COMMUNICATIONS 31
MANOR MANAGES PERIPHERAL COMMS
T
he Swiss retail chain Manor is using Infoblox NetMRI appliance technology to manage and check its
network peripheral devices in more than 70 department stores.
Manor is also using the Infoblox network
confi guration and change management solution (NCCM) to simplify security across its large and distributed IT network environment and help its IT team become operate the network more effi ciently and securely. Frank Roth, Manor network systems
engineer, said: “Thanks to NetMRI we are able to enforce and permanently supervise our stern guidelines across all areas of the network for the fi rst time. Eventually, we will also have a permanent overview of our network.” Having previously used an earlier version of NetMRI less intensively, Roth said the latest version in characterised by its innovative
LA SENZA JOINS UP COMMS
ease of use and added features. “Every feature and parameterisation can be quickly and easily applied,” he said. “More than 600 network devices, like switches and routers are distributed across the whole of Switzerland. “All of them are properly connected to
our network and can be surveyed, managed and confi gured from a central location in real time. Local policy and confi guration changes are also discovered in real time and can be dealt with accordingly. This makes it possible not only to fully understand what has happened on our network until now, but also to make changes automatically at any day or night time.”
Roth added: “As the responsible person
for this tool, I appreciate the regular status notifi cations. They show exactly when, where and what has changed in my network settings. My supervisor values the traffi c light feature, which shows him the health of our network with just one glance.”
He added that life with NetMRI became
easier. “Our administrators discover far less unforeseen issues in their daily work,” he said. “Additionally, they have more support now, which lets them fi nd and fi x network issues in an appropriate timeframe.”
INNOCENT BOOSTS REMOTE CONTACT
High Street lingerie retailer La Senza has signed a two-year contract with O2 in the UK.
By joining up both its fi xed and mobile
services, O2 has been able to drive effi ciency, as well as reduce the complexity of multiple suppliers, helping reduce La Senza’s fi xed line costs by around 27%. The deal is part of La Senza’s strategy to consolidate its IT suppliers. Adding to its existing mobile phone contract, O2 will now also provide the retailer with all phone lines, consisting of ISDN2 and ISDN30 across its network of 180 stores, three distribution centres and in its head offi ce.
Innocent Drinks, the makers of 100% fresh fruit smoothies, has improved contact with its remote offi ce after outsourcing its communication and messaging requirements. A Microsoft Hosted Exchange service from Cobweb Solutions delivers an effi cient and robust email service to Innocent employees based in its London headquarters and Manchester, Dublin, Amsterdam and Paris offi ces. Innocent required a scalable and
robust communications and messaging system that could develop and adapt as the company expanded internationally. The organisation also required a system that would give remote offi ces a seamless connection to state of the art communication tools. It opted for a Microsoft Hosted Exchange
Service from Cobweb Solutions, which included 24-hour management of its
email, including spam and virus protection, archiving, backup and remote access capabilities to Cobweb Solutions. The service is based on a predictable pay-per-user pricing scheme, so there is no hidden expenditure. Andrea Kalavsky, systems magician at Innocent Drinks, commented: “Now that Cobweb Solutions is managing our communications and messaging, we no longer have to worry about email downtime. Nor do we have to address the threats from viruses and spam as Cobweb has it all under control. In addition to this, we now have fully managed BlackBerry services. This means that we can communicate effi ciently with our employees, suppliers and customers. “We are thrilled with this service and
particularly impressed by the fact that the roll out to Blackberry services did not require the use of desktop software.”
JULY/AUGUST 2011 RETAIL TECHNOLOGY
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