Our experience with HTL and their IT support team has been fantastic. Contacting them with any IT problems we have is so convenient and all issues are solved quickly.
Pontis Look to HTL to Provide Ongoing IT Support Services, OS Upgrades and Centralised EPOS Systems
Overview
The group of cafés and restaurants that makes up Ponti's today was started in 1963 by a young man from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy.
Coming from the gourmet's paradise of Emilia-Romagna, a region known as the gastronomic heart of Italy and the home of balsamic vinegar, Parma ham, parmesan cheese, spaghetti Bolognese and porcini mushrooms; his love of homemade 'slow' Italian food served quickly was the secret to a great future.
Peter Ispani carefully and successfully expanded the Company throughout the 1970's and 1980's. Still a business believing in family values, the group now employs over 700 people and serve in excess of eight million customers, throughout more than 30 outlets in and around London.
Problem
Having been let down by previous service providers, Pontis were looking for a reliable and reputable IT services company to assist them in the long term. The requirements were to:
- Upgrade all 75 users from Windows 2000 to Windows Vista and provide training and ongoing support
- Design and implement an IT network linking all 35 sites with email and EPOS data.
- Provide email and internet services
- Deliver IT support during office hours, with rapid on site response times.
- Meet the budgetary requirements of the business.
- Implement desktop PCs and servers based on Microsoft technologies.
- Provide mobile and remote working solutions
- Implementation of Sharepoint and integration of Microsoft Dynamics systems
- Ensure that solutions were fully scalable
- Provide ongoing maintenance and network support.
Technical Details
- Creation and design of new VPN
- Comms Room refurbishment
- HTLonline: ADSL Services.
- Microsoft SQL Server
- Microsoft Exchange Server
- WiFi HotSpots
HTL have worked alongside Pontis for many years. Despite undergoing large amounts of charge during that period the network has run smoothly and as demand has increased so the systems have scaled.
Solution
HTL designed and implemented a Wide Area VPN network capable of carrying voice, data and video. All locations were linked together providing the same features to all staff members regardless of location. Users were able to work remotely, or travel between offices whilst maintaining access to all their centrally help resources. EPOS data, including credit card transactions are transmitted to head office for central processing.
HTL worked alongside Pontis to test and create a disk image for mass rollout to new PCs. We supplied the new PCs and trained the staff on the new features.
The solution is based on integrating technologies from a core group of manufacturers and service providers. These included:
- Dell PCs, servers and laptops
- Microsoft Windows OS
- Microsoft SQL 2005
- Microsoft Exchange Server
- Microsoft Sharepoint
- Zyxel Zywall Firewalls
- 3Com LAN Switching Equipment
- Trend Anti Virus
In addition HTL provided some of its own unique services:
- HTLonline 10 MB Etherstream ADSL services.
- HTLonline redundant SMTP email feeds, with virus and spam prevention
- Office hours IT support
- HTLonline Domain Name Registration and DNS services.
Conclusion
HTL have worked alongside Pontis for many years. Despite undergoing large amounts of charge during that period the network has run smoothly and as demand has increased so the systems have scaled.
Extra users are easily added to the existing infrastructure as required. Being service focused Pntis are always looking for ways to utilise new Technology to service their client's needs, and rely on HTL to recommend new versions of software as they become available.
HTL engineers are on hand providing rapid response and hardware swap out to all problems.