The local economy looks set to receive a boost this year, starting with the signing of a comprehensive networking and communications installation between US-based Forest Oil and home-grown networking company Integr8 IT, for an undisclosed amount.
The deal, whispered only to be "large", is the first instalment in what Forest Oil promises will become a massive total investment in SA, reported to run into billions of rands, to develop a gas industry in the Western Cape.
The Denver, Colorado-based natural gas and crude oil company has instructed Integr8 IT to provide it with cross-continent (head office to branch office) and inter-branch connectivity, infrastructure design and services.
"We entered into a 24-hour service level agreement in terms of which Integr8 IT will guarantee the solution remains reliable," says Robert Sussman, Integr8 IT director.
Francois Conradie, senior network engineer at Integr8 IT, says the project incorporates site connectivity, virtual private network tunnelling, global enterprise messaging based on Microsoft Exchange, with unified messaging and secure SSL e-mail, firewall security, active directory and much more, providing the platform for mission-critical communication between offices.
"The complete HP Compaq core solution is complemented by a complex Cisco switching, routing and firewalling topology," explains Naweed Kazi, Integr8 IT project co-ordinator.
"This proves South African companies can hold their own in the international market, in implementing completely new infrastructure with the best of the best," says Sussman.
"We had to confer with Forest Oil`s head office to find out their existing standards and exact requirements. They didn`t want a vendor, a bunch of hardware and software. Once we knew precisely what they wanted, we called in the best-of-breed vendors and delivered."
Although Denver will send engineers and miners, the company is expected to use South African labour extensively.
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Integr8 IT (Pty) Ltd is a wholly owned network technology services and solutions company in southern Africa. Based in SA, the company employs a wealth of highly skilled and certified system engineers who are directly involved in high level consulting, support and integration.
With offices located in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, and representation in Port Elizabeth, East London and Port Elizabeth, Integr8 IT spans nationally across Southern Africa and Africa continent. It has the people and expertise to plan, deploy, manage and maintain an information technology environment.
Whether a client seeks better control of its networked environment or is in need of practical solutions, complex or simple, Integr8 IT provides the answers with enhanced information technology services.