|
||||
|
 |
Case Study
Citrix and Centralis launch "ground-breaking" access for the RNLI
An implementation to improve efficiency of organisation-wide remote systems access.
 |
January 13th, 2005 - The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), working with Centralis, has begun deploying a Citrix Access Solution that ultimately will include hundreds of remote PCs across its organisation.
RNLI volunteer crews, reliant upon voluntary donations, provide a 24-hour service around the coast of the UK and Republic of Ireland every day of the year. The cost of maintaining the nations’ maritime rescue service is over £300,000 per day – none of which comes from the UK central government. Fundraising, marketing, membership administration and lifeboat logistics are just some of the critical components that support this life-saving service and the RNLI have chosen Citrix MetaFrame XPe software to deliver these to its organisation-wide remote locations.
 |
we were in real need of a ‘hand-holding’ approach to implementation and roll-out....Centralis and Citrix together have provided us with this |
 |
|
Richard Miles, Head of Information Systems, RNLI |
The charity, based in Poole, Dorset, has over 1,000 paid employees and rescued just over 8,000 people in the last year. The RNLI undertook a review examining the IS/IT service provision and technology deployed across 250 of their locations in the UK and Republic of Ireland. The review showed that while the HQ in Poole had full systems access and resilient data storage, backup, file and print services, this was not available to the same degree in the remote offices and lifeboat stations. The RNLI commissioned an extensive feasibility study to look at how this could be resolved.
Richard Miles, Head of Information Systems at the RNLI, said, "There
were some understandable frustrations within the organisation regarding
our ability to share information, look after our systems and data and
ensure a high quality of service to our colleagues in remote locations.
I had thought for a long time that Citrix software could provide us with
a solution to this, and was delighted when the feasibility study proved
that this was the case."
The RNLI will use Citrix software to deliver a suite of business and
office applications, initially to each of its 17 regional offices and
divisional bases. The applications will include Microsoft Office and
Novell GroupWise, together with their Oracle-based Charisma fundraising,
marketing and membership application and SAP R/3 Enterprise which covers
areas such as management reporting, fundraising stock control, lifeboat
logistics and lifeboat upkeep and maintenance. The roll-out has begun
with a highly successful pilot deployment at its regional office in
Greater London.
The subsequent implementation will allow each of the RNLI remote offices
to standardise their use of these applications, helping improve the
efficiency of the technology infrastructure within the cost-conscious
RNLI. The project also involves server and data consolidation, with the
servers and data currently needed at each regional office being
relocated to the HQ and added to the central solution.
"However, we were in real need of a ‘hand-holding’ approach to
implementation and roll-out," continued Miles. "Centralis and Citrix
together have provided us with this, giving me every confidence that the
success we have seen in the initial test phase in London will result in
a successful organisation-wide deployment."
|
|
[Centralis] were willing to go that extra mile on the RNLI's behalf, exceeding what was required of them contractually on a number of occasions |
|
|
Richard Miles, Head of Information Systems, RNLI |
Centralis have also deployed Web Interface and Secure Gateway components to provide secure web-access. This provides additional flexibility which, in time, can be used to underpin an entire mobility strategy for the RNLI, permitting anytime, anywhere, and any-device access to corporate resources, information and applications.
Lewis Gee, Managing Director at Citrix,
said, "There’s a perception that charities can’t keep up with commercial
organisations when it comes to technology - and financially, that can be
true. However, this implementation shows that, with some shrewd
investment, technology can actually be used to improve the quality of
service provided to the supporters, benefiting all parties involved."
Ewen Anderson, Managing Director at Centralis, added "When deploying
complex technology it’s important to minimise any associated risks, and
carefully plan for all stages - especially when dealing with systems
which are essential to our customers operations. Centralis used the
Citrix Consulting methodologies to ensure that the RNLI solution design
is scalable, resilient and up to best practice standards. That
investment ensures that the resulting installation is as smooth,
problem-free and immediately productive as possible."
The last word goes to the customer "This Citrix solution is a ground-breaking project for the RNLI which will allow us to provide our colleagues in remote offices with the same facilities as enjoyed at HQ. Amongst many other good things, it will provide the basis for remote office disaster recovery and open up access to all RNLI systems wherever staff are located. Much credit must go to the team at Centralis who rose splendidly to the challenge of delivering a quality solution in such tight timescales, and were willing to go that extra mile on the RNLI's behalf, exceeding what was required of them contractually on a number of occasions."