Seamless office transition with no downtime and reduced costs
SHS Balustrades and Handrails Ltd is a leading UK manufacturer of balustrade systems. They have a good reputation in the market, due to their professional, friendly and technical support service. SHS focusses on three pillars of success. Quality products, competitive pricing and exceptional service.
These factors were a key consideration for Moremicro during a recent office location.
The result
- New IT infrastructure and office move with no downtime to disruption to sales
- Consolidation of two projects into one reducing client costs and maximising efficiency
- Essential hardware upgrades completed well in advance of Windows 10 end-of-life.
Importance of continuous operations
For SHS, maintaining uninterrupted business operations during the move was essential. Given their reputation for responsive technical support and professional service, it was paramount that they were able to continue serving customers through their online platform and direct sales team. Any disruption to internet connectivity or VOIP systems would directly impact operations and the ability to generate revenue.
This operational dependency meant the transition to new office space required careful planning and execution.
Moremicro managed the IT infrastructure and hardware requirements. But a problem occurred with SHS’s leased line supply, which meant it wasn’t going to be ready on time. Moremicro were on hand to help with a temporary 5G solution. It was able to cover the period of the move, plus provide a potential backup line longer term.
“We always work in partnership with our client’s suppliers. It makes it easier for everyone involved” explains Dhannik Patel, Support Desk Manager. “When we heard the leased line wouldn’t be available in time we worked up an alternative solution.”
Timely hardware upgrade
During routine planning Moremicro identified that SHS would need new hardware. Their existing machines were using Windows 10. With its end-of-life approaching in October it was important to upgrade before then.
Avoiding operational disruption was essential. So, the hardware upgrade and office relocation to place together.
“We understand the challenges of running a business” says Sandeep Bhopal, Operations Manager. “And are always looking for cost savings for clients. Combining the two projects was the obvious solution. We were able to get the new office up and running for the team in 2 hours which was a great success.”
The office transition took place during normal working hours without any downtime. A temporary firewall and configuration were installed in the new office, making both offices live simultaneously. This meant the SHS team could simply walk into their new office and resume work as normal.
Thinking ahead
The project also included:
- moving the existing switches and firewall
- installing a new comms cab, power distribution unit, CAT6 infrastructure
- commissioning new access points
- purchasing new Dell monitors to replace the old, mismatched ones.
“Businesses often accumulate hardware in stages over several years” explains Sandeep. “Using a mix of monitors with different panel resolutions can cause eyestrain. Matching hardware helps prevent future H&S issues caused by display screen equipment.”
SHS started working with Moremicro in 2018. The project is part of a long-term IT support partnership.
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