Events Company Puts Information Sharing and Data Management Centre Stage

MVM Sydney
Events Company Puts Information Sharing and Data Management Centre Stage
Overview
Country or Region
Australia
Industry
Professional Services
Customer Profile
Established in 1995, MVM Sydney organizes and runs corporate events and conferences across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. MVM has nine employees and offices in London and Dubai.
Business Situation
MVM required a more efficient and reliable way to share information between staff. It also needed to guarantee the security of confidential client information. As the company grew, keeping staff working at remote locations in touch with the office and email became a priority.
Solution
In 1999, MVM installed Microsoft Small Business Server version 4.5 and has used the product since to manage its data storage, security and communication needs.
Benefits
§  Remote access to email and desktop applications.
§  Stable and reliable operating system.
§  Security of confidential information.
§  Increased efficiency. / “The functionality of Small Business Server has increased with every version. Remote access is just one example of how Microsoft technology has developed over time to suit our needs.”
—Meryl Whetton, General Manager, MVM Sydney
As glamorous as it sounds, running an events business is hard work. If you cringe at the thought of organizing a dinner party for six, imagine coordinating simultaneous conferences in Australia and New Zealand involving more than 900 delegates and their guests. Or staging a Christmas party for 2,500 people, including venue, food, drinks, entertainment and transport. Founded in 1995, MVM Sydney organizes and runs large-scale corporate events and conferences across Australia and the Asia Pacific. As MVM grew, it became more difficult to manage information, which was stored on individual hard drives. In response, the company installed Microsoft® Small Business Server in 1999 and has stayed with the product since. Now using Windows Small Business Server 2003, MVM enjoys the benefits of a stable and reliable operating environment, enhanced security and remote access to email and desktop programs.

Situation

MVM began life in London in 1992. Three years later, when Sydney won the bid to host the 2000 Olympic Games, owner Richard Beggs saw the perfect opportunity to expand internationally, so he opened MVM Sydney. In 2005, the company opened a new office in Dubai.

MVM plans and produces corporate events across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. The company has staged events in locations as diverse as China, Fiji, Indonesia, New Zealand, Thailand and Vanuatu. Its clients include companies in the accounting, financial services, pharmaceutical, insurance, legal, IT and telecommunications sectors.

When first established, MVM ran its operations from a single PC. However, the burgeoning popularity of large-scale corporate events as Australia geared up for the biggest party in its history meant rapid expansion. As the team grew and MVM took on larger and more complicated events, it had more data and emails to manage. Yet the company was still running its operations using individual PCs, with no centralized repository for information.

“Organizing events involves an enormous amount of research and coordination – everything from venue lists to caterers and travel arrangements,” says Meryl Whetton, General Manager of MVM Sydney. “With no central data storage location, it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep track of critical information.”

System reliability was also crucial. “If we lost just one day’s work, we’d be in big trouble,” says Whetton.

After consultation with IT provider Computer Information Agency (CIA), MVM realized it needed a reliable and secure server system that could scale to accommodate the needs of a fast-growing business.

Solution

In 1999, CIA recommended that MVM install Microsoft® Small Business Server version 4.5.

“There were a lot of server products on the market, but Microsoft Small Business Server provided the best fit with MVM’s IT environment,” says Robert Crane, Principal of Computer Information Agency.

“It had the most functionality for the cost involved, providing firewall protection, file and print services and a centralized email server in a product that wasn’t price prohibitive.”

Continuous Improvement

After three years using Microsoft Small Business Server version 4.5, MVM decided to upgrade its server infrastructure to allow for greater data capacity and growth. The company had recently installed AmLink, an online registration system that allows conference delegates to register over the Internet. AmLink provided MVM with a dedicated internal e-commerce server that accepted and processed online bookings.

AmLink was installed on a separate server in the Microsoft Small Business Server network and was initially safeguarded by Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2000.

To ensure fast and reliable access for customers and to ensure the system can cope with future demand, the AmLink server has now been given its own dedicated broadband connection.

As MVM’s business grew, its storage and email demands increased. In response, the company decided to upgrade again, this time to Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 Premium Edition.

“It’s a testament to the quality of Small Business Server that MVM has stayed with the product for so long,” says Crane. “The company was an early believer in the product. MVM is now four or five times the size it was when it first installed Small Business Server, but the technology is still a perfect fit.”

More Features and Functionality

MVM lost no time making use of the features offered by Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003.

Microsoft Windows Server™ 2003 provides a stable operating system that ensures the reliability of MVM’s IT environment, an essential requirement in the fast-paced events industry.

As well as a multilayer firewall for enhanced security, Microsoft ISA Server 2000 provides tools to manage and monitor internal Internet access. This means Robert Crane can log on remotely to check the system is running as required and generate reports for MVM in an easy-to-read format.

Whetton says one of the most exciting features of Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 is the ability to access email and information on the server remotely.

“The functionality of Small Business Server has increased with every version,” she says. “Remote access is just one example of how Microsoft technology has developed over time to suit our needs.”

Benefits

Remote Access to Email and Desktop Applications

As MVM produced events across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region, communicating with the office and clients was often a challenge. However, constant contact is vital in an industry where receiving last-minute information or itinerary changes can mean the difference between a spectacular success or a mediocre event.

“When we’re at a conference or event we always have last-minute information coming in by email,” says Whetton. “Delegates email to let us know if their flights have changed or are delayed. If we didn’t receive that information we’d be racing around trying to find out where they were.”

Prior to installing Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003, staff working off site were phoning the office constantly to have information faxed to them. This was inefficient and time-consuming and the company ran the risk of appearing unprofessional if information was missed.

“Remote access is fantastic,” says Whetton. “When staff are off site at a conference or event they can keep up to date with their emails. As well as ensuring the event runs smoothly, it also means they don’t have to wade through 200 emails when they get back to the office. It saves us an enormous amount of time.”

Improved access to information has resulted in better team coordination. This means satisfied customers and fabulous events delivered without a hitch.

But remote access is about more than email. Staff can also access the server remotely if the need arises. Access to this functionality is strictly controlled to ensure security standards are maintained.

“The ability to access the server from home has really changed my working week,” says Whetton. “There’s no more travelling into the city on the weekends—now I can access all the documents and information I need from home.”

Sharing Information

Storing all company information in one central, secure location rather than on individual hard drives has improved communication and increased productivity. Staff can now access each others’ work and research, reducing duplication and increasing the company’s shared knowledge base.

Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 and Microsoft Office Outlook® 2003 enable staff to share calendars, a vital function when organizing numerous, and often simultaneous, events months in advance.

“The server system has certainly increased our efficiency,” says Whetton. “Everything just runs so smoothly. It has also made the lives of staff easier on a day-to-day basis.”

Improved Security and Reliability

From September to November 2005, MVM received 1,600 online registrations for four conferences. The sheer volume of traffic entering the company’s system from the Internet makes security a paramount concern.

“The security of our IT systems is incredibly important in this business,” says Whetton. “As we register delegates for conferences, we are constantly dealing with attendees’ financial details.

“Reliability is also crucial in protecting event information. Losing data such as attendee lists, travel itineraries and special requirements would be disastrous.

“Small Business Server gives us the confidence to assure our clients that their confidential information is secure and their privacy protected. We often fill out tenders that require us to provide details about the security of our IT environment. We have every confidence listing Microsoft Small Business Server.”

Since MVM installed Small Business Server in 1999, the company has experienced no downtime or server outages.

Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 safeguards MVM’s critical data by automatically backing up files to the server. Its built-in firewall also locks out spam and removes dangerous email attachments. It also gives MVM excellent control of its network environment. While all staff have remote access to email, remote access to the server is strictly controlled.

Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 makes monitoring and updating MVM’s server environment easier. Each day, Small Business Server emails Crane a report that keeps him up to date with the server’s status and any issues. Once a week, he accesses the system remotely and checks things such as backups and Internet usage, attends to any minor administrative issues and updates virus and spyware protection. He then generates a report that summarizes MVM’s server situation in a simple, easy-to-understand format.

“Small Business Server has certainly made the IT side of the business a lot easier to manage,” says Whetton. “The fact that Robert can access the system remotely and generate reports and upload service packs and upgrades is a great benefit. It means I can concentrate on running events rather than worrying about IT.”

Future Plans

MVM is looking to boost the productivity benefits it has already achieved through remote access by using PDAs with Microsoft Windows Mobile™ 2003 software for Pocket PCs to access email and the Internet when staff are off site.

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Software and Services
§  Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003
§  Microsoft Windows Server 2003
§  Microsoft Windows SharePoint® Services
§  Microsoft Exchange Server 2003
§  Microsoft Office Outlook 2003
§  Microsoft SQL Server 2000
§  Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2000
Hardware
§  HP Desktop PCs
§  HP ML350 G4 Server
§  HP Printers
§  Pocket PC devices
Partners
§  Computer Information Agency / Microsoft Windows Server System
The Microsoft Windows Server System™ is integrated server infrastructure software from Microsoft designed to support end-to-end solutions built on Windows Server 2003. It creates an infrastructure based on integrated innovation: a whole-system design approach that helps simplify development, deployment and management. It is designed to work together and interact seamlessly with other data and applications across an IT environment to reduce the costs of operations, deliver high reliability and security, and drive valuable new capabilities for the future growth of a business.
For More Information
For more information about Microsoft products and services, call the Microsoft Sales Information Center at (800) 426-9400. In Canada, call the Microsoft Canada Information Centre at (877) 568-2495. Customers who are deaf or hard-of-hearing can reach Microsoft text telephone (TTY/TDD) services at (800) 892-5234 in the United States or (905) 568-9641 in Canada. Outside the 50 United States and Canada, please contact your local Microsoft subsidiary. To access information using the World Wide Web, go to:
www.microsoft.com
For more information about Computer Information Agency products and services, call (02) 9888 6214 or visit the Web site at:
www.ciaops.com
For more information about MVM Sydney, call (02) 9279 1999 or visit the Web site at:
www.mvmsydney.com.au

© 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.

Microsoft, the Microsoft logo, Outlook, SharePoint, Windows, the Windows logo, Windows Mobile, Windows Server and Windows Server System are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Document published December 2005

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