Advantica

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Advantica Technologies Migrates to MS Solution

Challenge

Advantica Technologies Ltd, is a premier provider of advanced technology and systems solutions for high performance energy and utility companies world-wide. In the last three years Advantica has established a cohesive desktop environment by migrating its PCs, application servers, file and print servers to Microsoft Windows NT. Microsoft Office 2000 has also been installed at the desktop replacing the Lotus application suite.

However, there was still a demand amongst users for a modern e-mail system to handle attachments effectively and improve information exchange. An independent survey commissioned by John Gilchrist, IT Services Manager for Advantica, showed that Microsoft Exchange, which would integrate with the Microsoft Windows NT environment, was the best choice. The system went live in December 1999 and worked exactly as expected.

"This was the first time we put all our learning experience of past projects together" says John Gilchrist. "The virtual team of Fujitsu Services staff and our own people worked extremely well. The new e-mail system went in smoothly and on time. The choice of Fujitsu Services and Microsoft Exchange is enabling all staff to work productively and exchange information with ease and confidence." Leading up to and during implementation, Fujitsu Services provided its Knowledge Pool service. This involved analysis of training needs, classroom training and one to one training. By the second week of January 2000 Fujitsu had handed over the system to Advantica's IT staff.

Solution

An external supplier was needed to develop the new e-mail system and provide the knowledge transfer to technical staff and 1000 users. Three suppliers were invited to tender for the business. For John Gilchrist and Steve Gimson, PC Manager, the decision was made to select Fujitsu Services after meeting specialist staff involved in implementing a large scale Microsoft Exchange e-mail system. In Steve Gimson's words, "Fujitsu Services showed us operating model offices and explained both the benefits and challenges. This gave us great confidence in Fujitsu Services' Microsoft implementation abilities."

Consultants from Fujitsu Services designed and built a high availability centralised solution for the desktop based on Microsoft Outlook 2000. Microsoft Exchange 5.5 Enterprise Edition running Microsoft Windows NT is hosted on two Compaq Servers in a pseudo active-active configuration. Initially supporting 1,000 end users, the centralised system has resiliency and surplus capacity to support several thousand end users.

Benefits

Fujitsu Services provided the initial consultancy to determine the full requirements and then the design, technical development, provision of hardware, software, training and project management of the whole solution. There was demand for a modern e-mail system amongst users and Fujitsu Services' implementation of Microsoft Exchange has lived up to expectations.

The ease of use and integration with Microsoft Office products increases user productivity. Calls to the helpdesk have reduced, and the detailed training required for the previous e-mail system is now not necessary. A further 350 users were easily added to the new system in April 2000. Connectivity with the existing Lotus Notes and Digital ALL-IN-ONE systems also eased the migration to Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Exchange.

Implementation

The system went live in December 1999 and worked exactly as expected. "This was the first time we put all our learning experience of past projects together" says John Gilchrist. "The virtual team of Fujitsu Services staff and our own people worked extremely well. The new e-mail system went in smoothly and on time. The choice of Fujitsu Services and Microsoft Exchange is enabling all staff to work productively and exchange information with ease and confidence."

Leading up to and during implementation, Fujitsu Services provided its Knowledge Pool service. This involved analysis of training needs, classroom training and one to one training. By the second week of January 2000 Fujitsu Services had handed over the system to Advantica's IT staff.

Expertise

Fujitsu Services' expertise in Microsoft technology and its use of methodologies and solution kits was the main reason for being chosen. Advantica's confidence was justified by the fact that the implementation of Microsoft Exchange was achieved within tight timescales and matched end user expectations.

This achievement was even more significant because the technical solution of an active-active server configuration is more complex than the more commonly adopted approach of active - passive. The chosen configuration ensures cover for server failure and gives users access to the full performance of two machines.