System Engineering Financial Industry Case Studies
Biddeford Savings
- Managed Solutions with Critical Care Coverage
- Server Upgrade with SharePoint Connectivity
- IP Telephony
The Challenge
Biddeford Savings Bank needed to do a major network overhaul. It was the summer of 2004 and all the servers were going on five years old. The senior IT Officer, brought in the year before to revamp the growing bank's IT infrastructure, recommended replacing the aging equipment and moving into an active directory system. In addition, the multi-branch community bank sought a local vendor replacement to assist them in 24/7 monitoring of their security posture. The bank wanted to explore intra-branch communications and IP telephony options as well. Last but not least, the financial institution needed to ensure strict compliance with federal regulations such as the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) and examine at the possibility of meeting future PCI requirements.
The Solution
Biddeford Savings Bank determined that Systems Engineering was the best fit to help them accomplish their IT goals. The bank was moved from NT4 to the Windows 2003 server. Soon afterwards, 14 HP Proliant servers and a new version of Exchange were installed, routers were upgraded, a CS MARS Cisco Security Event Manager implemented, and the bank switched to a new frame relay service provider. Sharepoint implementation provided "an exceptional framework for our internal communications" between branches and the 65 users on the bank's network. Biddeford Savings Bank opted for Managed Services Critical Care to monitor and maintain the servers.
Results
Systems Engineering now monitors the bank's firewall and intrusion prevention system 24/7. Downtime has been virtually eliminated, and operations for both users and customers are smooth and continuous every day, all year long. Systems Engineering has also installed Cisco IP phones in the bank's five branches, including their newest branch in Kennebunk. Now, labor intensive patching and systems backups are automated leaving more time for network planning and design. The icing on the cake is that the entire suite of GLBA-compliant IT services provided by Systems Engineering is not just efficient, it is extremely cost-effective. "Systems Engineering helps me keep ahead of IT issues - proactively - so that they don't become problems for our internal users, or ultimately, our customers."
Quotes
I sleep better at night knowing we have a local technology partner with the resources of Cisco behind them. That makes me feel pretty good. -- Senior IT Officer of Biddeford Savings Bank
I have a lot of trust in these guys. They're more of a partner because they a very important part in what we do. Strategically, they're a resource. Technically, they're a resource. I look to them to be a big piece of it, not just a simple cost center that we're just paying them money every month to do this or that. -- Senior IT Officer of Biddeford Savings Bank
They are dealing with other banks and financial institutions so they see things I don't necessarily see. They understand the needs of financial institutions and they take our needs seriously. -- Senior IT Officer of Biddeford Savings Bank
They have been trustworthy partner and they have helped keep us on task. The relationship allows me more time to do strategic planning and researching. -- Senior IT Officer of Biddeford Savings Bank
We've got a solid network with minimal issues. They do quality work and are a great, dedicated group of people. -- Senior IT Officer of Biddeford Savings Bank
- “We’ve been very happy with their level of support and the knowledge of their engineers is phenomenal.” - Mark Weatherby, Director of IT, Goodwill Industries www.ginne.org
- "I have a lot of trust in these guys. They’re a key partner because they play a very important part in what we do. Strategically, they’re a resource. Technically, they’re a resource. I look to them to play a key role, not just to be a simple cost center that we’re paying every month to do this or that." - Keith Gosselin, IT Officer of Biddeford Savings Bank biddefordsavings.com
- “These are people who truly care about their customers. That’s a breath of fresh air in this world.” - Mark Weatherby, Director of IT, Goodwill Industries www.ginne.org
- “Like other nonprofit organizations with a limited staff and budget, it’s always a challenge; there’s less money for equipment, software, and manpower. Systems helped us by supplementing our staff and providing critical care support." - Mark Weatherby, Director of IT, Goodwill Industries www.ginne.org
- "We hired Systems Engineering because we knew that they were an organization that could keep us ahead of the curve. They brought over some very bright, hardworking trustworthy people to help us solve some highly critical IT issues. When it comes to client relationships, Systems Engineering conducts their business in a very similar way to the way we conduct ours. In other words, I feel as if I gained a partner. - Teresa M. Esposito COO/CFO of H.M. Payson & Co.
- “You guys really came through for us this weekend. You not only came in on Saturday and helped me with a problem, but then we had a more catastrophic failure. (catastrophic would not be one of your terms). Our system was down: busy week-end, credit cards, file server, you name it. You came back in Sunday, Pronto, which I really needed and got us straightened out. It was terrific! Kudos to Systems" Engineering for doing such a great job.” - Casco Bay Lines www.cascobaylines.com
- “I’ve dealt with a lot of engineers from different organizations, and these guys at Systems Engineering are just the best. I know whenever they come over to fix anything, it’s going to get fixed. I never had that reassuring feeling with other vendors.” - Mark Weatherby, Director of IT, Goodwill Industries www.ginne.org
- “Financially, you could never train or certify everyone on every single product we have here. If we did, my training budget would be 5-6 times larger than it is. That’s where Systems Engineering comes in.” - Mark Weatherby, Director of IT, Goodwill Industries www.ginne.org
- “With Systems Engineering it’s about the relationship. We’ve been burned by other vendors; to them it was more about shoehorning in their products and services into our environment. Systems tries to help supplement whatever you might been lacking; whether that’s manpower or some certain expertise, but they never try to force you into things.” - Mark Weatherby, Director of IT, Goodwill Industries www.ginne.org
- "They have been trustworthy partner and they have helped keep us on task. The relationship allows me more time to do strategic planning and researching." - Keith Gosselin, IT Officer of Biddeford Savings Bank biddefordsavings.com
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“We’ve got a solid network with minimal issues. They do quality work and are a great, dedicated group of people.”
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Keith Gosselin, IT Officer of Biddeford Savings Bank
www.biddefordsavings.com - "They are dealing with other banks and financial institutions so they see things I don’t necessarily see. They understand the needs of financial institutions and they take our needs seriously." - Keith Gosselin, IT Officer of Biddeford Savings Bank biddefordsavings.com
- "I don’t know of any other supplier that has the depth and breadth that Systems Engineering has; from programmers, to Cisco engineers, VMware engineers, Microsoft engineers – no one else has that kind of expertise on tap." - Darryl Hendricks, Director of Information Technology, Preti Flaherty
- “I sleep better at night knowing we have a local technology partner with the resources of Cisco behind them. That makes me feel pretty good.” - Keith Gosselin, IT Officer of Biddeford Savings Bank biddefordsavings.com
- “If you want it done the right way the first time, these are the guys to use.” - Mark Weatherby, Director of IT, Goodwill Industries www.ginne.org
- “We rely on technology 24/7 to be competitive in our marketplace. Years ago, I could give somebody a 13-column pad and a pencil and a calculator, and they were up and running. Those days are long gone. The importance of technology to my business on a 1-to-10 scale is a 10.” - Ralph Hendrix, COO of Macdonald Page & Co. www.Macpage.com
- “Systems Engineering CIO outsourcing has helped us align ourselves more closely with our different business units. That’s been a very important transition for us.” - Mark Weatherby, Director of IT, Goodwill Industries www.ginne.org
- “We had a thunderstorm hit us on a Friday night. It blew out all our outlets and took out our entire network. Systems Engineering came in that night and worked through the weekend. They had everything back up and running before everyone came in on Monday morning. That’s why I say Systems Engineering gives you peace of mind.” - Ralph Hendrix, COO of Macdonald Page & Co. www.Macpage.com
- "Systems Engineering works with me on my goals. They don’t try and sell me things I don’t need. They don’t push technologies that don’t fit. They listen to me and give me suggestions and recommendations. If they think I’m missing something, they are going to tell me. It’s a partnership that works to achieve the firm’s goals. For us, it’s about building long-term relationships and working together to solve problems" - Darryl Hendricks, Director of Information Technology, Preti Flaherty
- “Our services depend on accurate information, delivered efficiently and consistently all across Maine. The people of Software Solutions have always worked hard to get an in-depth understanding of our needs, and to develop systems that make a real difference to our operations …and the well-being of our consumers.” - Agnes Winship, Attendant Services Payroll Manager, Alpha One www.alpha-one.org
