Frank H. Stowell & Sons


Historic Chicago Construction Firm Gets An IT Makeover

FHS excels at custom construction projects for their clients, and for a firm that has been in operation for over a hundred years, now it was their turn to be on the receiving end. Initial engagement with FHS allowed both sides to come to agreement on a strategic cleanup plan to bring critical systems up to modern standards while adhering to industry best practices. A phased implementation allowed FireLogic to replace legacy Exchange email with Office 365; demote a dying HP server with a best of breed Dell server; and cleanup the entire network backbone with Meraki firewall and managed business class WiFi for all users.

When it came time to move between offices, FireLogic was there, managing all initial planning for internet service providers (ISPs), network wiring, and WiFi infrastructure. An existing Cat6 wiring installation was reworked and re-used, and cabling costs were less than half of what a full fresh install usually run. All critical systems were moved in conjunction with FireLogic technicians and first-week “go-live” of the new space was supported with on-call and onsite service as necessary.

Since all cleanup was completed, FireLogic now provides hybrid Managed IT Support for all critical infrastructure at company headquarters. Disaster Recovery is being managed by FireLogic’s internal BDR platform, along with managed security via ESET plus patch management. All the pieces are in place for FHS staff to focus on offering cutting edge construction for the Chicagoland area in what we all hope to be another 100 years strong.

Project Goals:

FHS was looking for an IT partner that understood the technology nuances for a construction firm that leads some of the most unique projects in Chicago. Aging server infrastructure needed a complete replacement. Email was being hosted on a legacy Exchange server. A network that had few facets of security & reliability that was necessary. FHS was also interested in entering a hybrid Managed IT Support agreement that provided support, security, and disaster recovery for critical components the company depends on.

Vertical:

Construction

Solutions Involved:

  • Hosted Email
  • Hosted VoIP
  • Network Infrastructure
  • Server Infrastructure
  • Mobile Computing
  • Security
  • Disaster Recovery & Backup
  • Managed IT Support
  • Remote & Onsite IT Support