Johannesburg, 06 Nov 2006
Blue Strata Trading Pty Ltd, a global shipping and freight company, has acquired the services of Synaq to enhance its existing infrastructure and maintain optimum levels of connectivity.
Most recently, Synaq, a local provider of Linux and open source managed services, provided administration and configuration services related to the implementation of a Scalix Mail Server solution.
Other services provided included spam control, mail server virus protection, BlackBerry devices as well as Internet access and firewall administration.
The e-mail solution addresses the need for reliable, stable collaboration and communication across Blue Strata Trading's network. This platform, along with other services rendered, is considered mission-critical to the business and its daily operation, explains Hadley Van Lille, CIO Blue Strata Trading.
"We deal with international suppliers and cannot afford to experience any downtime on any of these vital areas of the overall ICT infrastructure. Synaq has surpassed all expectations," says Van Lille.
Synaq also manages the client's Linux servers which run the in-house proprietary management system at Blue Strata Trading.
"We are yet to experience any downtime on this system," adds Van Lille.
Yossi Hasson, sales and marketing director at Synaq, says Blue Strata Trading has experienced significant growth in the last few months and required a platform that could provide stability and provide its staff with enhanced mobile capability.
"Being in the shipping and freighting business, the client relies heavily on e-mail correspondence and therefore any platform implemented needed to be extremely reliable and stable. Blue Strata Trading had to ensure that its controller agents be able to receive their e-mail anywhere, anytime and therefore required that the platform implemented be able to synchronise with the new BlackBerry devices, providing them with push e-mail and PIM synchronisation capabilities," comments Hasson.
Synaq identified Scalix as the most viable solution for Blue Strata Trading and one that would present the client with the benefit of a reduction in total cost of ownership and full functionality.
"Scalix is able to meet requirements from a functionality point of view including full calendaring, synchronisation, global address books, feature-rich Web interface and Outlook integration. It also leads to a significant reduction in the total cost of ownership over Microsoft Exchange and the BlackBerry Information server. By going the Scalix route, Blue Strata Trading essentially retained all the enterprise functionality without having to invest in additional servers," adds Hasson.
To date, Blue Strata Trading has issued 10 members of its staff with BlackBerry devices and intends to expand this roll-out to the entire staff complement.
This connectivity between the Scalix platform and BlackBerry infrastructure is paramount to the company's service delivery, Van Lille continues.
"We have a very close working relationship with Synaq and its staff. They have always resolved our queries with the utmost urgency and professionalism," he concludes.
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