The client was struggling with a disparate and antiquated
technical architecture and software infrastructure. Their
hardware vendor no longer provided support for their primary
computer system and replacement parts were no longer available.
In addition, the primary business software applications were no
longer meeting their needs and the majority of management
reports were being manually produced.
There was no full-time centralized IS authority and technology
decisions were being made by numerous departmental level I.S.
coordinators with no consistent standards. This lack of
coordinated technology strategy resulted in the implementation
of disparate hardware and software solutions within the central
office and at the nine remote offices.
ISI was awarded a two-year contract to perform the role of Chief
Information Office to upgrade the entire technical
infrastructure and replace their entire financial and
administrative systems. ISI structured the project into four
phases.
The first phase of the project was to develop a strategic
business systems plan that met business needs, budgetary
constraints, personnel limitations and elapsed time
requirements. ISI worked with client management and staff to
identify all of the business issues, requirements and
constraints. This information was then formulated into a
comprehensive two-year strategic plan. ISI developed detailed
work plans, created detailed project budgets and obtained
management approval to move forward with the following three
phases of the project.
The second phase included the redesign of the local area network
and the conversion from two standalone Digital Equipment Company
(DEC) Pathworks networks and one standalone Novell Netware
network to a single integrated Microsoft Windows NT Server
network. ISI personnel were responsible for the design and
installation of the physical network topology including wiring,
hubs and switches in multiple wiring closets using rack mounted
structured wiring systems. ISI then installed a new Windows NT
Server and migrated all users from Pathworks and Netware. In
addition, ISI upgraded all of the workstations to the latest
version of windows and converted all word processing from DEC
All-In-One to Microsoft Word.
The third phase included the requirements definition, vendor
identification, selection, acquisition and implementation of all
financial and administrative systems. ISI personnel developed a
list of application-specific requirements, identified potential
software vendors, developed and administered a formal Request
For Proposal process to select the hardware and software
vendors. ISI personnel then managed and participated in the
technical and procedural implementation of General Ledger, Fixed
Assets, Customer Billing, Accounts Receivable, Human Resources
and Payroll using a new Unix based system and new applications
software. In addition, ISI designed and implemented a labor time
tracking and payroll cost billing system, custom developed a
payroll budgeting system and custom developed a sophisticated
General and Administrative Cost Allocation methodology using
General Ledger queries and Microsoft Excel spreadsheets.
The fourth phase involved the design and installation of a wide
area network to connect nine widely distributed remote offices
with the central office for email, data sharing and application
sharing. In addition, broadband Internet access was implemented
for the central office. ISI coordinated the design and
installation of a hybrid private network and Virtual Private
Network (VPN) using Cisco routers, a broadband Internet access
line, dedicated access lines, Integrated Services Digital
Network (ISDN) dial-access lines and analog dial-access lines.
ISI successfully developed and executed the strategic business
systems plan on time and under budget. Management reporting was
fully automated and new financial and administrative tools were
provided for managers to more effectively plan and execute
operational budgets. Project managers were given access to
budget and actual data through on-line real-time budget
inquiries. The financial closing cycle was reduced from 15
working days to 5 working days.
ISI was asked to take on several additional projects. The first
project was to develop an interactive web site for obtaining
input from key customers and partners as well as distributing
critical information to this same group of customers and
partners. ISI tightly integrated this web site with operational
databases to ensure accurate and up-to-date information with a
single point of data entry.
The final project included design and implementation of an
executive reporting system for use by corporate personnel.
Report calculations were performed from the data warehouse in
batch mode to facilitate timely delivery of reports the
following morning
