Jeskell has the Total Solution for a U.S. Embassy
A U.S. Embassy was looking for a variety of hardware to upgrade its technological infrastructure. It needed servers, a storage
shelf with drives, LCD displays, hard drives, and memory, sound and graphics cards.
But Embassy officials had a problem. Bigger suppliers did not want to take on a project so small, and
smaller suppliers could not provide all of the components they needed. Finally, someone recommended
Jeskell.
Jeskell is a top-tier IBM Premier Business Partner and a true one-stop source of complete IT solutions
for commercial, government, and educational organizations of every size. Our team was able to step in
and give the Embassy a quote for all the pieces they needed. We ordered the technology from three
different suppliers and had it delivered to our headquarters in Laurel, Md. We made sure all the
equipment was accounted for and that it met our customer’s specifications. One special need was that the
graphics and sound cards needed to be Linux compatible. Our sales team made sure the equipment complied
with that need.
Then our team acquired the international pallets needed for shipping. We loaded it onto the pallets,
strapped it on and shrink-wrapped it. Then we shipped it to the Embassy in Miami, Fl. From there Embassy
officials sent it overseas.
Jeskell was the right choice for the Embassy because we were able to provide all the pieces they needed,
instead of having to deal with three separate vendors in a foreign country.
Let Jeskell handle the details for you. We’ll work with you, and get all the equipment you need in one
package.
Jeskell Provides Power, Storage to Federal Agency
Jeskell recently assisted a large federal law enforcement agency with a major power and storage upgrade. The
agency is a long-term client of Jeskell and our experts were very familiar with the needs and IT requirements
there. The Jeskell team, in conjunction with IBM, recommended IBM Power Systems as the base servers to work
along with the current IBM storage technology at the agency.
“The Power Systems provided isolation, virtualization and ease of use ,” explained Woodie Brandon,
senior account executive. The agency was able to manage and monitor systems remotely without having to
travel to the site where the equipment was stored, and administrators no longer needed to be on site.
This saved the agency man hours, travel time and money.
The solution was consistent with the existing storage strategy and upgraded the existing enterprise
class storage, and it took advantage of IBM AIX and the Oracle database. The Power Systems platform
will allow the agency to grow at its own pace and continue to meet or exceed their performance
objectives because of its availability and resiliency.
Jeskell continues to work with the agency on installation in multiple sites. We will remain a trusted
adviser for all of the agency’s future IT needs.
Jeskell helped a federal weather forecasting client with a major IT refresh this year. Based on our
long-term relationship with the client, our team was able to recommend a full solution that met the
client’s needs and more.
The recent power/storage deal began nearly two years ago, when account executive Max Mestas began
talking to the customer about future needs and the total IT infrastructure refresh.
The client is a gateway responsible for gathering weather information and distributing it to sites
around the country, including the Department of Defense and other federal agencies. In addition
to the refresh, they also requested a disaster recovery site.
Our team came up with a solution using IBM products that significantly upgraded the client’s IT
capabilities, from a server-based computer standpoint to physical disc capacity.
We used IBM Power7 technology in the mixed environment, which has enough horsepower to run
production boxes. The solution included 770s, 740s and 750s, designed to handle ancillary
applications. For storage, we used the V7000, which allows the client to run sophisticated
management software products alongside simpler ones. We also used Brocade switch technology in
this solution.
One interesting challenge we faced is that the client site had very specific load-bearing
requirements. Since the system is 24/7, it could not be offline while we shut down the old IT
infrastructure and installed the new one; it had to be an instant cutover. Therefore, in addition
to meeting the client’s IT needs, we also needed to find a solution that would allow both systems
to be in the client office at the same time.
Once the new solution was installed, it shrank the footprint that was needed and greatly reduced
the weight. The power cooling capabilities were improved, and less space was needed to provide
the new solution, which provided the performance capabilities to run current and future workloads.
We also provided the client with a testing capability, so employees there could test new technology
before it went live. In the past, the client would need to implement new programs or patches in a
live environment and fix problems as they arose. The testing ability allows them to now check what
problems might arise before they do, and fix them before they cause any missteps.
Lastly, the disaster recovery piece of the solution was critical. For a weather forecasting agency,
emergencies are an even more critical time for operations, and a disaster recovery site for failover
was extremely important. This will allow for a smooth backup system even in the case of an outage.
We continue to support the client and hope to continue on as their trusted advisor for their IT needs.
