Custom Systems Corp.

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1 ABOUT Company Overview No company builds a 40-year reputation for excellence overnight. We began life in 1973, providing payroll and accounts payable services. Since then CSC has grown and expanded, anticipating and responding to the challenges presented by the technology explosion and increasing customer reliance on IT services. For literally decades, Custom Systems Corporation has been a trusted services provider, advisor and partner to multiple loyal customers. And over the years we have proactively built strategic partnerships with suppliers as well. We are proud to be an IBM Advanced Business Partner, a Citrix Silver Solutions Advisor, a Microsoft Partner and a VMware Partner. We offer a full range of IT solutions and services to address the complex applications today s business customer requires: Internet Commerce Storage Messaging Collaboration Cloud Computing Security Virtualization Disaster Recovery Remote Access Continuity What s our secret? There is no secret. Custom Systems Corporation has built its business on consistently bringing to its customers what they seek most value, innovation, reliability and a proactive relationship. But don t take our word for it. Visit our Success Stories page to hear what our customers, in a variety of executive positions, have to say about CSC. Why CSC? Your Network: The Lifeblood of Your Company Your network is the lifeblood of your business. What it needs to do is provide you reliable communication 24 hours a day to deliver the right information when, where and how you need it. It just needs to work. At CSC, we ve been delivering the hardware, software and services to make that happen for nearly half a century. But Custom Systems Corporation is not just an equipment vendor. We offer customized solutions to effectively manage each customer s unique needs always keeping an eye 1

2 to future directions and the capability to quickly respond to business opportunities and threats. We realize the most important tools of our trade are a pair of ears and what s in between. We listen. We only proceed, we only design, we only implement when we fully understand where you want to go. LinkedIn Page Leading edge IT solutions were a nice to have at one time. Not anymore. Managing in today s business environment, with intense competition and fewer resources, demands the latest in innovative thinking and smooth execution. Custom Systems Corporation is a recognized leader in the information technology field. CSC offers a full range of IT solutions and services to meet the most exacting needs of today s business customer while reducing expenses in the process. We specialize in: Internet Commerce Storage Messaging Collaboration Cloud Computing Security Virtualization Disaster Recovery Remote Access Continuity 2

3 SOLUTIONS AND SERVICES Virtualization Fact: Today s PC s and servers typically use only 4% to 10% of their computing power. Fact: More and more employees are using personal devices laptops, tablets, smartphones for business purposes. Fact: Superstorm Sandy recently put tens of thousands of people out of work for up to 2 weeks. Moody s Analytics puts the estimated productivity loss at nearly $20 billion. Fact: Legacy systems are becoming increasingly difficult to operate effectively and economically. This is due to growing regulatory demands, retirement of maintenance personnel and the massive volume and complexity of today s dataflow, applications and network activity. These facts and trends have created an environment ripe with opportunity for virtualization. Just what is virtualization? It s a way to do more with less. More flexibility, more efficiency, better access to data. Less equipment, less maintenance, less need for energy and space, lower costs. Actually, virtualization has been around for decades in the mainframe environment. It s only in the last few years that technology has made it a realistic alternative to clientserver configurations with banks of application specific devices. Essentially, virtualization involves dynamically sharing resources among several servers. It does this by separating each server into its primary components: hardware, operating system and applications. While the hardware of any one server is fixed, the operating system and applications can be rapidly moved from one device to another for load balancing, maintenance and failure recovery purposes. This is accomplished through specialized software called a hypervisor. The bottom line is cost savings, a greener environment, increased operational effectiveness and reduced operational risk. There are two levels at which virtualization commonly takes place: server and desktop. Server Virtualization Desktop Virtualization 3

4 Server Virtualization In the typical data center, a single server is dedicated to management of a single application: software, files, database, web, , etc. The server s hardware processor, storage, network access is generally more powerful than the server requires. Common dedicated server utilization is around 10%. In today s data hungry environment, this results in unnecessary costs and waste. The answer is virtualization. By separating applications and operating systems from dedicated servers, virtualization allows these software components to be juggled among fewer physical hosts, providing resources when and where required. It turns physical machines into virtual machines. It s not uncommon for a heavy duty physical server to host up to 10 or more virtual servers. When you consider the savings in space, energy consumption and maintenance, this is significant. Virtualization is made feasible through hypervisor software, an abstraction layer between a virtual server and dedicated hardware. It s now possible to move virtual machines from one host to another without any noticeable change in virtual machine operation. There are two scenarios in which Server Virtualization is especially effective: Load balancing. There are several ways this can be accomplished: o Loads can be monitored by an administrator and controlled on the fly. o Balancing can be arranged in advance on a calendar basis. An example is reassignment of virtual resources on a schedule to manage peak loads of payroll processing or accounts payable. o Balancing can be automated depending on dynamic conditions. Resource backup and disaster recovery. If a physical server requires scheduled maintenance, a virtual machine can be moved to an alternate host, and then restored afterward with no downtime. Should a server fail unexpectedly, the switch of virtual services to another physical machine can be made quickly and easily. 4

5 Desktop Virtualization Just as servers can be virtualized, so can desktop PC s for load balancing, continuity and access to applications. In this environment, no matter how desktop hardware is reconfigured or redirected among hosts, the virtual server supporting it continues to operate unchanged. Virtual desktop operation provides several important benefits: As all data is in network storage, it is centrally managed and backed up irrespective of actions taken or not taken by the user. Virtual desktops typically use less power than stand-alone units. The environment allows faster PC deployment, often involving minutes of set up time vs. hours. Individual desktops don t need to be as powerful as stand-alones. All that s necessary is a window to the virtual unit running on a server, using a web browser or custom client application. A Virtual Desktop environment lends itself to a variety of configurations and access devices: 1. Thin client This setup only requires a screen, keyboard, mouse, standard network connection and a few USB ports for peripherals. It s simple, inexpensive, basic and, with no moving parts, highly reliable. 2. Company issued laptop/tablet/smartphone For access from anywhere in the world. 3. Older PC This could be one equipped with a discontinued operating system, a slower processor, one destined for the recycling bin. 4. A home PC for working after hours and access to remote learning. 5. Personal device used in the workplace or on the road. Perhaps the biggest benefit of Desktop Virtualization, though, is ease of access. This is where the concept is especially exciting today. With the proliferation of WiFi and powerful, compact personal devices, there are countless ways to stay connected after hours, from home, while traveling and during natural disasters. 5

6 SOLUTIONS AND SERVICES Tablets for Business Introduced in 2010, the ipad took the mobile device market down a radically improved path. It presented a form factor that overcame the limitations of screen size and operability that plagued common smartphones. Its instant success spawned a horde of devices we commonly know as tablets. The tablet will not replace the PC. It doesn t have the computing power to do that; it s not meant to do that. But it does have some excellent business applications. And more and more analysts and developers are searching for ways to expand its capabilities in a business environment. Here are some examples: Sales Visits. Wouldn t it be nice to eliminate the lengthy, awkward startup of a laptop along with its keystrokes and mouse operation when giving a presentation? With instant-on capability and easy finger touch navigation, a tablet enables a more relaxed flow through documentation, videos, slides and reference sites. It lends itself more easily to direct prospect involvement in configuration and order entry. Professional Interface and Training. Technicians can use tablets to help clients better understand processes, or to step through specific procedures. This can be easily done at the physical site of the operation. The portability of the tablet makes it an exceptional teaching aid for those learning on the job, or a reference tool for technicians working at a customer location. Communication. Tablets are excellent devices for impromptu group meetings where video communication would be a plus. Board and Executive Meetings and Briefings. Pre-loaded tablets can be made available at the door. Consider the savings in paper alone and the time to produce it. At the end of the meeting the devices can be quickly retrieved, greatly enhancing data security. Any missing devices can be remotely wiped clean. Surveys. Tablets lend themselves well to real-time data gathering for rapid recording and publication of results. Portability. Tablets go everywhere: down the hall to show something to a colleague, the breakfast table, the train, your child s soccer game, waiting in line at the supermarket. But perhaps the best business application for the tablet is enterprise information access. Through interfaces such as CSC s EAX Web Portal, a basic tablet can securely view, share and manipulate virtually any data available in your plant or office anytime, from anywhere in the world. Think of the possibilities 6