Case Study: Ainsworths
Business Analysis
A client of some 30 users which were situated in two separate offices, one of which was in Central London, and the other in Surrey. The business involved selling products via a shop in their London location, over the web and via telephone and mail ordering. They had an existing software solution which tracked orders, stock and invoices etc., which they were fast outgrowing. A major issue was that the offices operated the software independently, using overnight batch processing via an ISDN link to synchronise the systems with each other.
Their existing file server was also showing signs of age and was struggling to keep up with day to day operations. In addition to this, a company-wide email system was also a requirement and would need to be implemented. As they were opening a new office in London, it was decided that this was the right time to introduce a new hardware and software solution that would streamline the business.
We were recommended to Ainsworths by an existing client who has a similar bsuniness and who had recently installed new software (Khaos Control from Keystone Software). Ainsworths decided to use this software, which would more tightly integrate with their telephone and mail ordering process and products sold through the shop. It was a further requirement that staff across the two (soon to become three) offices would all be able to interact with Khaos Control in real-time, thus eliminating the need for overnight batch updates.
After consultations with the client and the application software provider we duly came up with a solution.
Recommendations
Having gathered all the relevant information and wish lists from the client and software provider, we recommended that a computer room should be created in their new London office. This was due to space limitations where the old server had resided, together with their planned future use of that space. We recommended a new server to run file & print services, their application database and email server, together with a terminal server which would allow staff from the other London office and the Surrey office to connect in and run the new application software. Due to the requirement for maximum uptime we also recommended using two broadband circuits at each main office to create a failover capability. Lastly, a small file and logon server was proposed for the Surrey office, mainly to help minimise traffic between the offices.
Project Implementation
A new fully structured Cat5e network was installed into their main London office. Their secondary office had existing cabling which was modified due to
renovations that were taking place at the time. The dual broadband circuits (an SDSL and ADSL) were installed at the main office in London and the office in Surrey, with a single SDSL circuit at the London shop. ZyXEL ZyWALL 35 firewalls were installed to allow broadband circuit failover for maximum uptime.
The servers were purchased, configured and then installed at the new London office location along with a cabinet for network patch panels, switches, routers, phone system and UPS battery backup system.
The terminal server was locked down using Group Policy settings to ensure users could not access any applications other than those prescribed, and could not install or reconfigure anything on the server; this provided a stable platform for the staff outside the main office to run the new Khaos Control software; local users connected to the software directly from their desktop computers.
Existing computers were refreshed alongside new computers which were installed in the Surrey office and company-wide email was introduced using Microsoft Exchange. The company directors were able to access the email remotely, using Outlook or Outlook Web Access; this was accessed via a satellite broadband link in rural Hertfordshire.
During the project various challenges were overcome, such as directing the various printers from the Khaos Control application and trying to optimise the usability of the EPOS component of Khaos Control on their PC-based till. This involved SCS working closely with Keystone Software throughout.
Conclusion
The project was a success. This client has been able to enjoy the extra functionality which the new application software has provided along with live data sharing between all of their sites. The new servers provide faster access speeds and increased data storage capacity which has allowed them to expand seamlessly.
Ongoing Support
SCS continues to work closely with Ainsworths and have completed several projects with them since this initial undertaking. More recently, given the advancements in broadband technology, the ADSL and SDSL circuits have been replaced with ADSL2+ technology, including using dual bonded ADSL2+ circuits at the main London office to give much increased bandwidth. The main server and terminal server have been replaced with new models (purely due to the age of the servers and the inability to extend the warranty any further) and a move has been made from onsite to hosted Exchange.
