LMS Group, Lakeside House, Quarry Ln,
Chichester PO19 8NY
CASE STUDY – Woodhorn
Technology upgrades that transformed operations
Approx 20 users
Head Office in Oving, Chichester along with 2 remote sites in Runcton and Tangmere.
Woodhorn Group is a diverse company offering a range of expertise across multiple areas of agricultural work.
www.woodhorngroup.co.uk
The Client
They are industry leaders in organic farming, waste management, sustainable landscaping and have strong morals on promoting both environmental and economic sustainability.
Key Outcomes
• Transformed their physical IT infrastructure into a cloud solution
• Upgrading their network security
• Migrated their emails to Office 365
• Moved their telecoms to a reliable system
Find out how LMS Group will help your business. Call us on 0330 088 2565
Initial meeting
When we first met with Woodhorn, we spent a lot of time learning about their business’ past, present and their goals for the next 5 years. We identified when they had last upgraded their IT systems, how their technology was affecting their productivity and what they required to transform, evolve and thrive.
It soon became clear that Woodhorn had been neglected by a previous IT support provider that lacked knowledge, urgency and customer service. Woodhorn were looking for a new IT partner that would enable them to streamline their IT needs and provide the support they needed.
The Challenge
At the time of meeting Woodhorn, they were looking to upgrade their SAP (systems, applications and products) management system to a new, cloud-based, variant. One of the requirements of the new system was that all machines needed to be running Windows 10 Pro. When we set out to update all existing applicable devices to Windows 10 Pro, it became evident that the machines supplied by their previous IT partner were not as new as they were led to believe when purchasing them but were, in fact, second hand.
These machines had been provided 4 years prior to our introduction to Woodhorn and were far below the minimum system requirements to run their new SAP Management System. This meant that the majority of their PCs needed to be replaced to align with the specification required by Windows 10 and their new management system.
In addition to this, the documentation, or lack thereof, from the previous support company proved hard work. This was especially true when we attempted to collate the admin details required to upgrade their ageing server technology. The story was the same when we tried to identify the correct details to perform the email migration to Microsoft Office 365.
Furthermore, where the cabling had been added in stages over the years, there was no easy management of the network.
It was clear that there was a large number of issues that needed to be resolved in order for Woodhorn to achieve their business goals and we would need to pull out all the stops to help them do this.
We now have a strong business relationship and the strength of our IT and phone infrastructure, compared to a year ago is immense. LMS have helped bring us up to date and assisted in helping us to utilise the technology available (for example agile working).
When I think back to the problems we used to have and compare to how things are now with LMS, it’s great to realise that we no longer have those problems and that we now have trust in our IT support.
Gemma Ralph
Office Manager
The Woodhorn Group
The LMS Group Approach
LMS Group completed a thorough audit of Woodhorn’s IT Systems, including their overall infrastructure and cyber security. Part of this audit demonstrated that the network cabling needed to be upgraded so everything was in a central location and would allow for better management of the network.
Another key focus was how their data was accessed and governed within the business, especially with the introduction of GDPR. We needed to consider the ability for remote workers to easily access their work data without data security being compromised.
Once everything had been agreed with Woodhorn, we began to plan out their key milestones.
New computers, networking, Wi-Fi and implementing a temporary server were all part of this project that we sourced immediately. In sync with the hardware components, we migrated the business from a hosted exchange environment to Office 365 to further improve collaboration within the business and security of their data with the superior bolt-ons offered by Microsoft.
In addition to their IT requirements, we also managed a smooth transition of Woodhorn’s physical phone lines and broadband so that the overall management of the network could be applied. Furthermore, LMS group also ported Woodhorn’s phones to another fully hosted VoIP phone environment which offered them more features, functionality and reliability.
The Breakdown of what LMS managed during the whole technology transformation included:
• Implementation of temporary server to support the SAP upgrade
• Migration of data from a physical server to Microsoft SharePoint
• Decommission of outdated servers
• Implementing regular Backups to ensure compliance and data security
• Designing their new communications cabinet
• Office 365 E-Mail migration
• Management of OpenReach services into site to provide reliable connection
• Design of data cabling to ensure easy maintenance and a central point of management
• WiFi survey and system design
• PoE+ environment for Hosted IP Telephony and Wifi
• Hosted IP Telephony system design
• Cyber Essentials Consultancy and accreditation
The Outcome
LMS Group have formed a strong relationship with The Woodhorn Group since beginning our partnership in February 2019. The roll out of technology updates has evolved the way in which Woodhorn Group operates. The ability for all their systems and staff to collaborate allows for flexible working whilst offering robust security.
This included the implementation and roll out of Microsoft Enterprise, Mobility and Security. Which has enabled the company to tighten data controls within the business through:
• Enforced Multi-Factor Authentication and Single-Sign-On with Microsoft Azure Active Directory
• Mobile Application Management and the lockdown of external access to company data
• Enforced Bitlocker Encryption on remote devices which contain company data
The introduction of this allowed Woodhorn to qualify for the government backed Cyber Essentials scheme, something that LMS Group helped consult on to ensure Woodhorn was approved. This has enforced a strong rubber stamp on their business so that their customers and suppliers know that they look after their data and that it is secure.
Finally, LMS Group also went through a 5-year technology forecast with Woodhorn so that future spend, growth and technologies were all considered which allows Woodhorn to plan for the future with the importance of having an IT budget being the forefront.
Contact us
To help your business thrive and to answer any questions about your technology needs, please contact us below.
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hello@lms.group
ICO Registration Number: Z3394162.
Registered in England and Wales No: 7125975