DIGITAL7  Case Studies » Heliworks Server and Support

Heliworks Flies High with Computer Network and Support from Digital 7

Ricky Kershaw, Office Manager and part-owner of Heliworks, doesn't have to worry about her office computer systems anymore. “We rely on our computer network for almost every aspect of our business,” she says. “Before Digital 7 upgraded our systems, we were having security issues - we even had an overseas hacker snooping around our files – and keeping the network up and running was taking too much of our time. But now, with Digital 7's assistance, I don't even have to think about it any more. They have taken care of everything. So now I can focus on running the business.”

Before the upgrade, Heliworks' network was becoming an issue. “We're a 24-hour operation,” explains Kershaw, “and we needed our computer network to work the same hours we do. Any downtime can cost us money and give the wrong impression to our customers. We knew we had to do something. We had visited Digital 7's office and we liked what we saw. So we gave them a call and explained our situation.”

“The team at Digital 7 was great,” continues Kershaw. “Their engineers came out, looked at our existing system and asked a lot of questions. They were extremely professional and friendly and explained all the issues involved with an upgrade in language we could understand. We're not what you would call ‘computer people' and they made the process sound so easy.”

Digital 7 then submitted a proposal with a number of options. “They really listened to what we had to say,” she continues, “and helped us make the right choices. We decided to go ahead with their recommendations. It's a decision we've never regretted. In fact, since they installed the new hardware and software, we haven't had any network issues at all.”

Heliworks' new network is based on Microsoft Windows Small Business Server and Exchange Server 2003 running on HP hardware. A comprehensive backup and anti-virus solution was also provided. “The Microsoft Server solutions are optimised for small but growing enterprises,” says Digital 7 managing director Angelica Mayo, “and are ideal for local businesses. We have the expertise in-house to fully install and support Windows Server-based solutions. ”

Heliworks' new network, in addition to being much more reliable and secure, gives them even more capabilities than before. “We now have wireless for our clients who want to log-on to the internet from our office,” says Kershaw, “and we have secure remote access for ourselves in case we have to log-on to the network from home or when we are away from the office. Digital 7 also prepared easy-to-use documentation and trained us on how best to use the system.”

Digital 7 provides the maintenance service for the entire system. “They monitor our network from their office,” concludes Kershaw, “and take care of any issues before they become a problem. They handle our back-ups and keep our security profiles up-to-date. They even support us in case we need help after office hours. I can safely say that the service that we get from Digital 7 is the most professional we're received from any company in the entire region. Our computer network, instead of being a problem for us, has been turned into a valuable asset, thanks to Digital 7.”