Building a Better IT Infrastructure - One Brick at a
Time
When Lawrenceville Brick made
the decision to implement an ERP system they needed to
build a new IT infrastructure from the ground up.
Telpage created a rock solid advanced data center to support
their ERP needs as well as the technology infrastructure to support
the long term growth objectives of the company.
The
Challenge
Lawrenceville Brick, a leader in their industry, needed
to ensure their technology services could maintain pace
with the modernization and automation initiatives that
were underway at the manufacturing plant. Located in rural
Southside Virginia, access to a broadband infrastructure
limited their ability to expand IT services. New
distribution centers in Toano and Chesapeake required
dedicated access to IT resources at the corporate
office. Traveling nationwide sales reps had little
access to technical resources that could improve their
productivity and efficiency.
Lawrenceville
Brick also suffered from a fragmented technology
infrastructure. Each plant purchased their own PCs
and created their own small LANs based on short term
solutions to the issues at hand. Although the company
had a few staff members that helped create these
networks and troubleshot computer issues, there was no
IT professional on staff. Lawrenceville Brick, like many
companies, could not justify a full time employee for IT
services.
Limited
internal IT resources also resulted in an existing web
site that was unable to display their rich product line
and communicate the quality of the product. The site
offered only basic contact information, some brick
swatches and cleaning recommendations, but lacked the
content to make it tremendously helpful to the visitor.
In early 2006
the company determined that an enterprise resource
system would allow them to greatly improve the
efficiency of their operations. But how do you take a
fragmented legacy infrastructure and turn it into a
state of the art operation, capable of supporting
current and future IT requirements while concurrently
avoiding an interruption in services. That was the
challenge.
The
Solution
Telpage evaluated the obstacles facing Lawrenceville
Brick and
developed strategic plans,
technology road maps, and project management best
practices for end to end systems development, enterprise
migration and end-user support. Telpage's
IT
management services developed key initiatives and
designed a strategy for next generation services
based on linking business and technology objectives.
Telpage designed an integrated, carrier class wireless
broadband service to deliver high capacity bandwidth to
the corporate office. In conjunction with this service,
Telpage engineers
developed
a multi-layered enterprise security system to protect
corporate assets from outside threats. A high
performance network architecture was then deployed,
eliminating the fragmented network previously in place,
and offering tremendous centralized network resources to
the entire campus.
From the ground up Telpage designed and installed an
advanced data center that houses database servers,
application servers, file servers, active directory
servers, firewalls, NAS storage, and enterprise backup
systems.
To support the remote distribution
plants and traveling sales reps, secured VPN services
were implemented. These services afforded Lawrenceville
Brick staff with access to critical resources on the
internal Unix and Microsoft network. Sales reps were also
provided with access
to a secure FTP system that enables the quick distribution of
job site pictures and data.
Telpage also audited the Lawrenceville Brick network,
identifying/documenting all IT assets. We then
aligned, managed and optimized the company's end-user
computing environments with complete, fully integrated
computing solutions.
Using a standards-based management
and control approach, we helped Lawrenceville Brick meet
their financial goals while simultaneously positioning
end-user desktops and laptops as tools for productivity
and growth. Our managed client planning services
included: technology selection, image development,
performance management, testing, and transition
planning.
Realizing that IT planning, installation services,
and software/hardware is only a piece of the solution,
Telpage engineers also provide proactive monitoring and
management of all Lawrenceville Brick infrastructure.
Telpage also developed and designed a comprehensive web
site (http://www.lawrencevillebrick.com)
that offers visitors tremendous insight into
Lawrenceville Brick products and services. Bearing in
mind that the site should address the needs of a variety
of viewers, inclusive of builders, distributors,
architects and homeowners, Telpage's web site design
team created a feature rich site that offers each
visitor an abundance of resources and interesting
content. Guests can view and select brick samples,
checkout commercial properties and residential homes
using the respective brick, see special shapes and
applications, view extensive technical details and even
generate a printable style sheet that they can take to a
builder or distributor.
The Benefits
Telpage IT
bridged the gap between technology and the business to
translate business objectives into technical directives, communicating how technology can optimize
productivity, reduce costs and enhance performance.
By utilizing Telpage for managed
services, Lawrenceville Brick
was
able to automate, integrate and create a unified IT
infrastructure that sets the foundation for current and
future services.
This
resulted in increased staff productivity, improved
service quality, employee mobility, and service
expansion opportunities.
Telpage managed services also deliver comprehensive,
higher-quality IT services because of our larger, more
experienced IT staff and specialists. Managed networks
are larger and more robust, leading to greater
reliability and availability. Also, because this managed
network is monitored 24 hours a day, Lawrenceville Brick benefits
from higher monitoring levels and faster responses to
network events.
By utilizing
Telpage IT services and integrating a new ERP system,
Lawrenceville Brick
can optimize product service and
value, deliver high-quality products on time, meet
customers’ unique requirements, increase operational
efficiencies throughout the enterprise, and embrace and
leverage opportunities for business change.
Telpage
is committed to helping customers manage total lifecycle
costs and their IT infrastructure, some of the most
overlooked and underestimated costs associated with
business today. We utilize proven methodology and
project management expertise to provide an efficient and
effective solution for your IT needs. Call or email us
today to determine how Telpage IT can benefit your
company
