For Cameron Mitchell, the firewall modernization supported:

• Advanced threat protection
• Improved alert management
• Better network security visibility
• Integration with PCI-compliant systems like Toast
• More consistent firewall rules across locations
• Stronger confidence around payment-related compliance workflows

Logically helped configure firewall rules and coordinate with third-party platforms to support Payment Card Industry, or PCI, compliance needs across the restaurant environment.

The Results

The partnership between Cameron Mitchell, Logically, Extreme Networks, and SonicWall created a more consistent and secure infrastructure foundation across 74 restaurant locations.

The modernization delivered practical outcomes:

The most important result was operational confidence. Cameron Mitchell gained a network and security model that supports how the business actually runs, from dining rooms and patios to point-of-sale systems and back-office operations.

What’s Next

Cameron Mitchell’s IT team is continuing to build internal expertise through training and sandbox environments on the Extreme Networks platform.

The company also continues to rely on Logically as a strategic partner for support, innovation, and future network evolution. This balance gives the internal team more self-sufficiency while keeping managed services expertise available when needed.

In July 2025, Cameron Mitchell opened Big Rock Italian Chophouse in Birmingham, Michigan, with the new network and security configuration from Extreme Networks and SonicWall. Cameron Mitchell’s official announcement noted Big Rock Italian Chophouse and The Rock Cigar Club were preparing for a July 15 grand opening in Birmingham.

For restaurant groups planning growth, the lesson is clear. Restaurant network infrastructure modernization is not only an IT project. It is a business enablement strategy that supports guest experience, associate productivity, cybersecurity, compliance, and expansion.

To learn how Logically can help your organization modernize network infrastructure, strengthen security, and support distributed operations, speak with a Logically expert about managed network and firewall services.

Last updated June 2026

Excerpts from the original article: https://www.extremenetworks.com/resources/case-study/cameron-mitchell-restaurants-transforms-network-infrastructure

FAQ

What is restaurant network infrastructure modernization?

Restaurant network infrastructure modernization is the process of upgrading the wired, wireless, firewall, and management systems that support restaurant operations. It helps restaurants improve Wi-Fi performance, security, scalability, guest connectivity, point-of-sale reliability, and centralized support.

Why did Cameron Mitchell Restaurants modernize its network infrastructure?

Cameron Mitchell Restaurants modernized its network infrastructure because its existing environment was becoming difficult to configure, support, and scale across 74 locations. The move to a wireless-first point-of-sale platform increased the need for reliable Wi-Fi coverage and stronger network control.

What technologies were used in the Cameron Mitchell Restaurants network modernization?

The modernization used Extreme Networks switches and access points for wired and wireless performance, ExtremeCloud IQ for centralized management and visibility, and SonicWall firewalls for network security and threat protection.

How did Logically support Cameron Mitchell Restaurants?

Logically helped design, implement, configure, and support the network and security transformation. Logically provided managed services, 24/7 support, firewall configuration, vendor coordination, and co-management so Cameron Mitchell’s IT team could retain strategic control.

Why is Wi-Fi performance so important for modern restaurants?

Wi-Fi performance is critical because modern restaurants rely on wireless point-of-sale devices, handheld associate tools, guest Wi-Fi, mobile ordering, payment systems, and operational applications. Poor coverage can affect service speed, employee productivity, guest satisfaction, and revenue.

How does SonicWall improve restaurant network security?

SonicWall firewalls help improve restaurant network security by providing advanced threat protection, centralized management, firewall rule enforcement, alerting, and security services that help protect distributed environments.

What is the benefit of co-managed network services?

Co-managed network services give an internal IT team strategic control while a managed services provider handles daily operations, monitoring, support, and troubleshooting. This model helps distributed organizations scale support without overextending internal staff.

What should restaurant groups consider before modernizing network infrastructure?

Restaurant groups should evaluate Wi-Fi coverage, point-of-sale reliability, firewall age, guest network segmentation, PCI compliance needs, centralized visibility, vendor complexity, support coverage, and future expansion plans.