Vaughan Constructions

Vaughan Constructions is a leading Australian design and construction company that delivers retail, commercial, residential and industrial projects. They manage complex business processes including tendering, procurement, document management, project management, construction and subcontractor delivery.

The company faced two challenges:

• How to create a flexible, scalable and cost-effective IT infrastructure which would support their growth aspirations and provide a competitive advantage within their industry
  
• Selecting a partner that would support their IT strategy, while providing Vaughan’s with control and visibility of their infrastructure

Challenges and Requirements

Vaughan’s previous IT infrastructure, housed in a third-party private data centre, presented several challenges:

Lack of Control and Influence

Vaughan’s had little say in their IT environment, making it difficult to address issues effectively or make improvements.

Allen Clarke, CIO at Vaughan, provided more detail: “We would often receive proposals from our previous service provider that felt more like sales pitches than solutions, which left us feeling undervalued as a client. We do not want to be continually ‘sold to’ nor fight to be a priority”.

High Costs and Low Value

The existing IT setup was not only expensive but also failed to deliver the improvements needed to support the company’s vision and strategy.
“Our infrastructure was perceived by the business as a ‘ball and chain’ – hindering growth rather than enabling it”, said Allen.

Scalability Issues

With the IT department needing to support a growing number of major projects, including customer engagement, process improvement, and staff engagement, scalability was a significant concern. And the inability to effectively handle complex information, while ensuring security, auditing, and sensitivity labelling for distribution to contractors, was becoming problematic.

Inflexible Network Architecture

The company’s reliance on a static MPLS network further complicated operations, making it difficult to adapt to changing needs and technologies as well as manage cost.

The Search for the Right Partner

Choosing a new IT supplier was a lengthy process to ensure they found the right fit for their business. They were looking for an ongoing partnership, and their criteria went beyond just pricing; they were looking for:

• Trust and Communication
  “We were looking for a partner with whom we could foster an open, trusting relationship where Vaughan’s could have a strong voice and maintain control over the IT environment”, said Allen.
• Flexibility and Agility
  Vaughan wanted a partner who was not tied to one way of doing things, or the old way of doing things, but was flexible, agile, and willing to adapt to Vaughan’s needs.
• Access to Tools and Expertise
  Vaughan’s prioritised having access to the latest tools which would give them full visibility and control of their environment

The Technology Solution

Kytec moved Vaughan’s infrastructure and key applications from a third-party data centre to Azure (Microsoft).  And the legacy MPLS network was replaced by a Meraki (Cisco) SD WAN.

In addition, proprietary software which manages key business processes was moved to Azure which allows for ongoing DevOps.

Kytec manages Vaughan’s environment and provides ongoing support.