On-site Private Cloud

VMware server and storage virtualisation solution for mission critical apps

Challenge

Based in Grantham, Lincolnshire, QK Cold Stores is a successful cold storage provider. With a total on site cold storage capacity of 157,000m³ QK Cold Stores can serve both the food service and retail sectors.

It became clear to QK Cold Stores that their hardware and servers in particular, needed upgrading and weren’t performing to their full potential. Plans to enhance their warehouse management system also meant that a clear and concise strategy was key in order to implement these changes and avoid any disruption or lengthy periods of downtime to the business.

Connectivity at QK Cold Stores was a concern and due to the location of the building installations were foreseen as a problem. Current leased line equipment needed upgrading as the technology supporting this was soon to be discontinued.

With no internal IT team, QK Cold Stores required experienced and highly qualified IT experts to help overcome these challenges.

Objectives

• Upgrade and build a resilient network
• Strengthen and secure the warehouse management system
• Ensure a reliable, high speed connection to support a 24/7 operation

Approach and Solution

Datcom worked well to grasp the needs of QK Cold Stores and took time to understand the business and future plans. Datcom engineers advised the most appropriate solutions, which included a VMWare private cloud platform. Clear communication throughout with the QK Cold Stores staff and also 3rd party ERP and Linux specialists meant the projects, from start to finish, ran smoothly. Systems implemented were both scalable to the business needs and reliable.

To address the connectivity concern, Datcom project managed a host of technical and practical changes. Datcom engineers proposed suitable processes and managed the relationships with various stakeholders throughout the upgrade, which required temporary closure of the A1.

Results

QK Cold Stores are now running an effective warehouse management system with a resilient and scalable network to match. Datcom acted as an extended IT department to QK Cold Stores, recognising problem areas and provided solutions.

QK Cold Stores has the confidence in Datcom to understand their needs and deliver projects with minimum disruption and consequently minimum time and money spent.

Datcom have been able to provide support at whatever time of day or night and have sent experienced staff to attend the QK Cold Stores site at unsocial hours. Following the completion of the project Datcom have continued to provide ongoing 24 hour IT support and consultancy to QK.