New servers help to protect expensive design software and large data loads.
CUSTOMER PROFILE
Founded in 1898 by Matthew Myles Walsh, the Walsh Group is a family-owned business currently in its fourth generation of leadership. Based in Chicago, Walsh is a general contracting firm recognised as the largest construction firm in the area, employing roughly 5,000 engineers and skilled tradesmen. Most notably, in the last 20 years, Walsh has grown into an international business, exceeding the $4bn mark with current projects in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and Norway.
CHALLENGES
As a general contracting and design-build construction firm, the Walsh Group manages hundreds of project sites across the country, with many located in harsh climates.
To maintain productivity and reduce the potential for destroyed or ruined devices, Walsh required technology hardware that was ruggedised and equipped for field use by the average employee. In addition, some of the larger-scale construction projects the Walsh Group is contracted for, such as the Ohio River Bridge or expanding I-H35 in Texas, may take on average five years to complete and outlast the two-year life cycle of a typical server. To avoid constant, expensive server replacements, Walsh needed servers that are compatible with upgraded data management software and easily expandable without having to invest in entirely new hardware.
SITUATION
The Walsh Group has been working with Lenovo products for over 13 years, relying first on its durable ThinkPads in the field. During that time, the Walsh Group was also using competitor desktops for all data requirements at project sites, which ultimately were unable to support the company’s exponential data growth or survive in harsh weather conditions. The large amount of data generated by most construction projects also requires hardware that can manage a large amount of data successfully and securely, but also easily handle complex design software such as Autodesk AutoCAD. Additionally, Walsh does not have an on-site IT staff for troubleshooting, meaning Walsh needed an upgradable server that was simple to deploy, monitor and manage.
