Casestudies
Optimum – Construction
Rycote – Manufacturing
CCM – Project Management

Optimum Drywall Systems are a Bristol based construction company, specialising in Dry lining, Structural Steel Framing (SSF), Painting, Decorating and Maintenance. Three years ago a Microsoft Small Business server was installed and configured for use by the companies seven office based users. The company has now grown and has over 70 staff on its books and the same server is still in place serving the needs of the users.

The server acts as the company's main file and print server and serves approx 30 users locally in the Bristol office each day, with another potential five users accessing the server from Cardiff. For the last year Remote Web Workspace has been enabled, allowing users to have access to their email via a web browser from any remote location.

Recently the Cardiff office opened and GRS were told that users would require secure and efficient access to the main Bristol server. The Terminal server deployment has enabled this, with virtually no training for the staff and zero disruption to the day-to-day business during the installation. Low cost ADSL lines were used for the Internet access and an additional Internet Router/Firewall was purchased for Cardiff. The Terminal services sessions work through VPN's created between the routers and specific clients.

Rycote are the world leader in microphone windshield systems and for over 30 years have been based in Stroud where they design and manufacture their own products.

Both wired and wireless networks coexist to enable users and specialist devices to connect to the company network.  GRS were asked if the current wireless signal could some how be amplified, to reach a second location over 100m away through woodland.

By installing a high gain, directional antenna on to the existing Wireless access point, we were able to push the signal to the 2nd location where it is picked up by a second access point.  The two access points were configured in a Wireless bridging mode allowing users at the second site to have access to the company network and the Internet. Since the initial two access points were configured, a third access point has been added to provide another new wireless zone.  Network security and quality of service are always of high importance; we are happy to say that both criteria have been met and the solution has been working faultlessly since January 2007.

Complete Construction Management have  their head office based in Cheltenham, with branch offices and remote users spread from Bristol to Birmingham.  The company's core data is held at Cheltenham and all users at all sites need access to this data.  GRS has recommended Terminal Services as a solution for both the remote users and sites.  GRS has also arranged for a trial of Terminal  Services, to see if the solution will meet CCM's needs without the company having to purchase all the required hardware and software.  GRS has provided a HP ML150 Proliant server and has installed a six month trial version of Windows  Server 2003 R2.  At the end of the trial, CCM will know quite conclusively if this solution will work for them, before they commit to spending what could be a large amount of money.