Icomm Technologies delivers enterprise Business Continuity and rationalises Beakbane's IT infrastructure by 70% with virtualised server and storage environments to support a critical ERP system upgrade.

1. Case Study
Beakbane Ltd
Beakbane safeguards future with ERP-ready
infrastructure upgrade
Icomm Technologies delivers enterprise Business Continuity and rationalises
Beakbane’s IT infrastructure by 70% with virtualised server and storage
environments to support a critical ERP system upgrade.
The Customer:
Beakbane Ltd manufactures and distributes systems that protect machinery from
environmental hazards. Based in Kidderminster and setup in 1954, the business
employs 120 staff and operates globally in sectors ranging from machine tools
and medical devices to transport.
Beakbane’s IT infrastructure uses Microsoft Windows and key applications
include an Enterprise Resource Planning system (ERP) and Computer-Aided
Design and modelling (CAD/CAM) software for product design.
Server virtualisation
Icomm offers credible hands-on
experience and consultancy in this
environment.
Storage Consolidation
Icomm majors on robust
execution, which demands
The Challenge:
Upgrade an ageing server and storage infrastructure to support migration
to new versions of Excel Computer Systems’ Efacs ERP applications and Dassault
Systemes’ SolidWorks 3D CAD/CAM software
extensive research and planning
around your systems, networks
and data centres.
Improve capacity and system speed whilst reducing server footprint –
Windows 2000 servers running slow due to lack of disk space
Deliver fail over and business continuity
Future proof the infrastructure for ongoing developments
Chris Sheldon, Beakbane’s IT manager, said: “Downtime for our ERP system had
become a real risk and this wasn’t acceptable as it forms the backbone of daily
operations – from issuing customer quotations to invoicing and the dispatch of
There was no
downtime
to cause
disruption.
goods.
“Furthermore, our infrastructure was holding us back from migrating to a newer
Chris Sheldon, Beakbane Ltd
version of our ERP system. This was critically preventing the business from
3391/20120810/RP
optimising operations.”
SERVER VIRTUALISATION
Icomm Technologies Limited
STORAGE CONSOLIDATION
45-55 Camden Street,
BACKUP
Birmingham, B1 3BP.
REMOTE ACCESS AND SECURITY
0121 248 7931
BUSINESS CONTINUITY
www.icomm.co.uk

2. Beakbane Ltd
Case Study
The Solution:
Proactive IT service, support and solutions provider, Icomm Technologies,
proposed a consolidated solution that rationalised seven existing Windows 2000
servers down to two Hewlett-Packard Proliant DL360s running Windows 2008.
These were subsequently virtualised using EMC’s VMWare ESX version 4 software
and a NetApp FAS2020 pre-configured Storage Area Network was introduced.
The initiative took only 10 days to implement, including install and configure
before transfer of data and applications. Sheldon said: “The implementation went
really well and there was no downtime to cause disruption to the business.”
The Benefits:
Sheldon said: “Fundamentally, with the NetApp solution Beakbane’s storage
capacity is future proofed for at least the next five years. We have scaleablility so
we can expand quickly and backup has become easy. It is saving us significant
management time as the NetApp reliably takes snapshots of disk-stored data
every hour. This can be restored rapidly, which means business continuity has
improved.
Server virtualisation
Icomm offers credible hands-on
experience and consultancy in this
environment.
Storage Consolidation
“An example, I was on holiday in Florida and someone accidentally deleted some
files. I remotely accessed the system and restored a copy of a previous snapshot.
The data was back within minutes and business could continue.”
Previously, users would have waited until the IT Manager returned to the office
Icomm majors on robust
execution, which demands
extensive research and planning
around your systems, networks
and data centres.
before recovering data manually from back-up tapes.
Sheldon continues: “The business can now plan material requirements six times
faster than before. The improved and rationalised server estate is enabling the
ERP system to run much faster and has unlocked a mission critical 2011 schedule
for our ERP upgrade.
“The fact that it is possible to add virtual servers very easily makes application
testing and managing much simpler.
The solution
is saving time
and money.
“The consolidated infrastructure solution is saving time and money by operating
more efficiently and reliably. We now have a resilient foundation to build on for
Chris Sheldon, Beakbane Ltd
3391/BB/NH/1
future developments,” concluded Sheldon.
SERVER VIRTUALISATION
Icomm Technologies Limited
STORAGE CONSOLIDATION
45-55 Camden Street,
BACKUP
Birmingham, B1 3BP.
REMOTE ACCESS AND SECURITY
0121 248 7931
BUSINESS CONTINUITY
www.icomm.co.uk