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Terra Firma

A new infrastructure and Support model to take off as an independent company

Background

• The high-profile asset management company needed a whole new IT infrastructure to operate on its own as it separated from its parent company, Nomura
• The service provider had less than 3 months to build a secure and stable IT platform, followed by provision of ongoing IT support
• The challenge was to build a complete infrastructure which incorporated most of the facilities the firm was used to, but delivering them in a package which suited the more modest budget of a smaller company
• For security reasons, no network connectivity was permitted between the new and the old environments therefore people could not be moved gradually

Plan-Net\'s intervention

• After an initial scoping and requirement analysis, Plan-Net designed the IT environment and then followed with integration work that would enable new key business systems to function
• A ‘big bang\' approach was used for the actual migration: extensive testing was carried out in the new environment before 100 people were migrated in the course of just one weekend
• Support was provided under a Managed Service arrangement with a unique Co-Sourced model that supplied ongoing shadowing and cover
• Active Directory was implemented with a design that was able to encompass offices in London and Frankfurt as well as the DR site whilst keeping the structure simple in order to make support and maintenance easier
• The environment also included features such as secure remote access based on Nokia VPN appliances, secure authentication based on SecurID, and Mail Marshall and Websense for email and web content filtering
• Plan-Net also took a lead role in directing other third party suppliers who were contributing key new business systems to the new environments

Results

• The migration came at a time when the group were closing an important sale, and the overall smoothness and success of the migration managed to allow it to be carried out successfully and without disruptions
• The adequate and flexible resource provided operates at the agreed KPI and SLA, guaranteeing an excellent level of Support
• The Support team is never short of engineers, as absence due to sickness, training or holiday are covered for by Plan-Net\'s Multi-Site staff
• Employees are able to access the system remotely with a solution that is highly flexible and secure
• The bespoke environment and the reliable and efficient ongoing IT Support have provided Terra firma with the platform they need to grow into one of the most influential names in the City

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