Successfully delivering Cloud Migration, Managed IT Services and Cyber Essentials for Event Companies

About Rapiergroup

Founded in 1988, Rapiergroup is an award-winning creative agency producing exceptional live events, experiences and exhibitions across the globe. Working in a variety of sectors, including technology, aerospace and defence, they offer all aspects of event, exhibition and experiential marketing.

The Challenge

Rapiergroup wanted their IT to be at the forefront of technology and wished to implement a Digital Transformation. However, we had a few challenges to address before we could begin executing any change – ageing hardware, all systems on-premise, tight time frames due to event schedules, and a mobile workforce.

We prepared a Tailored Roadmap for Rapiergroup to ensure we laid out all problem areas and had a clear vision of where we should be at the end of the project.

Our Solution

Before we could begin implementing any change, we discovered there was no clear path to Digital Transformation. All workstations were outdated and not compatible with Windows 10 or Office 365, therefore we needed to upgrade the desktops and workstations to enable a smooth migration.

The next issue we faced was scheduling – as Rapiergroup is an events company, we needed to organise our work around their events schedule. Due to the timescales between Rapiergroup’s events, we scheduled parts of the projects to take place during each open window, which could vary from a couple of days to a couple of weeks, all while ensuring we kept minimal disruption to all users at Rapiergroup.

Implementation and Results

Once Rapiergroup’s hardware was upgraded, we were able to begin our Digital Transformation. We implemented:

• Desktop and workstation refresh to Windows 10
• SharePoint Online
• Email Migration
• Deployment of Microsoft Teams
• Telephony solution with Microsoft Teams
  
  

The SharePoint and Teams migration took place in October 2019, just before one of Rapiergroup’s biggest events of the year taking place.

We migrated Rapiergroup’s emails from a single exchange server to Office 365, resulting in high availability services.

The deployment of Microsoft Teams conferencing system included Teams Rooms and Teams being used as the new telephony solution to improve communications.

Security Management

Rapiergroup wished to become Cyber Essentials Certified and achieve the ISO 27001 security accreditation. We implemented:

• New backup and disaster recovery solution, Datto
• New SonicWall Firewall
• Mimecast Email Security
• Device Management and deployment for both Windows and Mobile devices
• Conditional Access and MFA
• Various 3rd party products and services in Office 365 to control access
• Migration of on-premise and apps to Microsoft Azure
  
  

Mobile devices were converted to MDM for management and data protection purposes for the mobile workforce.

We applied conditional access to fully restrict users based on set criteria so staff could only access the resources they needed.

We successfully helped Rapiergroup become Cyber Essentials Certified and began implementing steps to make Rapiergroup ISO 27001 compliant with DLP policies and device and encryption.

We now provide Rapiergroup with Managed IT Services.