Customer Stories

Technical Challenges
There were numerous challenges for David Allen IT to overcome during this project, all we had experienced before with other organisations. Our team worked through migrating all services running on the existing server infrastructure to the cloud, including migrating Active Directory to Azure Active Directory, and moving files to Microsoft Teams sites. The Wi-Fi was fully replaced with business grade professional wireless access points on a cloud based controller, the old PBX phone system replaced with Microsoft Teams voice, and the internet connection replaced with a high speed leased line circuit with a secure firewall and router.

Results
The upgrade to a fully cloud based system, utilising Teams for both data storage and the phone system has provided a platform that allows for truly remote working. Staff can seamlessly work between the office and home, with the added benefit of being able to use their work landline number wherever they have internet connection. Teams sharing allows for far easier collaborative working within the company too.The improved internet connectivity significantly enhanced the speed of internet connection. It is also possible to ‘section off’ functions (such as ticket scanners, box office and admin) in order to protect their internet speed. This was particularly important as, when the building is busy with audiences utilising the Wi-Fi, it ensured that business and production critical systems continued to operate unaffected.

By combining all of these functions under one management, David Allen IT are able to manage the entire ICT infrastructure which streamlines any trouble shooting significantly.

Conclusion
The project was the greatest single ICT intervention that Theatre by the Lake had ever undertaken since its initial install and required a significant change in both infrastructure and learning for the staff team. As well as project managing the process, David Allen supported the staff team with the transition, working at a manageable pace and offering up training as required. The results have been transformational. There is now very little management time of the network as we are free from manual backups, and staff have functionality that remains consistent wherever they are.  The internet speed is now at a level that is fit for the organisation and multiple users (often several hundreds) can simultaneously use the Wi-Fi on multiple devices across the site without seeing fluctuations or drop of connectivity – crucial to the running of a modern theatre.