Joplin Workshops, Inc.
Who is Joplin Workshops?
Joplin Workshops, Inc. is a non-profit (501(c)3) organization that began its operation on March 28, 1966. Joplin Workshops provides employment for people with disabilities throughout the Joplin metro area and surrounding communities.
Overview of Solution
HTS replaced Joplin Workshops' existing fileserver with two HP Proliant servers and Microsoft SBS 2008 Premium. We upgraded desktops PCs with additional RAM and new LCD displays.
Customer Pain
Joplin Workshop was increasingly concerned about their fileserver, particularly its age. The server had been in place for over five years and hardware reliability was the primary concern. They also had not been able to take advantage of new software offerings and updates because their server did not meet current system requirements. Their accounting application, Microsoft Dynamics, was several versions old and support would soon no longer be available on that version. The aging hardware was preventing them from upgrading to a newer version of Dynamics.
What do they say?
"The expert consulting advice and financing options that HTS provided means so much to us. Being able to upgrade to the new network infrastructure relieves so many worries about technology that we’ve had for quite a while now."
Ron Sampson, Executive Director, Joplin Workshop, Inc.
Assessment
HTS has worked closely with Joplin Workshop for several years to help them stretch their investment dollars. Although the Workshop recognized the need for a more reliable server, financial concerns prevented them from implementing new hardware and software.
Vision and Solution
HTS staff had met with Joplin Workshops management several times in recent months to explore ideas to improve the network infrastructure. It was decided that the first step was a server replacement and moving to Microsoft’s Small Business Server 2008. HTS put together creative financing options from both HP and Microsoft that would allow the Workshop to afford the upgrade they needed. A solution was finally agreed upon that included two HP Proliant servers and Small Business Server Premium edition. After the server implementation, HTS and Joplin Workshops could begin planning for additional PC upgrades.
Implementation
HTS installed both servers and migrated the data from their existing server. The new servers have redundant hard drives, redundant power supplies, and redundant fans to help minimize the risk of downtime. We also worked with their accounting software provider to help upgrade their Dynamics software to the most current version. In addition to these improvements, we also upgraded four desktop machines and replaced three monitors with new 19” LCDs. After completion of the server replacement, HTS is also providing monthly Remote Network Management for both servers and all desktops.
Customer Impact
The client has a much more reliable environment with new hardware and software. The biggest impact is "piece of mind" that management now has knowing that their server "won’t go down", knowing they have reliable backups, and knowing staff isn’t spending time and money trying to diagnose and solve problems. With HTS providing Managed Services, they also know that their servers and desktops are being monitored and maintained on an on-going basis.