BACKGROUND
YFM group are the UK's most active investor in SMEs, and have been successfully backing businesses since 1982. The business has three main operating divisions – YFM Private Equity, YFM Venture Finance and YFM Business Development – delivering fund management and consultancy programme management services. With circa £310 million in funds under management YFM are responsible for 15 different funds backed by private individuals, pension funds, large corporates, banks, the European Investment Fund, the UK Government and the European Commission. YFM are part of the GLE Group who are predominately based in London and the South Eastern area of the UK and employs over 350 members based across 12 office locations in the UK and Europe.
YFM are a thriving business with technology central to success.
SOLUTION
Following detailed consultation with YFM, including a full technical demonstration and business analysis, SICL recommended the installation of a Dell EqualLogic SAN in conjunction with deployment of VMware and other supporting technologies such as Riverbed WAN optimisation appliances. SICL Technical Engineers ensured that iSCSI volumes were presented to servers and that YFM IT staff gained sufficient knowledge transfer to be able to complete the migration of data and manage the systems following the installation.
Following the original installation at the Leeds Datacentre, SICL have worked with YFM adding additional SANs, VMWare hosts, Riverbed technologies into their GLE London Data centre location complete with configuration to facilitate enhanced Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity solutions.
RESULT
Improved reliability and speed of access has resulted in greater user confidence in the network and increased productivity whilst enabling Business Continuity.
“I have worked with many IT companies over the last 10 – 15 years but SICL ranks as the best. SICL work hard to understand the overall Business requirement and have always delivered sound advice and excellent customer service.”
Stephen Hunter
Group ICT Manager
YFM Group