Complex integration project * business continuity for an international company that provides 24/7 service * cloud migration * advanced solutions and infrastructure, all upgraded by Bezeq International, winner of the VMWARE MASTER SERVICE Certificate
Bezeq International have recently completed the upgrade if the entire computing infrastructure of Fritz companies Israel, the leading supply chain management company dealing in international logistics and freight forwarding, following a complex project. As a company providing 24/7 customer service, worldwide and year-round, Fritz has chosen Bezeq International for the upgrade of its computing infrastructure, adjusting it to the needs of its customers and itself.
The project aimed at creating a reliable environment, secured and accessible with redundancy options for growth and development to match the company’s needs as well as saving maintenance and operational costs.
Until 2019, Fritz had all of its computing infrastructure managed on-premises.Their computing infrastructure included a set of servers which expanded with the company’s success and development. However, it was based on longstanding technologies and systems that could not be upgraded. The actual on-site management was taking its toll, in terms of real estate costs as well as electricity and manpower resources.
Fritz chose an innovative solution, made up of several combined advanced technological solutions:
*Migration of the computing array from on-premises to virtual infrastructure VMware based
*Cloud backup solution (BAAS) reliability and redundancy to the organizational servers as well as the application of a VEEAM CLOUDBACKUP SERVICE solution-based policy
*Construction of a stable Backbone network topology Juniper based and secured by Check Point Cluster, solution F5 for secured users’ connectivity
*Upgrading of the physical infrastructure and doubling of the internet infrastructure, to ensure a stable, reliable connection with future potential growth capabilities.
*Flexibility – the ability to cope with alternating needs in the IT setup, including expansion and growth
Bezeq International continued managing the project, despite the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions by making a smooth transition to remote management.
Erez Adam , VP IT at Fritz: “In addition to the challenges one can expect in any integration project of a similar scale, the Covid-19 pandemic has arrived and brought with it a different type of challenge. Amid the project, when lockdown was imposed on the market – new restrictions were dictated that limited normal working routines. As a result, we were forced to move to a remote working set-up. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, we did not stop for a moment.
We worked remotely, together with Bezeq International’s teams, and demonstrated uncompromising commitment and professionality. We worked remotely, as if we were here. Throughout this odd situation, choosing Bezeq International, that together with its proven integration project management capabilities, owns one of the best internet infrastructures in Israel both in terms of infrastructure as well as the required knowledge to get the most out of it, proved itself as the right choice. “We have made a smooth transition to remote working, using a reliable, stable infrastructure to keep providing our customers 24/7 am service, in this ever-changing market reality. What was defined, at first, as a basic need, has now become a critical component of the ability to execute the whole project remotely, as well as providing business continuity and stability to Fritz’s employees who switched to working from home.”
Adam says: “Choosing Bezeq International has proven to be the right decision. The team were professional and guided us carefully with feeling of security, even through tough moments. I knew we were in good hands and that our needs would and will be well attended to.”
Winning the VMWARE – MASTER SERVICE – a proven ability for complex integration project management
Thanks to Fritz and other projects, Bezeq International has won recognition of VMWARE as a VMWARE – MASTER SERVICE. This acknowledgement is yet another example of Bezeq International’s position as a first-class provider of integration solutions, thus opening the door for future similar projects.
Multi-disciplinary Project
Gilad Cohen, ICT Project Manager Bezeq International adds details on the project management: “In projects such as this, it is only when one gets to physically touch the customer’s infrastructures that he realizes what is yet to come. We began this multi-disciplinary project, which encompasses numerous content realms and hundreds of parallel tasks, in a production environment of the customer. The project was defined as a standard turnkey, yet we followed innovative agile principles to allow better flexibility and response to the many alterations that arose whilst on the go. We have created sets of sprints where one can apply the approach of Learn Quick, Fast Fail, detect blockages in the process and other constraints (some at the production environment), established tests’ environments and demo.
We have performed self-monitoring using Red Team methods, prior to every critical phase, managed, and analyzed risks, and built a downloadable plan with responses to the latter. We have brought the customer’s infrastructure to the highest existing standards, creating infrastructure that is stable, backed up, efficient and is fully redundant to allow future growth.
Ron Glav, VP business solutions and global business division: “In this project, Bezeq International and Fritz, have faced unexpected challenges, from infrastructure failure to global pandemic. This forced us to adopt creative thinking and out-of-the-box fast responses, full cooperation of many interfaces and end-user responses, and regarding Fritz as a partner. Today, at Bezeq International, we have an enormous variety of services and solutions, as well as the knowledge and the experience necessary to provide comprehensive answers to all customers’ demands".
This information has been brought to you by Bezeq International, the leading IT and telecommunication company in Israel, providing end-to-end IT solutions to the business sector in cooperation with Extreme Networks.
For additional information: OferF@bezeqint.co.il
