Dubai Airports, operator of Dubai International (DXB), the world’s top airport for international passenger traffic and Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International (DWC), is known in the aviation industry for its innovation, efficiency, and world-class service. In 2024, DXB set a record, welcoming 92.3 million guests, making it the busiest in the airport’s 65-year history. The airport also handled 2.2 million tonnes of cargo, maintaining its position as a key global hub.
Managing such traffic volume while maintaining safety, speed and reliability requires robust technology solutions. To achieve this, Dubai Airports partnered with Broadcom, leveraging VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) and VMware vDefend Firewall with Advanced Threat Prevention.
These solutions have become integral to the airport’s operations, enhancing security, streamlining performance and optimizing its private cloud infrastructure.
“VMware Cloud Foundation and VMware vDefend form the bedrock of our virtualization strategy, unifying and streamlining operations across our compute, storage, networking and security infrastructure.”
--Biju Hameed Kayal, Head of Technology Infrastructure Operations, Dubai Airports
The Need for Robust Infrastructure
For a major aviation hub like DXB, which manages a flight taking off or landing every 71 seconds and oversees a workforce of 100,000, a reliable, secure, and scalable IT infrastructure isn’t just an advantage, it’s an absolute necessity..
“It’s a huge responsibility to make sure everything is running smoothly,” says Biju Hameed Kayal, Dubai Airports’ head of Technology Infrastructure Operations. “We have a low tolerance for IT disruptions.”
Ensuring that this IT infrastructure supports critical systems without sacrificing security or efficiency is vital. That’s where VCF becomes indispendable. As the backbone of Dubai Airports’ virtualization strategy, VCF enables the airport to virtualize its entire IT infrastructure, transforming it into a software-defined data center that can scale seamlessly with its ever-growing demands. This approach has not only optimized resource utilization but has also empowered Dubai Airports to adapt quickly to technological advancements, promoting uninterrupted service and enhanced guest experiences in one of the world’s busiest airports.
The Role of VMware vDefend in Cybersecurity
In an era of escalating cyber threats, airports have become prime targets for bad actors. The aviation sector alone witnessed 764 cyberattacks in 2023, underlying the urgent need for robust cybersecurity measures. For Dubai Airports, safeguarding its critical infrastructure is a non-negotiable priority.
To defend against these ever-evolving threats, Dubai Airports has adopted a Zero Trust security model–a proactive approach that assumes no entity, whether inside or outside the network, can be trusted by default. This model is crucial in an environment where even the most minor vulnerability can lead to significant disruptions.
At the core of this strategy is VMware vDefend Firewall with Advanced Threat Prevention. Initially, Dubai Airports employed a micro-segmentation strategy, which effectively secured external to internal communications (north-south network traffic) but lacked visibility into internal communication (east-west traffic). VMware vDefend addressed this gap with its distributed firewall capabilities, offering comprehensive protection across both types of traffic. Advanced features such as Intrusion Detection/Prevention System (IDS/IPS) further strengthened security, providing real time protection against sophisticated threats.
“VMware vDefend fortifies our Zero Trust strategies to mitigate risks from cyberattacks and ransomware,” Biju says. “It has allowed us to implement granular security policies across our infrastructure, significantly reducing exposure to threats.”
Improving Time-to-Value
The adoption of VMware solutions at Dubai Airports was not just about enhancing security and performance, it was about doing it efficiently. Thanks to Dubai Airports’ familiarity with VCF, the integration of VMware vDefend was a seamless experience.
Biju says, “We were already comfortable with VMware Cloud Foundation, so adopting VMware vDefend was simply a matter of layering existing skills and adding new ones.”
This smooth transition meant that the team quickly began realizing the benefits of advanced threat protection and enhanced performance. It also eliminated the complexity of managing disparate point solutions, ensuring a more unified and interoperable IT environment.
Sustainability at the Core
Sustainability is not just a goal for Dubai Airports—it is a core value woven into its operations. As part of its commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, Dubai Airports has embraced VMware virtualization solutions to help reduce its environmental impact.
Since 2016, the adoption of VMware data-center virtualization has led to a reduction of over 7,800 tons of carbon emissions,* a tangible step toward sustainability. The achievement is not just about technology; it is about aligning operations with Dubai Airports vision of a greener, more responsible future.
VMware Green Score dashboards provide the team with critical insights, enabling them to track and estimate the energy consumption of its data centers in real time. These insights empower Dubai Airports to make informed decisions, ensuring that sustainability is not just a pledge but a measurable outcome.
Looking Toward the Future
As Dubai Airports continues to expand and adapt, its partnership with Broadcom will remain a critical enabler of success. With ambitious plans for DWC and a continuous rise in passenger and cargo volumes, the demand for scalable, secure and resilient IT infrastructure is only set to grow.
Dubai Airports is committed to further maturing its security strategy and exploring new ways to enhance operational efficiency. The team is already looking into broader capabilities of VMware vDefend to further strengthen their cybersecurity posture and ensure that Dubai Airports not only keeps pace with the rapidly evolving aviation landscape but also sets new benchmarks for innovation and security.
In an industry where every second counts, Dubai Airports’ ability to maintain seamless operations, protect against evolving threats, and champion sustainability is a testament to the strength of its technology ecosystem. By leveraging Broadcom solutions, Dubai Airports is well-positioned to overcome current challenges and embrace future opportunities, ensuring that guests, cargo, and critical operations remain safe, secure, and efficient.
To read more stories on how Broadcom solutions are transforming customer experiences, visit us here.
*Dubai Airports Case Study, March 2025, Page 3