Project Description
Case Studies
On-Site Server Install
A on-site server install for a 24/7 manufacturer
Resilient Dual Server Setup, SAN
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Overview
Our client had an infrastructure which included two on-premise servers. The client had recently had a strategic review and decided that a long term IT plan was required. Contributing factors included the age of the servers, Operating Systems reaching end of support and as the client had recently become part of a larger organisation its parent wished to implement some corporate standards.
The Client
Our client is a manufacturing business, a leading company in it’s field of operation. It operates a 24/7 factory running very high volume complex multi stage processes. Operating in a sector related to servicing banking the client also has to process data securely.
Challenges
- 24*7 processes, thus any downtime to switch over had to be very carefully managed to ensure production processes were not impacted.
- New ownership. The client was recently subject to acquisition and as a result the new parent company needed to be briefed and engaged.
- Limited in-house resource. Our client has limited in-house IT resources and had only recently lost the member of staff with some experience of how the IT structures worked.
- Supplier integration. Our client operates a highly integrated supply chain process, this had to be taken into account when designing and carrying out the transfer to the new servers.
Greenlight Computers Solution
Greenlight Computers designed a highly resilient solution of a dual server setup and housing the data on a SAN to optimise performance between the two hosts. In the event one of the servers fails, no downtime as the second would kick in.
The Greenlight team included a project architect, technical lead, support engineering, supply chain resources and a business relationship manager
Although all of these elements were concluded successfully on time and budget, this case study focusses on stage 3 – the migration from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365. This is a migration process that Greenlight Computers has delivered for numerous clients over the past few years, and we have an established “centre of excellence” for.
Greenlight Computers works with the client through a 9-stage plan, with continuous communication and open help desk for all users. The plan is designed to migrate data in the background with the only user disruption being a few minutes to check everything has transferred and then an opportunity for advice on Microsoft 365.
Design:
- Dual servers running in High Availability (HA) mode.
- Data housed and accessed through a SAN.
- Backup to local and online.
- Cabinet to host the equipment.
Project management – engagement with client team at all times to ensure:
- timelines were agreed, monitored and deviations greed
- full communication across the client organisation and with the Greenlight delivery team.
Sourcing:
- Solution designed in collaboration with Subject Matter Experts at Dell.
- Commercial negotiations to achieve cost competitive solution.
- Regular liaison regarding delivery lead times and actual delivery schedules.
Deployment:
- Deployment plan proposed, discussed and agreed.
- Resourcing of appropriate skills to deliver at the required stages.
- Whole team engagement; client agents, Greenlight wider team, technical specialists.
Although all of these elements were concluded successfully on time and budget, this case study focusses on stage 3 – the migration from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365. This is a migration process that Greenlight Computers has delivered for numerous clients over the past few years, and we have an established “centre of excellence” for.
Greenlight Computers works with the client through a 9-stage plan, with continuous communication and open help desk for all users. The plan is designed to migrate data in the background with the only user disruption being a few minutes to check everything has transferred and then an opportunity for advice on Microsoft 365.
Benefits delivered:
- Project deployed quickly. From order approval to client sign off of finished deployment and client being operational on the new infrastructure in less than 3 weeks.
- Improved infrastructure performance – new servers and SAN facilitate quicker access to data which has beneficial impact on manufacturing processes.
- Improved awareness of how the IT services run. By having an open discussion process our client was able to influence how they wanted the architecture to work. This has provided greater awareness within their organisation which is leading to them being able to demand more from the architecture. It has also led to enthusiastic engagement by staff from our client and ourselves.
- Stress relief. Not only does the new server architecture provide for resilience and failover but the install process was without a hitch, allowing the client to focus on their core business. Greenlight managed the process from start to finish.
- Stronger and more highly resilient support. With more people involved and a fully documented solution single points of failure have been removed.
- Stronger client / contractor communication. Having worked together on this project both parties have a better understanding as to how to work together productively, and what they can challenge each other with.
- Long term support improved. By engaging it’s support team in the early stages Greenlight has included knowledge and documentation about the new infrastructure into its helpdesk and support processes.
- Cost effective. Working with our suppliers Greenlight was able to get deal registration for this project and get prices significantly lower than first pass.
What our Client Says
“The process ran smoothly, with no unplanned interruption to our business.”
“So happy with the setup, we are already working with Greenlight on further strategic development and look forward to seeing similar successful projects.”
MD
