We help solve the interesting problems.
Our clients know they can trust us with those really hard to answer questions. Why is that?
Well, let’s look at just one example…
Linux Platform Introduction at one of Canada’s Largest Banks
One of the biggest banks in Canada was looking to introduce Linux into their environment. Their challenge was to establish a more open UNIX platform alternative, without upsetting decades of entrenched knowledge and best practices. How would they effectively manage through this transition, with full stakeholder buy-in, as well as meet an aggressive timeline?
Partnering with the banks preferred System Hardware vendor, IBM, and Linux vendor, Red Hat, we established a project schedule that would bring them from Proof of Concept, to Pilot, and finally release of their first Production Gold Image within 6 months. The operating environment would mimic their existing UNIX framework as closely as possible while introducing new methods and best practices unique to Linux. Given their long history with UNIX, we wanted to make sure that we created a solution that would fit within the established practices, measurements, and standards that the teams were familiar with.
How did we do?
Six months later, we delivered their first ‘Production Certified’ Gold Linux Image. It scored the best on their internel security penetration testing; apparently beating out any platform that they had previously certified. We managed to integrate much of their standard third-party software utilities as well as port many of their long-standing system management scripts. This allowed the teams to quickly begin working with the new environment without having to learn a whole new platform skillset. In addition, we also created a simplified, menu driven, system imaging environment which allowed the teams to quickly create application focused System image profiles that could quickly and easily be deployed by support staff with just a few mouse clicks.
Prologue
Our client was so happy with the success of this project, that they decided to pose two more interesting questions to us:
- How much will Linux Engineering cost us on an annual basis?
- How can we create a common certification process across all of our Operating System platforms?
We were happy to help our client successfully answer both of these questions as well. If you would like to know more about how we approached both of these problems, please give us a shout.
We’d love to sit down and chat.