CASE STUDY
Redstone Gains a Competitive Advantage with Versiv™ Family Adoption
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At a Glance
Customer: Redstone
Industry: IT Infrastructure Services
Location: United Kingdom
Challenge:
Redstone provides structured cabling and intelligent infrastructure management for IT data center design and implementation, and smart building deployments. The company built a reputation for excellence by focusing on service quality and performance above all else. As its reputation grew, so did customer expectations for getting more with less time and budget investment. Redstone continually seeks any advantage possible in meeting these customer demands. Network testing and certification is no exception.
Result:
Redstone upgraded its entire testing fleet to the new Versiv platform, including 40 DSX-5000 CableAnalyzer™ units, many equipped with CertiFiber® Pro Optical Loss Test Set (OLTS) modules and Fiber Inspection Cameras. The company also purchased 20 OneTouch™ AT Network Assistant units. Redstone will use these new systems to test installation of more than 250,000 copper links and 25,000 fiber cores each year. Migrating to the Versiv platform saves significant time with each installation, while providing added flexibility through its interchangeable modules for copper and fiber testing.
Product:
Versiv, DSX-5000 CableAnalyzers and CertiFiber Pro Optical Loss Test Set (OLTS)
On This Page
Overview
Founded in 1996, Redstone provides structured cabling and intelligent infrastructure management for IT infrastructure, data center design and implementation, and smart building deployments. The company offers a full line of services, including consulting, engineering, project management, technical support, and site audits.
Redstone focuses each and every installation from a building management point of view. This holistic approach offers an integrated platform designed around customer requirements to deliver better economic, social, and environmental performance. Redstone customers span the United Kingdom, Europe, and Asia with a large concentration in the financial, legal, and petro-chemical markets.
Challenges
Redstone spent years building a reputation for excellence by focusing on service quality and performance above all else. Customers began expecting more as the company's reputation grew, pushing Redstone to continually seek any advantage possible. Redstone now invests heavily in facilities, technologies, and training to ensure that its staff has the capabilities and expertise needed to exceed customer expectations.
The Redstone Logistics Centre is one such investment – a more than 25,000 square meter, purpose-built facility that combines pre-termination for copper and fiber and converged network staging with additional warehouse space. The Centre enables a higher level of service for Redstone customers by ensuring all solutions are thoroughly tested and technically assured before implementation within live environments.
“The Redstone Logistics Centre configures and tests each voice and data solution we deliver to ensure streamlined installation with optimized performance over the life of the deployment,” said Roger Stevenson, services director for Redstone. “This allows us to prove the integrity of the network solution prior to delivery, ensuring that each implementation starts a step ahead of the game.”
Stevenson is responsible for the delivery of all Redstone services. He has seen first-hand how customer project and specification demands have evolved to require more precision and shorter timeframes – all with shrinking budgets.
“It's all part of doing business in today’s marketplace,” explained Stevenson. “Customers need to get more for their money and in less time, thanks to shrinking margins across the board. We feel the pain in almost every project. Any minute saved is cherished.”
While the Redstone Logistics Centre eliminates a majority of the network installation issues, problems still do arise. In addition, each link must be tested and certified after installation. Stevenson began evaluating technologies to see if the company could extend its competitive advantage.
“As early adopters of the new Fluke Networks Versiv platform, we are leading the market rather than following it. We work with some of the world's top companies, so it's vital we keep up with and adapt to their changing demands. Our adoption of the Versiv family helps us maintain a competitive edge in the market.”
Roger Stevenson, services director for Redstone
Solution
Redstone purchased the Versiv Family of Cable Certification testers to boost its structured cabling and intelligent infrastructure offerings. With interchangeable modules for copper and fiber testing, Versiv gives Redstone the ability to more quickly, accurately, and profitably achieve system acceptance on cabling and maintenance projects for customers.
“The speed, flexibility, and project management features of the Versiv platform kicks our performance up to a new level,” said Stevenson. “As a leader in the marketplace, we need to use the latest and greatest technologies available to deliver the best outcomes possible for our customers. Versiv does just that.”
Redstone upgraded its entire testing fleet to the new Versiv platform, including 40 DSX-5000 CableAnalyzer units, many equipped with CertiFiber Pro Optical Loss Test Set (OLTS) modules and Fiber Inspection Cameras. The company also purchased 20 OneTouch™ AT Network Assistant units.
Results
Redstone installs and certifies more than 250,000 copper links and 25,000 fiber cores each year. Migrating to the Versiv platform saves significant time with each installation while providing added flexibility through its interchangeable modules for copper and fiber testing.
Versiv's ProjX™ software also adds better project management capabilities to accelerate planning and deployment across multiple jobs. The software allows project teams to fully load an entire project onto a USB device and take it out into the field. From there, the project can be placed on several devices and testers across multiple floors, buildings, or project sites.
ProjX further enhances project management by giving engineers all information they need in a central tool. This centralized information enables up-to-the-minute project analysis and oversight for nimble project management and execution.
“ProjX lets our engineers know exactly where projects stand and what needs to be done next,” said Stevenson. “If data needs to be analyzed, ProjX tells them what they need to compile and bring back to the office for analysis. Knowing that our engineers have the right tools for the job provides me with a lot of peace of mind, which is reassurance that I can pass on to our customers.”
The Redstone services team will use the OneTouch AT Network Assistants to support more than 45,000 users and carry out more than 70,000 channel installations and 19,000 fault rectifications this year alone. The solution adds to the time and cost savings of the Versiv platform. The team will have access to all diagnostic information on a single screen with an intuitive, touchscreen interface. There are fewer applications to page through and no menus to drive. All of the information is front and center, ready for use.
“Over time, the Versiv platform and OneTouch AT Network Assistants are going to reduce the man-hours we spend on projects to a very significant level, which we'll be able to factor into cost savings for both Redstone and our customers,” said Stevenson. “The systems seem to be uniting our project teams to make better fixes in less time. There is no question that Fluke Networks is making us more competitive.”
