Facilitating the organic growth of a nationwide group through a single, integrated IT solution

The Challenge

Cape Australia was established in 2007 with the strategic acquisition of four key businesses that were united under the Cape brand, each with its own outsourced and largely incompatible IT systems. A consolidated IT solution therefore became a business imperative – an integrated solution enabling a disparate group of operationally and geographically diverse divisions to worktogether as a single, nationwide organisation.

The Solution

Jason Cowie joined Cape Australia as CIO and Executive Manager (Business Services). Having successfully completed a similar challenge in his previous role as CIO for a large construction company, Jason was given the mandate to develop and oversee the implementation of a strategic IT plan that would deliver consistent IT services across the company.

Jason developed a plan that aimed to deliver a common suite of key applications to all users, with seamless access throughout all state and branch offices across the country. The implementation of the project, named ‘One-Way’, commenced in 2009.

One-Way incorporated the following key elements:

• A standard suite of software applications to enhance user productivity.
• A single, integrated network that replaced 30+ branch networks and supported the introduction of an integrated IP telephony solution, providing a robust voice system that delivered cost savings.
• A comprehensive security solution that incorporated firewall services, spam filtering, virus control and web monitoring technologies to protect corporate information and IT assets.
• An enterprise-grade server and storage infrastructure to provide a robust platform from which to deliver application services.
• VMware server virtualisation was utilised to reduce the number of physical servers, as well as the cost and complexity of establishing a disaster recovery facility.
• A suite of management tools (including Microsoft SCOM and SCCM) that enabled proactive monitoring of the environment and automation of key operational tasks to deliver enhanced productivity throughout the IT division, enabling staff to focus on project based work.

Datacom worked with Jason and his team to complete the detailed design, procurement and implementation of all elements of One Way. The project team consisted of specialists from across our server/storage, network and Microsoft practices, as well as project management services to ensure the project was completed on time and within initial budget estimates.

Results

• 25-50% reduction in executive travel expenses through video conferencing and online communication facilities.
• 50% reduction in IT administration and operational costs.
• 100% reduction of internal telecommunication costs and national call charges.