Practicing Responsible
Technology Since 1991

 
     
Strategy Challenge: Integrate Legacy Data
A multi-line insurance company's agency force needed to expand its book of business in those markets that were most profitable to the company. Each agency had acquired an extensive knowledge base of customer, policy and claims information that, when made more accessible, would create limitless possibilities for expanded market share and profitability.

Each agency had its own SCO® UNIX server and Windows® clients on a local network as well as a VPN connection to the Home Office.The servers were running a full-featured UNIX-based insurance agency application developed by key Quest Technology Group team members in 1984.

Each agency's data was stored in a secure local Informix® C-ISAM database. The challenge was to bring this wealth of data to the user's desktop (1) when it was needed, (2) based on user-defined criteria and (3) in a format that was quickly and easily understood by non-technical users.
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Challenge: Create a 1,500 User Network
  A 60-year-old insurance company needed to migrate its 300-location agency force from a terminal-based Unix enviroment to a client-server network. The challenge was to accomplish this without user intervention or disruption of ongoing business activity. This upgraded infrastructure also created the opportunity to provide an expanded suite of insurance and productivity products to all users. To design, implement and manage the project, they turned to long-time solution provider Quest Technology Group.

Each site had its own Unix server with all day-to-day operations being handled remotely. There were no onsite system administrators or technical resources. As a result, the mission was multi-fold:
   
  • Define the system architecture and software controls that would ensure and enforce consistency among all users
  • Develop a rollout plan with the client to ensure that business objectives were being met and user impacts minimized
  • Replace the existing servers wtih upgraded hardware
  • Replace the terminals with Windows clients
  • Create a fully-functional network complete with home office connectivity
  • Fully automate the installation of both server and clients, including operating systems, so no user intervention was required
  • Fully automate the network configuration including the routers
  • Design and develop an infrastructure that would manage Unix, Windows and even DOS applications in a totally hands-off environment
  • Introduce the entire network concept and suite of new products to 1,500 users, many of whom had no prior PC exposure
  • Migrate all existing applications and databases from the old servers to the new. These servers were running a Unix-based insurance application developed by Quest Technology Group more than 15 years ago
    Solution »
       
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