Oceana`s Blue Continent saves costs with Dimension Data solution

JSE-listed Oceana Group`s subsidiary specialising in the procurement, processing and international distribution of fish, agriproducts and fruit, Blue Continent, is experiencing substantial cost savings from a comprehensive project involving co-source IT partner, Dimension Data.

Dimension Data has designed and implemented a sophisticated directory solution for Oceana Group. In addition, the leading integrator is rolling out Windows 2000,and upgrading desktop and server hardware as well as the storage area network (SAN) for Blue Continent.

Blue Continent Group continues to outsource aspects of IT management to Dimension Data, in terms of an ongoing agreement.

"We needed to upgrade our business management software, which necessitated migrating from a Windows NT 4 platform to Windows 2000," says Cindy Liddiard, group financial manager of Cape Town-based Blue Continent. "Dimension Data was our natural choice of partner, having worked closely with us for some years now."

Although the project is not yet complete, Blue Continent is already experiencing cost-savings.

"Our satellite offices can now make full use of our business management software in a thin client environment at very reduced cost," says Liddiard. "The investment has been completely justified by the fact that we can now set our remote offices up very inexpensively via Microsoft Terminal Server."

As many of the services that the Oceana Group intends deploying will be dependent on an active directory platform for their functionality, the project began with the design of a Microsoft Active Directory blueprint.

"The importance of the design of this environment can not be underestimated, since certain design decisions are irreversible once the implementation has gone live," says Jacki Gagel, Dimension Data account manager.

"The Active Directory is more complex than the Microsoft NT 4 domain structure, but is also far more powerful. Whereas the latter can be built and later moulded into shape, Active Directory requires careful planning to ensure that certain key elements are correct when the core gets built."

Active Directory increases productivity, simplifies management tasks for the IT department and reduces manpower by creating a single point of control for directory services.

Gagel says that Dimension Data was ideally suited to design the directory services solution for the group due to the extensive experience gained in similar projects.

"We also have an intimate understanding of Microsoft Consulting Services Best Practices for Active Directory Design, as well as a proven project methodology for ensuring that the design meets the requirements within the budgeted time and cost available.

"We were thus able to implement an active directory service that is closely aligned with our customer`s business strategy and that can be leveraged to provide smooth business processes."

Having completed the design for the group, roll-out of Blue Continent`s upgrade requirements began. The Compaq desktop environment is being upgraded, as is the company`s SAN. The implementation will be complete at the end of this month.