Eleven Days in Nigeria Auditing a Multi-Site Network
Missions of Exception — Episode 3
This is not an AI-generated image. This is a real-life assignment.
Don’t be fooled by the palm trees: they don’t tell the whole story. Some sites could not be photographed, so the images offer only a glimpse of the assignment.
After an initial remote analysis phase, Simon Leder, a network engineer at CNS, spends eleven days in the field in Nigeria. He audits WAN, LAN and Wi-Fi networks across several environments, from offices to operational facilities and an offshore site.
He arrives with an initial understanding of the infrastructure. On site, he has to compare it with the reality of each location, how people use the network and the conditions for accessing the sites. The goal is to establish reliable findings and share them with the relevant teams without reducing the audit to a list of shortcomings.
“I was excited. I love travelling from place to place.”
The assignment at a glance
- The context: an audit of a network infrastructure in Nigeria for an international group.
- Time on site: eleven days.
- The scope: WAN, LAN and Wi-Fi across several work environments.
- Simon’s role: audit the network, assess Wi-Fi coverage and identify the actions to prioritize.
From the overall diagnosis to Wi-Fi measurements
Before travelling, Simon had studied the multi-site architecture, including global routing, OSPF organized into several areas, and BGP. The on-site work was essential to check how this architecture had actually been implemented and how it interacted with the WAN.
The Wi-Fi audit called for a different kind of analysis. Simon had to assess coverage requirements site by site rather than apply the same expectations across the entire network. The architecture, layout, uses and expected service levels varied from one location to another.
“An open-plan office can’t be measured in the same way as offices separated by solid walls.”
Across the audited network, service quality did not depend solely on network configurations. Power stability and the reliability of carrier links could also affect the results. Simon therefore had to distinguish these factors from configuration issues or a poorly implemented Wi-Fi deployment.
Adapting site visits to access conditions Paragraphs
The visits did not always follow the original schedule. Travel was organized within a specific security framework, and when the expected conditions were not met, the schedule had to be revised.
Simon then had to reorganize his days while keeping an overview of the different parts of the audit.
“You have to know how to adapt. Rework the entire plan from scratch, while keeping your cool.”
Putting findings into context without assigning blame
The local teams knew the day-to-day uses and constraints of their infrastructure. The group’s contacts had their own expectations around standards and service levels. Simon had to bring these perspectives together and present his findings accurately.
His external perspective also helped put some issues into context. The observations did not automatically point to local practices: they could highlight external factors or service expectations that had not been clearly defined.
“We all had a shared interest in me pointing out what was working and what wasn’t.”
By distinguishing observed facts from interpretations, the audit could also reassure the teams and prevent blame from being assigned without considering the actual situation.
Shaping a stronger Wi-Fi culture
On site, Simon did more than collect measurements and present them at the end of the assignment. He shared his observations during the visits, backed them up with concrete examples, and compared people’s perceptions with the measurements and what he could see in the spaces.
“I can quickly see where the problems are.”
Sharing findings in real time gave the teams useful reference points before the final report was delivered. It helped them understand the observations, clarify how the network was being used and identify which actions to prioritize.
The audit also highlighted the need to clarify the expected Wi-Fi service levels at each site:
“You need to define standards and decide where you’re going to provide coverage.”
Beyond the technical analysis and the report, Simon wanted to help change how Wi-Fi was approached. It is not simply an added convenience at the end of a project: its coverage needs to be designed around the spaces and how they are used, assessed in real conditions and aligned with user expectations.
This educational work is also what gives the audit its broader impact. The findings need to be understood, but so does the process itself.
“It’s not enough to explain the report findings. You also have to explain why the audit is being done, what will happen next and how.”
Missions of Exception, a CNS series
After sharing Salia’s offshore assignment and Jean-Luc’s experience in Siberia, CNS now presents Simon’s account of his time in Nigeria. In upcoming episodes, other consultants will share their assignments, what they experienced in the field and what they learned from them.
What if your next assignment took you somewhere out of the ordinary?