Flawless Network Technology When Help May Be Continents Away

Background
To Willbros Group, Inc., tackling major construction projects in remote, hostile environments around the world is just everyday business. So it’s crucial that every facet of their business operates as efficiently and effectively as possible. Flawlessly functioning IT has become a must, given that IT and Help Desk staff may physically be continents away.
 
Insource Technology Corporation helped Willbros design and build a new, highly efficient network and communications infrastructure complemented by a staffing plan, which enables their systems to work as designed.

Client Profile
Willbros Group, Inc. is a NYSE-listed engineering and construction company noted for successfully completing logistically difficult, major construction projects on a world-wide basis. They are geographically dispersed, with permanent offices in the United States, Abu Dhabi, Canada, Nigeria, and Oman. Since its beginning in 1908, Willbros has worked for over 400 clients in more than 55 countries.

Business Requirements
The Willbros IT strategy called for a consolidation of applications and technologies to reduce costs and centralize management. In addition, they planned to implement a new ERP system, which required a stable Microsoft platform. Willbros also recognized the need to develop a modern systems infrastructure, powerful and flexible enough to support future growth.
 
Insource Technology was chosen as the main IT partner, and today, new systems are in place smoothly supporting the Willbros organization with improved efficiency, stronger management control, and welcomed cost savings.

Insource Solution

• Move from a multi-vendor server and communications environment to Windows 2003 to create a stable and flexible platform for the implementation of the new operations and financial systems;
  
• Install new desktops and laptops to create a standard environment that is easily managed and supported and lowers ongoing maintenance costs;
  
• Install Office 2003 Professional and other desktop/laptop software, including Visio and Project, to take advantage of the latest Microsoft Office innovations;
  
• Install server software including Windows 2003, Exchange 2003 and SQL Server to standardize on a stable Microsoft platform in preparation for the rollout of the new operations and financial systems;
  
• Migrate email from GroupWise to Exchange 2003 with Outlook Web Access to standardize the email system on a solid Microsoft solution; and
  
• Centralize IT functions and management to reduce support and operating costs.

• A solid Microsoft platform, based on the Windows 2003 Operating System and Office 2003
  
• Professional, to handle the company’s new operations and financial systems;
  
• Windows 2003 and XP to furnish enhanced security including ActiveX initialization defaults;
  
• Windows 2003 and XP to allow full remote desktop management;
  
• Active Directory to provide the basis for centralized management with delegation of authority to local administrators at a more granular level;
  
• Group Policies to provide a path for standards and control;
  
• Volume shadow copy, a “must have” feature, to furnish enhanced data security and recoverability;
  
• Exchange 2003 to furnish a more stable and reliable platform; and
  
• A single-vendor (Microsoft) environment to create cost savings from both a licensing and support perspective.

• Performed a physical inventory of existing PCs and laptops in all locations to ensure that we had an accurate count of how many new PCs were to be purchased and deployed versus how many were going to be migrated in place;
  
• Performed an applications inventory to gain thorough knowledge of all applications being used in the environment so that we could ensure that all applications would be compatible in the new environment;
  
• Created and tested a base build for the standard deployment platforms;
  
• Created and tested application installation scripts for each application to be installed in the new environment; and
  
• Created and installed base builds for the new server environment prior to delivery and deployment to each location.

• Testing of all servers, PCs and laptops;
  
• Migration of all user data, email, and printers from the old servers to the new servers while the PCs and laptops were being reimaged with the new baseload operating system; and
  
• Installation and testing of applications and printers on the newly migrated PCs.

• The deployment team became the support team as users began logging in to the new environment
  
• The support team then provided training to the end users in such areas as:
  
• How to log in;
  
• Password standards;
  
• Outlook; and
  
• New drive mappings.

Benefits of Process
The Insource migration process is seamless to the Willbros end user. The process itself was generally performed over a weekend so that when the Willbros users returned to work on Monday the new environment was in place and working. A training period followed in which various features were explained and demonstrated as necessary.

The Insource approach is a person-to-person, high touch approach which includes personal attention to each end user that makes them part of the process in a highly positive and informative way.