Blue Sky Networks has started rolling out the IT infrastructure for Tsogo Sun `s third casino site located temporarily at the Northgate Dome. The Gaming and Entertainment Organisation has selected Blue Sky Networks, who built and manages the networks at the group`s other two casinos, as its primary partner for the implementation. The network will be built on similar specifications as those at Tsogo`s casinos in Nelspruit and Witbank, and will cater for around 120 users. John Gouws, IS manager for Tsogo Sun, notes that IT has become a crucial part of any gaming operation. The introduction of strict gaming legislation and increasing competition in the field has resulted in pressure on IT to ensure that infrastructure is redundant, reliable and easily managed. Tsogo Sun operates on a 24 hr 7day a week basis and cannot afford any downtime. Creating resilience was therefore the main focus in the network design. "When introduced to Tsogo we were pressured in delivering a viable infrastructure based upon resilience and security," says Willem Marais, Account Manager, Blue Sky Networks. Blue Sky Networks administers the management of the Tsogo Sun WAN from its head office complex in Sandton. According to Marais this service gives Tsogo Sun up to the minute global snapshots of their network in the form of executive summaries of network activity, detailed trend analysis and reports on other nodal activity. "As the Tsogo Sun network falls into the `mission-critical` category it is monitored and managed around the clock," confirms Marais. As the industry becomes more competitive, the pressure will also be on operators to provide incentive schemes and loyalty programmes for regular customers- and this will further the strain on IT. At the heart of the new network will be Cabletron`s SmartSwitch 6000 and 2200 switches providing a high-speed backbone, 100Mbps switched links to Dell Windows NT servers, and 10Mbps links to workstations. In addition to recording slot machine activity in the casino, specialised software systems on the network will be used for player tracking. The network will make extensive use of the virtual LAN (VLAN) capabilities of the Cabletron equipment. According to Gouws, this allows users on the network to be grouped on a logical, rather than physical basis. This allows for the creation of workgroups on the network which group together users with similar profiles and functions. This brings with it a number of advantages: it improves data flow, while lowering administrative overhead and simplifying network management. It also makes easier to accommodate staff movements. From Tsogo`s point of view, however, the most important feature of the VLAN capability to isolate various LAN segments, based on security and other criteria, and restrict access to specific systems and areas. This in turn reduces the need for complex firewalls. Gouws says Tsogo has selected NetPCs, supplied by Dell SA, as the desktop clients for the project. Gouws says users at the Emnotweni Casino in Nelspruit- the first casino built by Tsogo last year - are still making use of Windows 95- based PCs, but after the successful deployment of NetPCs at the Champions Casino in Witbank, Tsogo has opted for Windows NT NetPCs as its desktop standard. The Champions Casino was one of the first sites in SA to install the Dell NetPCs and Gouws says he has been satisfied with the performance and manageability of the devices. Gouws says the move to NetPCs has primarily been driven by the security features of the NetPC rather than the total cost of ownership. NetPCs allow administrators to better manage the desktop environment through a number of tools for central deployment of applications and management of desktops through the Zero Administration Kit for Windows NT. The NetPCs also have no disk-drivers, which eliminates opportunities for users to introduce unauthorised software. The WAN is rapidly becoming a mission-critical part of Tsogo Sun`s business. The group is looking to introduce progressive jackpots and bonuses on linked banks of slot-machines at all three venues, which can be paid out at any of the three casinos. These are linked via Diginet lines with ISDN facilities as a back-up. The WAN is also essential to ensure that financial and administrative data is securely transmitted between the casinos and the Tsogo Sun head office in Sandton. Blue Sky Networks operates in a multifaceted environment, which takes cognisance of not only the technical requirements, but also the key driving business factors. "The complexity in which Blue Sky operates enabled us to deliver; the correct technology, within budget, in the agreed time frame and according to Tsogo Sun`s business requirements" says Willem Marais.
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