IT infrastructure
Steel wholesaler relies on virtualization
Strong competition, high price pressure and rising customer expectations - the steel industry is under increasing pressure. Uninterrupted, permanent operation and fast response times are essential for wholesalers to remain competitive. They depend on a powerful and scalable IT infrastructure that is flexible, time-saving and reliable.
This was also the case at steel wholesaler Eisen Schmitt. Founded in 1930 and headquartered in Karlsruhe, the long-established company trades in various steel products such as bright steel, quality steel, rolled steel, tool steel and stainless steel as well as non-ferrous metals, pipes and plastics. The wholesaler decided to renew its IT infrastructure in order to make the company fit for the future, keep its processes running at all times and provide optimum data protection. At the same time, it introduced a high-availability and IT security concept.
Analysis of the IT infrastructure
Eisen Schmitt was reliant on the expertise of an external IT expert to set up a modern, future-proof IT infrastructure. "We were looking for an IT service provider with extensive project experience and relevant certifications who could also support us in the long term," says Christin Vilsmeier, authorized signatory at Eisen Schmitt. InterConnect met these requirements. The company advises customers across all sectors in Karlsruhe and the surrounding area on IT issues and projects. In addition to InterConnect's 30 years of experience, its proximity to Eisen Schmitt also played a role in the decision.
In order to optimally renew the IT infrastructure, InterConnect first conducted intensive consultations with Eisen Schmitt and prepared an as-is analysis of the existing IT infrastructure. The service provider analyzed the network, IT systems, services such as anti-spam or antivirus and the implementation of legal requirements such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This gave the wholesaler a detailed overview of the status of its IT. Based on these results, the IT service provider developed several solution approaches and, together with Eisen Schmitt, selected the optimal high-availability and IT security concept.
Reduce downtimes
For Eisen Schmitt, it was particularly important to offer its customers from industry, trade and commerce a smooth 24/7 operation. The wholesaler stores more than 15,000 items in all conceivable grades and qualities on more than 30,000 square meters in Karlsruhe and the branches in Frankfurt, Plochingen and St. Ingbert. Previously, the company used different hardware servers from several manufacturers, but these no longer met the latest standards and were also difficult to administer due to their heterogeneity. There was also a lack of a redundant concept to prevent downtime. In the event of a server failure, business operations would have come to a standstill.
Eisen Schmitt introduced a high-availability cluster with central storage and a server virtualization solution to ensure smooth operation without system failures or disruptions. The hardware servers were dismantled and replaced by a virtualized, central server landscape. This allowed the IT infrastructure to be standardized and easier to manage.
To make the server structure more fail-safe, InterConnect used two identically designed, interconnected servers running in parallel. In the event of a server failure, for example due to a hardware defect, the applications and data on the second server can be used automatically thanks to this redundant system. Uninterrupted operation is therefore guaranteed. Even planned downtimes, for example for patches, updates or hardware replacement, can now be carried out during core working hours, as the second system takes over in the meantime.
Another advantage: the virtualized server cluster can be flexibly expanded with applications and resources. Thanks to this scalability, Eisen Schmitt can react quickly to changing requirements, such as a growing stock of articles, and is equipped for the future.
Customized IT security concept
Data backup was also high on the agenda when modernizing the IT infrastructure. It was important for the wholesaler to protect systems and data from failure or loss and to create automatic backups on a regular basis. Thanks to a backup solution, systems and data are always backed up and can be easily restored.
To effectively protect and securely store order data, customer data and internal information, Eisen Schmitt also introduced an endpoint protection solution with comprehensive virus protection and a high-performance firewall. Against the background of increasing security threats, effective protection mechanisms have become very important.
The steel wholesaler also secured itself against security risks when accessing the company network with an encrypted virtual private network (VPN). The encrypted VPN connection allows employees at all locations to access the shared, secure network.
InterConnect completed the entire re-implementation process in just three weeks without any complications. The modernized and customized IT infrastructure now provides Eisen Schmitt with an optimal basis for fast and reliable operation. "Our new IT infrastructure is significantly more powerful, reliable and scalable than before. We are now equipped for the future and open to new technologies and further growth," says Vilsmeier.
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