Fujitsu Microsoft Solution Centre helps Vodafone Australia adopt Windows XP

Vodafone Australia is moving its front-end infrastructure to the new Windows XP operating system with development assistance from Fujitsu through the recently-launched Fujitsu Microsoft Solution Centre.

The initiative will deliver business benefits to Vodafone which include lower applications support and management costs at the desktop level, and reducing the total cost of ownership for its front-end IT network. The migration to XP is expected to decrease the recruitment overhead to support multiple operating systems by 11 per cent.

An XP early adopter, Vodafone is replacing two discrete environments - NetWare and an NT system - with a consolidated environment comprising a Windows XP front end supported by a Windows 2000 Active Directory-based infrastructure.

A pilot project of Windows XP has been initiated through the Fujitsu Microsoft Solution Centre and, if successful, will be followed by full deployment of the new environment to approximately 3000 users throughout Vodafone Australia next year.

Through its Solution Centre, Fujitsu is assisting Vodafone in testing more than 100 applications used by the telecommunications company, from office productivity tools through to business-specific applications, to ensure optimum performance on the new platform.

"Fujitsu's commitment to Microsoft technology and its innovative application through the Solution Centre is delivering effective, cost-saving solutions, quickly, to enterprise customers such as Vodafone," Fujitsu's Manager, Microsoft Solutions Group, Owen Thomas said.

"Fujitsu has previously worked closely with Vodafone on other Microsoft projects and was able to call on the specialist local resources of the Solution Centre as well as our global experience working with Windows XP."

"Vodafone seized the opportunity to gain a competitive advantage by moving to the new operating system as an early adopter," Chief Information Officer, Vodafone Australia, Peter Fleming said.

"With the technology market moving so fast, particularly in the telecommunications sector, it is critical to remain as up-to-date with technology as possible and take advantage of the functionality it provides as early as possible," Mr Fleming said.

"Working closely with Fujitsu and Microsoft, using the new technology and the resources and expertise of the Solution Centre, was very compelling and will deliver long-term cost and productivity benefits."

Windows XP features and functionality, including security of data for mobile users, the provision of self-healing at the desktop, and the ability to manage the environment remotely, were key factors in the decision to move to the new operating system.

XP also allows applications to run in different modes to support those different application types - another benefit for Vodafone which uses numerous applications written to work on specific operating systems.

The Vodafone Windows XP migration demonstrates enterprise confidence in Windows XP and the Fujitsu Microsoft alliance, according to Paul Roworth, Windows Product Manager, Microsoft Australia.

"Vodafone will benefit from the cost efficiencies and performance enhancements that result from the powerful combination of Windows XP and Windows 2000. Vodafone employees will benefit from a simplified PC experience that empowers productivity," said Mr Roworth. "We are pleased to have worked with Fujitsu on the Vodafone Windows XP migration and are certain Vodafone will continue to receive additional benefits in the long-term."