When LanSource started working with Texas Neurology in 2001, the network consisted of 40 users and two servers. One of the servers was a Microsoft Small Business 4.5 Server and the other was a Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Server. At the time, the servers were in two separate domains that shared Internet access, and all of their data files were scattered between the two the servers. Texas Neurology had to create users in both domains because there was no trust relationship between the two servers. This lead to licensing issues, as well as ongoing maintenance and reliability issues. In place were 10MB hubs and there was no one making sure that maintenance or even daily back-ups were being done on the servers.
Texas Neurology's network now consists of 65 users and three servers. The servers are now a Windows 2000 Server for file and print services, an Exchange 2000 Server for email and collaboration, and a SQL 2000 Server running their medical practice software. All of these servers are in the same domain, and the data is consolidated into the proper server. Texas Neurology has a dedicated T1 for MRI imaging over the internet which is secured and encrypted with 128-bit encryption. With the secure accessibility of the MRI images, the doctors are now able to view film from virtually anywhere in the world. They now have 100MB switched network backbone.
The implementation of newer, sophisticated technology has resulted in faster network accessibility, improved reliability and up-time, and increased productivity throughout the office. Combined with LanSource's Managed Care program, Texas Neurology has finally been able to see the return on investment that technology can provide in their business; at a much lower cost then attempting to service and maintain the network themselves.
Food Sales Systems
When LanSource began working with Food Sales Systems (FSS) in December 2004, their network consisted of thirty-eight users amongst the corporate office and the outside sales team. There were roughly ten PCs in the corporate office, and the rest were mobile laptops. All of them ran on Windows 98. The server environment was Windows NT4.0, with Exchange 5.5 and SQL 7.0. They were using several different technologies to connect the mobile devices to the network for email retrieval and file storage/usage. Their primary line of business application, EZ Operator, was accessed directly by the users at the central DB in Atlanta via Terminal Services. Overall, the process was somewhat cumbersome and did not always function properly.
By January 2005, FSS’ network had grown to 45 users and is continuing to grow its sale’s and operation’s departments. All of the users, both local and remote, now connect to the network via one of the two Microsoft Windows 2003 Terminal Servers. These Terminal Servers then connect the users, via personal user profiles, to a robust new Microsoft Windows 2003 Server and to Microsoft Exchange 2003, for their email. Because of deploying Windows Terminal Services, none of the older Windows 98 devices had to be replaced. And when some of the older computers finally did die and needed replacing, FSS has been able to install Wyse Windows based terminals, instead of having to purchase and maintain full blown computers.
With the installation, maintenance, and training of all of these new technologies, FSS was able to continue to use a large part of their existing infrastructure that was previously in place, significantly increase user productivity and communications, while at the same time bringing down the total cost of their network operations. And by signing up for LanSource’s Managed Care Program, FSS has been able to completely outsource the network support and maintenance, further reducing their existing IT costs.
Cogent Partners
Cogent Partners, founded in 2002, is an international investment bank; specializing in transactions of private equity secondary assets, private equity research and the investment of alternative assets. Cogent Partners, through CP Cogent Securities LP, is a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC,) and have offices in Dallas, New York, London and Tokyo.
LanSource began working with Cogent Partners during their early days, having only 5 employees. IT needs consisted of little more than a local peer-to-peer network to share data on an external hard drive. Within months, Cogent Partners grew to more than double their original size and quickly found themselves with greater IT needs. LanSource installed a small Client-Server network based upon the Microsoft Windows Small Business Server platform. This network provided them the ability for file and print sharing, and email hosting capabilities using the included Microsoft Exchange Server.
Within months, Cogent had continued growing, and now had offices and employees in multiple locations around the globe. Cogent found that their need for storage capacity, data sharing with employees and offices in remote locations, and compliance needs for archiving of documents and email necessitated further growth within their IT structure. LanSource recommended migrating to full version server products. This allowed for Cogent to have multiple servers connected together in a wide-area network, and gave greater expansion capabilities for storage and server redundancy and fault tolerance. This new network presently utilizes Windows 2003 Server with Active Directory, Exchange 2003 Server, SQL 2000 Server, Blackberry Enterprise Server, and a host of other integrated applications. The wide-area network now implemented connects the New York and London offices to the Dallas corporate data center, provides data synchronization between servers with the corporate office, and provides global access to email with shared collaboration and real-time data sharing.
Throughout this period of growth and beyond, LanSource has provided Cogent with IT support and consultancy under LanSource's Managed Care support program. Because this program is like having their own IT department without the cost or daily management duties, Cogent has been able to focus upon their core competencies' and growing their business, thus leaving IT headaches and planning to LanSource, a Microsoft Gold Partner.
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