Managed IT Services
Cyber Security
Infrastructure & WiFi
Software Development
Cloud
Backup & Disaster Recovery
Business Continuity
Voice
Accountancy
Retail & Distribution
Service Industry
Manufacturing
Construction
Healthcare
Hotel & Leisure
Transport
LegalJohnston Kennedy
A well-recognised firm of chartered accountants and chartered tax advisors with strong local, national and international connections.
An Overview
Johnston Kennedy
Johnston Kennedy DFK is a well-recognised firm of chartered accountants and chartered tax advisors with strong local, national and international connections. The firm has offices in Belfast, Lisburn and Mallusk and has been working with Stem Systems since 2011, seeing significant growth in that time.
Having used server virtualisation, replication, Remote Desktop Services, VPN’s and light remote working successfully for 10 years, the company was in a position to review their IT infrastructure to futureproof them for the same period again. There were various considerations:
- Aging servers across offices
- Items of shared data still silo’ed in individual sites
- Increased dependency on head office site for all key services, applications, emails and remote access
- Increasing amounts of time taken for accounting software upgrades and server maintenance
- Rapid growth in data storage
- Increased demand for remote working at home locations and client sites
Implications:
- The firm operates several accounting, tax, payroll and forecasting applications which needed testing, checked for compatibility and most importantly, migrated without downtime.
- Payroll for hundreds of companies with tight weekly filing deadlines to adhere to
- Remote access and email delivery had to be retained throughout
- Staff working patterns covering evenings and weekends reduced time for data lifting.
Requirements:
- Scalable system to allow for continued growth and provide extra server capacity when required.
- Standardised desktop environment and file locations for all staff in all offices, with no ties to physical premises.
- Improved security measures to protect staff user accounts and ensure integrity of client financial data.
- A test environment for verifying the compatibility of all applications prior to switchover.
Our Solution
Stem Systems delivered a fully cloud-based solution built around Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop to match and exceed the firm’s requirements. With in-depth working knowledge of the majority of accounting applications in use across the UK and Ireland today, we migrated all SQL databases and line-of-business applications without third party involvement.
- Payroll databases were lifted from different locations and merged to a single, high-speed data store
- Over 20 years of client data was seamlessly replicated to Azure Files, inheriting the existing security groups and tiered access that the firm required
- Exchange mailbox database migrated to Microsoft 365
- All client devices dis-joined from servers and joined directly to Microsoft cloud-based logins
- Staff given access to new Azure environment in the days and weeks ahead of switchover for ongoing testing and familiarity, with preview access to up-to-date copies of their mail and shared data
The Outcome
- Improved resiliency and built-in business continuity – server restores demonstrated to take < 20 minutes, file shares reverted instantly in event of ransomware, mass deletion and similar incidents
- Load-balanced virtual desktop servers, started up and shut down as demand requires
- Standardised versions of accounting applications and Microsoft Office across all devices, with upgrades taking minutes instead of afternoons
- Full compatibility with all latest (and legacy) software applications
- No more VPN’s for remote working
- 2-factor protection of logins to staff desktops
- Removal of physical servers from all sites
- All laptops, desktops and mobile devices forcibly encrypted, joined to Azure Active Directory, cloud-managed via Microsoft InTune and with remote disk wipe facilities
- Microsoft Sharepoint portal created, with secured access granted to Johnston Kennedy clients for encrypted document exchange
Stem Systems completed the migration to Azure with no downtime or interruption of deadlines for the customer. As with all our cloud migration projects, switchover took place in the middle of the working week. From any device or location, staff have an identical Windows 10 desktop which is always-on and highly-available. Johnston Kennedy have embraced an array of offerings from Microsoft 365 and Azure to see an excellent return on their cloud investment and future-proof their IT infrastructure.
Related Projects
See More Case Studies
Investment Company IT migration
Stem Systems managed the IT infrastructure for a renewable energy plant whose parent investment company operated several similar plants across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Read Case Study
Babingtons Solicitors
Babingtons Solicitors, with offices in Derry and Strabane, are one of the longest established legal practices in Northern Ireland, dating back to 1901.
Read Case Study