Season’s Greetings from the Ascent Technology Team
Table of Contents
VENDOR RELATIONSHIPS
CLIENT CASE STUDIES
DB Administration, Security and Compliance for First Distribution
First Distribution’s Database Administration, Security and Compliance needs lead it to trusted advisor, Ascent Technology. For any large organisation, Database Administration (DBA) is a vital part of maintaining their Data Platform Operations effectively. As it has...
Ascent Technology helps Bidfood SA migrate to Microsoft Azure
When Bidfood SA chose to modernise and migrate its data platform to Microsoft Azure, it turned to Ascent Technology for help. In a world that is digitally transforming, it is more vital than ever to an organisation’s success to utilise the latest platforms to drive...
Ascent Technology helps migrate Phumelela Gaming to Azure
A Windows Server and SQL Server consolidation, optimisation and migration to Microsoft Azure enables the company to reduce costs, modernise its data platform and boost its innovation capabilities. As an operator running two distinct betting businesses, Phumelela...
CAMPAIGNS
Database System Health Check Service from Ascent Technology
A Database System Health Check assesses if your Database is running optimally, and can help diagnose challenges before performance issues, and/or down time affect your users. That’s where Ascent's Database Health Check Service comes in. Our Database Health Check...
Database Security and Compliance with DB Shield
The growing number of threats to databases and unauthorised access to the data within, is clearly creating on-going headaches for CIOs. Solving these headaches may not be easy, but by asking the right questions, CIOs can begin to overcome their Database Security and...
Database Administration and Support Service from Ascent Technology
Economic volatility is driving a greater number of organisations to consider cost cutting measures and to implement consolidation procedures. This situation is further compounded by the growing skills shortage that makes it more difficult for businesses to acquire and...
AWARDS AND ACCOLADES
Microsoft Data and Analytics Partner of the Year Finalist
Ascent Technology continues its strong showing in the Microsoft Partner of the Year awards, as a finalist in the Data and Analytics Partner of the Year award. Finalist Data and Analytics Partner of the Year "It is always gratifying to be recognised by Microsoft as one...
NEWSFLASHES
Ascent Technology’s clients benefit from Data Platform Modernisation
Facing platform ‘end of life’ issues together with increasing pressures to digitise processes, increase profitability and innovate on product and service, organisations are finding Data Platform Modernisation projects can deliver significant value by enabling IT cost...
Ascent Technology’s clients benefit from Database Administration Outsourcing
Ascent Technology's proven database services model enables clients to Co/Outsource the daily maintenance, management and support of their database environments on a 24/7 basis. The active monitoring, preventative maintenance and management ensures optimal performance....
FROM THE DESK OF THE MD
From the Desk of the MD – January 2019
The start of another year inevitably brings with it the promise of change, and in wishing all our clients a happy New Year, we would like to suggest that 2019 is going to be a year of considerable and exciting change. After all, not only do we have what are sure to be...
Ascent delivers increased stability and improved database performance for CONCO
20 Aug 2013
CONCO turns to specialist company Ascent Technology for Database Consulting and Administration Services.
As a specialist in the creation of turnkey solutions for the electricity supply industry, Consolidated Power Projects (CONCO) is one of Africa’s largest high-voltage construction companies. Its business model is based on the design, procurement, construction, commissioning, project management and site management of high-voltage installations, and the company has an impressive footprint, both locally and across Africa.
With a wide variety of clients, including governments, utilities, municipalities and mining houses, to name a few, as well as a large range of projects underway across the continent, the company’s database environment is of critical importance.
Bryan Kimmel, CONCO’s CIO takes up the story: “Having recently moved to a virtualised environment, we quickly realised that the response and performance of our key database systems wasn’t keeping up with the rapid pace of our growth. Since I had already dealt with Ascent Technology in the past, and these experiences had been overwhelmingly positive, I felt they would be the ideal organisation to assist us with the challenges we were facing.”
“We brought them in initially to aid us with our virtualised Microsoft SQL Server environment. CONCO required Ascent to assist not only with the stabilisation and performance tuning of the overall environment, but also to manage the maintenance and administration headaches that the rapid growth and increasing complexity of our database environment was causing our company.”
It was clearly the right choice, points out Kimmel. He says that the fantastic performance increase and the improved stability of the database systems meant that the next logical step was to sign a Service Level Agreement with Ascent, to ensure continued support and peace of mind.
“Our association with Ascent will not stop there either. CONCO is currently in the process of evaluating and planning an upgraded Disaster Recovery (DR) implementation, as well as an upgrade to Microsoft SQL Server 2012. We will certainly be working with Ascent on these projects, since we know the company will be able to provide us with the technical skills and in-depth expertise we require to make these efforts a success,” he adds.
Furthermore, Kimmel indicates that CONCO also has plans to implement Microsoft SharePoint Server, as the company has an increasing need to deliver business intelligence (BI). This will translate into in-depth project information and management reports, and he believes that Ascent will also play a crucial role in taking the company to the next level, in terms of how it warehouses and extracts this data/information.
According to Johan Lamberts, MD of Ascent Technology, the engagement with CONCO has been a successful one that has seen the business relationship grow from strength to strength.
“We are very pleased to have been able to assist CONCO with its database systems requirements and are certainly looking forward to aiding them with their Microsoft SQL Server 2012 upgrade and their new DR and BI projects. It is always exciting for us to work with clients that allow us to flex our skills across a number of our focus areas, such as Database Consulting, BI Consulting, Database Administration Outsourcing and Enterprise Database Management,” he says.
“Not only does this play to our strengths, it also means we are able to continue adding value to the client. As with all our clients, we are eager to continue growing and developing our relationship with CONCO.”
Kimmel adds that CONCO has used Ascent’s services for a year already, and has been suitably impressed with the company’s efforts to date.
“It has been a fruitful relationship so far, which is why we are renewing our Service Level Agreement with the company. With the additional systems we are implementing and the upgrade to Microsoft SQL Server 2012, I anticipate our partnership, to continue growing from strength to strength,” he concludes.
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