Cedar Run: Network Support

The Challenge: Enjoying rapid growth, Cedar Run was maximizing their ability to run operations internally as two peer-to-peer computers worked intermittently with one computer crashing hourly. No disaster recovery preparedness had been performed resulting in downtime from crashes and constant power outages. E-mails had to be retrieved online with no archiving ability and with only one corporate e-mail account. Insecure wireless channels led to opportunities for system penetration from outside intruders. Schedule, document, and contact management were intermittent and resulted in lost customers, files, and time.

The Solution: Catapult Consultants staff assessed the needs of implementing a network solution for Cedar Run Landscaping in the form of a client server environment. Cedar Run requested centralization of their documents, schedule, and contacts as well as the ability to login remotely. Accordingly, a Windows 2000 client server network was implemented with new hardware from Dell. To minimize costs at Cedar Run's request, the main computer was rebuilt from the ground up to ensure redundancy and fault tolerance. A backup solution using Veritas Backupexec was put into place ensuring offsite and secure onsite backup management. Microsoft's Exchange Server was used to create a centralized schedule and contact management solution. Centralized virus protection using Symantec's Corporate Antivirus solution ensures virus definitions are up-to-date on all workstations. For security, a router based firewall solution was implemented along with an Intrusion Detection System. Wireless traffic was secured over WEP, and a VPN was configured to allow secure remote access. E-mail was configured on all desktops using Microsoft's Outlook and accounts were established for all employees. Multiple Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) ensure that power surges and slight outages do interrupt daily processes.

Benefits: Productivity increased as system downtime no longer hindered future growth. Cedar Run employees can now work simultaneously online and respond rapidly to system requests. Recent storms which resulted in power insecurity did not affect operations as UPS systems maintained power through minor outages. Centralization allows upper management to delegate tasks to staff while still allowing for oversight to ensure quality control.