Secure Infrastructure with Zero Downtime
Grant MacDonald is a respected fine silversmith, known for complex bespoke commissions and pieces found in embassies, museums, parliaments and palaces around the world.
The business needed to modernise an inconsistent PC network, protect valuable CAD, accounting and manufacturing data, and improve performance without disrupting daily operations.
Qi implemented a new SSD-enabled server, client PCs, automated cloud backup and a Unified Threat Management Firewall. The result was a more secure, responsive network, stronger disaster recovery protection and a server installation completed with zero hours of processing downtime.
The Challenge
Grant MacDonald had worked with Qi for several years regarding Sage Accounts 50 and Sage Manufacturing support. As part of its ongoing commitment to provide the most holistic service possible, Qi contacted Grant MacDonald to explore how it could better support them by also supporting their hardware and network requirements.
Grant MacDonald’s current PC network had over time become a mix of inconsistent Windows platforms, and it was important to introduce uniformity. With a multitude of invaluable CAD design files to store, Grant MacDonald needed assurance that back up protocols and security were well specified and robust. The server area is specific in size and thus any replacement would need to fit into the existing rack.
The Solution
SSD Server & Client PCs with Unified Threat Management Firewall and Automated Back Up
Equipment selection was weighted considering their realistic budget and their current and future needs alongside their current use of Sage Accounts and Sage Manufacturing.
One of the first steps was to put automated cloud-based back up protocols in place, ensuring that drawings, accounting and manufacturing data were backed up and stored safely as part of Grant MacDonald’s disaster recovery strategy.
The network switch was replaced with one that has more ports, enabling larger amounts of data to be uploaded and downloaded from the server without impacting network speeds for other concurrent users. This was coupled with an on-site high speed SSD-enabled server to improve performance times across the network. PCs were sourced for best performance with the same SSD technology. A Unified Threat Management (UTM) Firewall was scoped and agreed upon.
The Outcome
Zero hours processing downtime on a new server installation project!
Qi completed the majority of configuration and thorough testing of the server off site to ensure minimum disruption to the working day at Grant MacDonald.
A day on site saw the new server installed into its rack with the high security UTM Firewall. The only downtime of one hour on broadband occurred during the UTM installation and was planned, explained and accommodated.
Zero hours downtime was achieved by synching files to the new server while the old one was still in use, then completing an out-of-hours switch over — so when the Grant MacDonald team arrived the next morning, they were working on their new server. The only difference they noticed was the responsiveness of the network.