I.T. SERVICES: ITS ATM network for Entec
Story Filed: Tuesday, November 30, 1999 5:58 PM EST
NOV 30, 1999, M2 Communications - One of the country's leading environmental and engineering
consultancies Entec is installing a new corporate ATM network to support more effective
communication between 600 staff based at sites throughout the UK. The network, which
incorporates a local ATM backbone at Entec's head office and ATM wide area connections to
remote offices, is believed to be one the most advanced of its kind in the country. Products from
Nortel Networks, including the new Centillion 1000 switch range, are being used to create a
seamless WAN/LAN environment. The GBP350,000 design and installation contract is being
undertaken by I.T. Services Limited (ITS), a specialist provider of networks and technical
infrastructures for the utility, energy and health sectors.
"When designing this solution we wanted to create a platform that was prepared for the unification of
voice video and data with unlimited scaleablity and industrial strength reliability," says Alan
Campbell, senior sales consultant at ITS. "Working closely with Fibrenet and Nortel Networks we
achieved the design goals for a high performance, leading edge solution."
"The new network provides us with a resilient and high performance platform to re-engineer the
business," says David Hawkins, IT Manager, Entec. "It also resolves potential Y2K compliance
issues."
The implementation follows a review of information systems at Entec which recognised the need to
centralise core business applications while supporting more effective communication between staff
across multiple sites so that they could access and share more timely information.
"Integrating centralised applications such as accounting and human resources with Lotus Notes
provides staff with a clearer view of the business so that they can better cost and manage the
projects we undertake for our clients," says David Hawkins.
"ATM is highly scaleable, enabling us to connect new sites and increase bandwidth when demand
arises. We knew about the high level of technical ability at ITS through its implementation of a
corporate ATM network for Northumbrian Water Group, our parent company, and chose them
after a competitive selection process."
Entec decided to select a single supplier for each component of the network, including Nortel
Networks (a division of Nortel) for communications hardware, Compaq for servers, Fibrenet for
ATM backbone telecommunications services and XBS for the cabling. ITS is responsible for
network design as well as hardware configuration and installation of the ATM WAN and LAN
installation.
The new network combines high resilience with performance and scaleability. Centralised
applications running on fault tolerant Compaq file servers are accommodated at Entec's head office
in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Each file server is linked to the ATM core, comprising a Nortel Network
Centillion ATM switch, using multiple paths in a process known as cross meshing. This provides
multiple routes between the file servers, switches and network and provides load sharing and
resilience across the enterprise.
A common design at Entec's nine regional offices incorporates a file server to host localised 'office'
applications and Nortel Networks equipment to provide inter-site connectivity. The WAN currently
utilises ATM technology operating at 2Mb, while the ATM backbone at Newcastle operates at over
1.2Gb per node.
All 600 Entec employees have access to the new network, although some also connect from
customer and project locations using laptop computers equipped with modems and Citrix 'thin
client' software to enable them to use the centralised applications.
Once ITS has completed the commissioning, Entec's own IT staff will support the network using
tools such as Nortel Networks Optivity. The ability of the Nortel Networks range to support
centralised network management and future strategic data was a factor in the choice of hardware.
"Our initial reaction is that the new network has vastly improved communications, and is already
contributing to more effective use of senior staff time." says David Hawkins. "It will help all staff keep
bang up to date with monthly status reports and other information, so we and our customers have a
better view of how the business is performing."
I.T. Services Ltd is an experienced provider of professional information technology services to
customers in utilities, energy, health and other sectors where its ability to deliver real business benefit
adds value to the investment made. The company employs 500 people at seven locations including
its Head Office in Warrington, Cheshire.
Additional information about I.T. Services Ltd on: itservices.co.uk |
