Project Description

Carers NSW

IT Infrastructure Refresh Solution

‘’Our partnership with mcrIT has not only resolved our existing IT challenges but also positioned us for future growth and success. By embracing modern technology and adopting a comprehensive IT management approach, we can continue to focus on our core mission of improving the lives of carers throughout New South Wales”

Elena Katrakis, CEO, Carers NSW

About

Carers NSW is the peak non-government organisation dedicated to supporting family and friend carers in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. As a member of the National Carer Network and Carers Australia, their mission revolves around improving the lives of carers throughout the NSW. With multiple sites across NSW and 120 staff members, Carers NSW plays a critical role in providing assistance and resources to those who care for their loved ones.

The Problem

Before engaging with mcrIT, Carers NSW encountered several significant challenges. Their existing IT infrastructure and applications were outdated, leading to various operational and potential security issues.

The primary problems included:

  • Outdated Infrastructure: Carers NSW relied on an aging infrastructure that hindered their ability to provide high availability services. This not only affected their operational efficiency but also posed a significant risk to the security of their data. The existing design relied on the head office, where all internet traffic, data and applications resided.  Downtime often occurred when Carers NSW lost internet impacting all staff access to applications and data. Remote working relied on complex security for staff to connect and be productive. Updating was prohibitive due to the Windows Image lockdowns, application not being supported.
  • Application Reliability: Their existing applications (Microsoft Exchange 2013, Lync 2013 and SharePoint 2013) were past their supported life by the vendor. Applications were also known to fail during security and server patch updates resulting in frequent disruptions to services.
  • Complex Management: Managing their onsite infrastructure was costly and cumbersome. Carers NSW needed a more cost-effective and efficient solution to alleviate their administrative burden.

Reliability and supportability became a concern for Carers NSW, and they went to market to find a partner who could work with them to address these issues.

‘’Our partnership with mcrIT has not only resolved our existing IT challenges but also positioned us for future growth and success. By embracing modern technology and adopting a comprehensive IT management approach, we can continue to focus on our core mission of improving the lives of carers throughout New South Wales”

Elena Katrakis, CEO, Carers NSW

The mcrIT Solution

mcrIT was selected as the successful candidate through a rigorous Request for Proposal (RFP) process, with the aim of modernising and simplifying their IT to address these challenges.

The solution included:

  • Cloud Migration: mcrIT initiated the migration of Carers NSW to the cloud, providing them with the flexibility and scalability needed for modern operations. This encompassed moving their email systems, file sharing, device management, and communication channels to Microsoft 365.
  • Financial Software Migration: Carers NSW’s financial software was shifted from on-premises servers to Microsoft Azure, enhancing both accessibility and security.
  • Comprehensive IT Management: Carers NSW entrusted mcrIT to manage all aspects of their IT infrastructure including support through the North Sydney based Service Desk.

Outcomes

The new solution has brought about several significant improvements:

  • Enhanced Accessibility: Carers NSW now enjoys seamless access to essential services like email, file sharing, calls, and chats from anywhere, ensuring that their team can stay connected and productive, regardless of location.
  • Cost Savings: The transition has eliminated the need for Carers NSW to manage their on-site infrastructure, resulting in significant cost savings. They now pay only for the services they use and can easily scale their resources as needed.
  • Efficiency and Reliability: The move to Microsoft 365 has simplified the management of end-of-life applications, while Microsoft’s automated updates and patches have reduced disruptions, allowing users to perform their tasks more efficiently.

Next step: Network Transformation

The next phase of transformation involves upgrading Carers NSW’s internal network configuration and moving away from MPLS and VPN implementations, further improving connectivity and efficiency.