Thanks to proactive planning and technical execution, Robert Whowell & Partners LLP now benefits from a modern, secure, and high-performing IT infrastructure. Staff experienced no disruption, while system speed and reliability noticeably improved—enabling the business to serve clients more efficiently and with greater confidence.
Client:
Robert Whowell & Partners LLP
Location:
Quorn, Leicestershire
Date:
2024
About the Project
Robert Whowell & Partners LLP, a long-established accountancy and business advisory firm, relied on an aging HP server running legacy software and an outdated operating system. The system, while still operational, posed growing challenges in performance, security compliance, and supportability. With increasing demands from staff and clients, the firm recognised the need to modernise its infrastructure without incurring any operational downtime or business disruption.
The objective was clear: replace the legacy server with a modern, high-performance solution that could support current and future business needs, all while ensuring continuity of service and safeguarding sensitive financial data.
Our Solution
We delivered a comprehensive infrastructure upgrade by replacing the old HP server with a brand-new Dell PowerEdge server. The project involved strategic planning, rigorous testing, and flawless execution carried out entirely outside of business hours to ensure a smooth transition with zero impact on productivity.
Project Scope & Key Deliverables:
- Detailed Pre-Migration Planning:
Our team conducted a full audit of the existing server environment, including user data, application dependencies, network configurations, and storage volumes. This allowed us to design a bespoke migration plan that addressed both technical requirements and business continuity needs.
- Hardware Upgrade to Dell Server:
A new Dell PowerEdge server was provisioned with enterprise-grade hardware specifications including high-speed SSD storage, expanded RAM, and next-generation processing power to drastically improve performance and future scalability.
- Operating System Modernisation:
The server was installed with the latest supported version of Microsoft Windows Server, incorporating modern security protocols, enhanced stability, and improved system management tools. This significantly reduced the risk of cyber threats and compliance vulnerabilities.
- Line-of-Business Application Migration:
All critical accounting software, internal tools, shared drives, and user profiles were carefully migrated to the new environment. Compatibility testing was completed in advance to avoid post-migration issues.
- Bank Holiday Implementation:
To minimise disruption, we scheduled and executed the entire server migration over a bank holiday weekend. Engineers were on-site and remote throughout the window to handle all pre- and post-migration tasks, ensuring the system was fully operational when staff returned to work.
- System Hardening & Validation:
Following deployment, we applied necessary security configurations including Group Policy refinements, firewall updates, antivirus integrations, and remote access controls. Final validation involved user acceptance testing (UAT) and network performance checks.