- Company name: bibic
- Company website: https://bibic.org.uk/
- Date of work: 2000
- Case study type: Charity
Company Profile:
bibic is a national charity offering practical help to families caring for children with conditions such as autism, cerebral palsy, Down’s syndrome, developmental delay, traumatic and acquired brain injury and specific learning difficulties such as attention deficits hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia and dyspraxia.
Existing IT Structure:
A Novell based network, with 15-20 client machines, and a single Novell server.
Existing IT Problems:
The server, and the client machines, all showed their age. The system was heavily under used as its reliability was so poor it was simply easier to do things by hand. Email was not implemented efficiently with email delivery occurring at various times during the day. Support for the system was difficult as due to its age and structure, most IT Support companies would not cover it.
EvolvIT IT Support Solution:
In the year 2000 we had the opportunity to tender for the replacement network and computer infrastructure at BIBIC based in Bridgwater, Somerset. As with most charities the emphasis was on maximum value for money, being able to squeeze every ounce of hardware out of the limited budget at hand.
The solution was to replace all the existing client computers, with new custom built desktop machines. The main server was replaced with a custom built server, running NT Backend Server. A comprehensive backup system was installed and training provided on its correct usage and backup storage procedures. Building the machines in house allowed us to save bibic a considerable amount of money compared to off the shelf systems.
A router was installed to handle the dial-up connection, with automatic bandwidth allocation, as BT imposed online limits to dial-up connections. This ensured the system was offline during periods of the night and day that it was not required (pre broadband).
Email was setup using a very early version of Exchange, which gave everybody access to their own mailboxes and outlook configurations. Two databases that had been neglected and under used were both setup and configured correctly for use on the new network.
Ongoing IT support was provided using our Virtual IT package, giving bibic the peace of mind that the infrastructure had the backing of a professional IT company.
Post Installation:
The IT setup described above lasted for an amazing seven years, with only a simple memory upgrade and an upgrade to windows XP ever required. This goes to show how a well specified system can last and give excellent value for money when it is correctly implemented in the first
place.
In 2008 EvolvIT successfully bid and won tender to replace the aging equipment with new hardware. With the network now running a windows 2003 Small Business Server and Windows XP hardware. The LAN structure has been replaced with Gigabit switches and backup system
over hauled to cope with the demands for larger file sizes.
EvolvIT are proud to say we have supported bibic’s networking structure since the year 2000, and we are also proud to say that we have kept our prices for bibic frozen during that period as a sign of our support for this national charity.
