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2-Night Installations for High-End Department Store Chain

2-Night Installations for High-End Department Store Chain

Client

The client is a high-end department store with nearly 300 locations, averaging 57 registers per store. They also operate 20 clearance stores. 

Problem

The client had outdated technology, their systems kept crashing, and they needed a high-velocity rollout to fix the issues quickly. Their existing legacy servers were no longer able to be maintained by the manufacturer, and their Windows server operating system was also out of support. They had no physical firewall, so they added the Palo Alto Firewall. The client purchased new servers, switches, and firewalls from manufacturers, but needed them installed very quickly with minimal downtime.

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Solution

RTI provided a 2-day install to convert all server rooms to new technology compliant with all security and PCI regulations. Retail Tech was able to meet this timeline by working at night as follows:

  • Night 1 - Installed new servers in the existing rack along with existing legacy servers. Brought the new servers online with the client’s corporate data center. Upon completion, the technicians worked with store support to start the replication/data transfer of data from the legacy servers to the new servers. This process can take up to 48 hours depending on multiple factors. Upon completion of the replication/data transfer RTI scheduled a second after-hours visit to remove the legacy servers from the rack and install new replacements.
  • Night 2 - The RTI technician worked with the client’s store support to confirm the replication was completed successfully. Upon confirmation, the technician removed the existing legacy servers and prepared them for return to the recycler. The technician then continued to rewire all existing switches, patch panels, routers, hubs, etc. to the new servers. Our Retail Tech Inc. technician also worked with client staff to install and activate the Palo Alto firewall and their new Cisco BOSS switch. Then, RTI worked with their corporate networking team to make sure the store was up and running before opening at 10 AM.

Summary of Services:

  • Reduced the onsite installation time from 6 days to 3 days
  • Eliminated 70% of the packaging waste from the sites
  • Reduced costs significantly from a procurement perspective
  • Delivery improved
  • Equivalent of 1.5 FTEs going back due to reductions in administrative work previously spent on new store openings
  • Systems moved to Windows 10, making them compliant for the next 7 years

Result

The RTI team successfully installed new hardware and got everything operating in a mere two nights. The client was able to open the following morning with working servers that would be up-to-date for the next ten years.