Case Study – Small Hotel Installation

The Request…

Due to the success of the work AGT carried out at the hotel, we were once again approached to carry out work on the hotels brand new expansion project. Situated just 50 metres away from the main hotel, this building required a full technical solution creating from the bottom up.

The Analysis…

With this being a new installation we weren’t forced to use any existing infrastructure, therefore giving us free reign to implement the best, most effective technologies available. This would include a full refurbishment and wiring, wireless network points, VOIP phones, CCTV and a wireless door locking/key-card system.

The Solution…

Working with electricians we helped compose the structure of the cabling throughout the building, forming part of the foundation required for the technologies that were to be installed. Once in place the networks could begin to be built.

As with the parent hotel, access points were installed throughout the new building, once again utilising a VLAN for the wireless connections and VOIP phones that use POE cables to transfer data as well as power.

CCTV with DVR was set up and configured on the network. Part of this configuration allows the CCTV to be checked from anywhere with an internet connection, which enables an excellent element of security.

AGT worked with SALTO Systems to set up and implement the wireless access key-card system for the new building.

The Outcome…

At the end of the project was a plush, technologically advantaged building with full wireless access, a low carbon footprint and exceptional detail right down to the networks chrome faceplates. But what makes this stand out is that this building is unmanned (yet secure) with no server housed on the site. Making this essentially an IT maintenance-free building!

Case Study – Large Hotel Wi-Fi Setup

The Request…

AGT were asked to look at the current Wi-Fi setup at a large Hotel in Lytham St Annes. With Wi-Fi now being a highly demanded requirement of hotel guests, the hotel wanted to ensure that they could suitably accommodate their guests’ requirements and provide a reliable Wi-Fi internet service throughout the entire hotel.

The Analysis…

After the initial site survey it was discovered that the hotel currently had a mixture of wireless networks in place, one of which was starting to fail. Whilst on site it was also noted that the server cabinet and cabling could benefit from being relocated and re-cabled as well as implementing a new EPoS system, so this was also drawn up in the proposed solution.

The Solution…

It was decided that the most efficient course of action would be to roll out a full managed system with multiple Wi-Fi access points throughout the hotel, utilising BT Infinity broadband lines to ensure sufficient bandwidth could accommodate heavy usage by the guests, not just in their rooms but around the hotel as well.

A new web-based EPoS backend server and network was set up on its own VLAN to ensure it had a secure and dedicated workspace. A new network switch was installed and the current till points were re-patched to it.

Setting up the new Wi-Fi system for the hotel could actually be done off-site, meaning all the work could be carried out at the AGT headquarters, then once it had been configured and tested, it could be moved straight into place at the hotel. Thus making the implementation extremely fast with minimal disruption to the hotels day to day working.

The Outcome…

Utilising the many Wi-Fi access points, the hotel guests could now access the internet anywhere within the hotel and the hotels grounds without losing connection. A captive portal (or splash page) was created so that the guests could be authenticated prior to internet access being granted, giving that extra piece of security to the setup of the network.

Case Study – Gift Company Office Move

The Request…

AGT were asked to help accommodate a proposed office relocation for a large company. Where relocations are involved the logistics must be planned down to the last detail, ensuring minimal impact to the business and that any unnecessary downtime doesn’t occur.

The Analysis…

An audit was carried out of the existing office and infrastructure as well as at the proposed new location. This enabled us to clearly identify our involvement as well as highlight any potential problems that may arise or benefits to the business that could be incorporated into the relocation.

The Solution…

With careful planning and liaison with 3rd parties, the preparation stages involved working out the infrastructure requirements at the new office, from the basic cabling and power needs through to the network and phone needs including the procurement of new kit where needed.

It was identified that the business would benefit from some new hardware, with the relocation providing an ideal time to implement this new hardware. This consisted of new, higher specification servers and new VOIP phones.

We arranged for the new site to have three ADSL broadband lines installed, two of the lines to be used for load-balancing and the third line for the SBS/Exchange server. Getting the lines in place prior to the move is essential so that all machines could be plugged in and up and running as soon as they arrive at the new location.

The Outcome…

The relocation was a success. With the infrastructure ready in place at the new location the users were back up and running in no time, along with new virtualised servers running on the network and VOIP phones installed ready to use.

After the work AGT carried out on installation and configuration of the VOIP network, we were granted reseller rights through the VOIP suppliers . Another example of how AGT is constantly building trusted, reliable working relationships within the IT and Data industry.

Case Study – Engineering Company PC Build

The Request…

Engineering businesses rely heavily on graphic and design software, meaning that their hardware needs to be powerful enough to support the necessary software packages in order to function efficiently. AGT were tasked with building an extremely powerful setup capable of flawlessly running the required software and applications.

The Analysis…

Research into the CAD software gave us a minimum hardware requirement needed, but running the software on the minimum required specifications wouldn’t produce the outstanding results that AGT strive towards. So we started with the basics and looked into how we could make a machine that would exceed expectations.

The Solution…

The first step was to see how powerful we could make the machine whilst also keeping within the cost budget of the customer. Having trusted sources and suppliers can be critical in the IT industry and AGT has built solid working relationships with some of the best suppliers available.

We began by sourcing the necessary items of hardware, factoring in compatibility to ensure possible hardware conflicts wouldn’t arise. When building a high powered machine it’s vital to take into consideration the cooling and ventilation of the unit – the more power the machine has and the harder it works, the hotter it gets! Therefore a spacious unit with sufficient cooling is a must.

Obviously when working with graphics and design packages the ability to see your work in great detail is paramount, so for maximum effect we set up three large, High Definition LCD monitors.

The Outcome…

The final result was a high-end machine comprising of technologies such as dual graphics cards, an i7 core processor, an abundance of memory, a solid-state hard drive, modular power supply and multiple HD monitors enabling the user to see their work on a spanned layout.