Case Studies

1. Improving reliability and reducing downtime by upgrading all machines within a network to run the same operating system and replacement of hardware where it is too slow or out-of-date to be economically upgraded to take the new operating system. With this as a target end-result the process is started by performing a hardware and software audit. This can be done manually or by using an auditing software package which collects the information automatically.
Software-license auditing can also be done at the same time to ensure that the company is operating the correct number of software licenses for the applications that it is using. Users are inclined to install their own favourite applications and utilities which can create licensing problems for the company and cause data loss and corruption.
By choosing Microsoft Windows 2000 or Microsoft Windows XP Professional over earlier versions of Microsoft Windows ensures that a stable platform has been selected which has security features which prevent unauthorized personnel from installing their own choice of application or utility. Thus simplifying the system's management role.

2. Improving Internet Access. In many cases access to the Internet and email is limited, unreliable and expensive. A review of the Internet and email connectivity should lead to a simplification of the system and more efficient management of this part of the system. Some form of Firewall is vital when connecting a network of computers to the Internet. This Firewall needs to be strong enough to reject all attacks but flexible enough to allow personnel to perform the tasks that they need to via email and the Internet. Carefully created holes need to be programmed into the Firewall to allow certain applications to run without opening the floodgates and letting hackers get in and rubbish data, alter files or snoop on private company information.

3. Remote Support. To enable us to provide support to our customers when not on site we like to be able to offer a remote access facility that enables us to troubleshoot and fix problems from wherever we are at the time. We use a number of remote-access tools to allow us to provide this service.

4. Bespoke Business Systems. Most companies utilise their accounts system and office suite to run the administration of the business. They produce large numbers of spreadsheets and word processed documents tailored to suit the needs of the business. This generally means that data is printed out from one application and then manually re-keyed into another so that it can be presented in a different form. These systems are developed over the years and form the basis of the companies' success. As the business expands these procedures can become cumbersome taking more manpower to maintain than is justifiable. Microsoft Office applications all come with a common programming language which allows complete applications to be written combining information from different documents and databases, thus streamlining the processes and removing the necessity for double keying. Fairey Consulting have the knowledge and the skills to analyse the requirements and create a bespoke application to suit your business.

5. Accessing that Data. In many cases Accounts packages do not give you access to the information that you need in the form that you need it to be displayed. Most software packages these days are ODBC compliant or can output raw data in a format that is universally readable. It is therefore possible to capture data from software applications, bring it into another application like Microsoft Access and to manipulate it to produce an output in the form that it is required.
For example, one company credit controller wanted to be informed which customers' invoices were due for payment within a few days and wanted to be able to print off a list each day of those customers who should be in the process of writing them a cheque, so that they could be telephoned and given a gentle reminder. The Accounts system in question only provided an aged creditor list for 30, 60 and 90 days and longer and could not provide the required report. But it did have a facility to output the raw transaction data, this data was then linked to Microsoft Access and queried to produce the required data and then processed into a daily call list that was printed as an Excel Spreadsheet.

6. Data Backup and Disaster recovery. Businesses tend to "Grow like Topsy", as the business grows more staff are employed and more PC's are purchased, sometimes they are networked together for file or printer sharing or Internet access but little thought is given to data security and disaster recovery. Then the sky falls in and the hard disk on boss's PC fails completely or the place is burgled and all the PC's are stolen. "Where is our data?" "How are we going to build those widgets, and to what spec?" "I know I have a meeting with someone but I have lost all my emails"

The term Disaster Recovery sounds over the top - But hardware does fail and thieves steal PC's every day. The hardware is replaceable but the data is not, once it has gone you can loose your market position - you will look stupid to your major customers and they will loose confidence in your ability to perform for them. Disaster Recovery means thinking about the worst that can happen to your data and your business and then taking steps to reduce the risks that those problems can cause your company. If your company premises are on a corner of a busy junction what would happen if a petrol tanker crashed into your building and burst into flames?

What do you have to do to ensure that your company can be up and operating in alternative premises in a few days after the event?

Backup all your data regularly to removable media and have copies regularly taken off site to a secure facility or have an on-line backup facility that encrypts your data and stores it on an external data store. Then have the data regularly tested to make sure that your backup procedures are valid and working. (This is an important precaution that is very rarely performed until it is too late - when the backup is found to be useless when that disaster really does happen.)

Email Backup is not straightforward if you are using Microsoft Outlook Express as the file protection used is difficult to circumvent when attempting to restore the data to a new PC on a different operating system. Microsoft OUTLOOK on the other hand stores all of its data, emails included, in a single file which can be placed in any folder of your choice, even on the server where it can be automatically backed up each night.