Bay Dermatology Migrates From Citrix To Parallels, Supported By Data-Tech
“With the implementation of Parallels RAS and the support of Data-Tech Cloud Services we solved the performance and connectivity problems on our network and servers, improving the user experience significantly. Our previous provider failed to deliver a cost-effective and high-performance solution. Data-Tech helped us to look for alternatives and Parallels RAS was the right answer.“ Juan Rosa, IT Manager for Bay Dermatology
Overview
Bay Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery is one of the leading cosmetic clinics in Florida. With the latest technology and highly skilled personnel, it offers the ultimate solution for treatment of skin, hair and nail disorders. Bay Dermatology has over 150 IT users, 7 locations, and 170 endpoints, with 8 servers located in a datacenter managed by a local IT firm. The company’s interconnections between locations involved simple VPN over T1 or cable modem connections. Bay Dermatology used Citrix software to deliver virtual desktops and applications to the different locations from the server farm at headquarters.
The Challenge
Juan Rosa, the IT Manager for Bay Dermatology, called Data-Tech because he was dealing with daily performance and connectivity problems with his network and servers. The user experience was poor and failing to improve. Prior to calling Data-Tech, Juan attempted remediation with his current provider, but a cost-effective, high-performance solution was not forthcoming.
After meeting with Juan, Data-Tech was able to quickly diagnose the technology limitations at the root of Bay Dermatology’s daily tech issues. Data-Tech determined that the server farm was way underpowered, considering the number of users.
The infrastructure design for Bay Dermatology was fundamentally wrong, inefficient and allowed for multiple single points of failure and compromised performance. This resulted in subpar user experience. The software platform was outdated and failed to provide the flexibility needed for high performance of a large scale operation. Bay Dermatology had multiple locations connected by old, outdated and unreliable technology.
The management and monitoring tools provided by Juan Rosa’s IT service provider were also low quality and outdated, and failed to provide adequate information and support tools necessary for the large scale operations at Bay Dermatology.
Applications and virtual desktops were delivered to users through Citrix software, but the complexity of the Citrix solution did not allow Bay Dermatology to benefit fully from the advantages of a virtual environment. For example, many files and applications were saved locally. Users regarded the remote connection as a mandatory unwanted task instead of an effective resource for the job.
The final challenge was to provide a smooth and quick migration from Bay Dermatology’s previous datacenter and IT provider to Data-Tech’s privately owned datacenter and IaaS platform.
The Solution
After meeting with Juan and identifying the issues his users were experiencing, Data-Tech understood that the solution needed to be fast, reliable and cost-effective. Juan gave Data-Tech a budget to work with and parameters specifying what would provide an outstanding experience for his users.
The first challenge to address was that the current infrastructure was based on outdated hardware; a root cause of its limitations. Data-Tech needed to provide an infrastructure solution that was lightning-fast and reliable, but also within the budget provided by Juan. Leveraging the Data-Tech infrastructure as a Service Platform, Data-Tech was able to deliver a state-of-the-art infrastructure built on Dell’s Blade Servers. With a blazing fast 100% Solid State Drive subsystem, Hex Core Processors and five times the estimated RAM requirement, this system would not only provide immediate improvements but would be scalable and reliable for years to come.
Data-Tech’s Cloud Services Software Platform is built on Microsoft’s 2012 Operating System and leverages the Hyper-V virtualization technology. This platform provides Bay Dermatology with the performance, reliability, dynamic scalability and management tools required to deliver the performance expectations of both Bay Dermatology users and doctors.
During the diagnostic phase, Data-Tech also determined that the connectivity between Bay Dermatology’s offices and the datacenter were not adequate. Data-Tech’s CyberCATS Team of engineers explained to Juan that no matter how fast the infrastructure in the datacenter, the users would not have a great experience unless the offices could be provided with reliable, high speed connectivity. Data-Tech was able to leverage its partnership with Bright House Networks to provide Bay Dermatology with tremendous discounts on an all-fiber Metro-Ethernet private network, integrated with the Data-Center at a price that was within the budget.
Data-Tech utilizes the latest software platforms for monitoring, management and automated maintenance of its infrastructure. Its Data-Center Support Team manages over ten thousand endpoints and tens of thousands of users using Kaseya, PRTG and Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) for management and deployment. By extension, as they are hosted in the Data-Tech Data-Center and a part of its IaaS Platform, Juan and Bay Dermatology access these enterprise-level management tools.
Data-Tech leverages Parallels RAS for cloud services connectivity. On the old platform, Bay Dermatology was provided with Citrix software for connectivity. The Citrix platform was expensive, cumbersome to manage, and outdated. Upgrading the Citrix platform would have pushed the project out of budget. Using Parallels RAS, Data-Tech was able to deliver a superior Cloud Connectivity Platform that is easy to manage and provides more tools and scalability. This solution allowed for the full version including the Web Platform, while still managing to come in under budget.
About Data-Tech Cloud Services
Data-Tech
is a Premier business partner of Parallels Software and is able to provide direct engineering support and premium pricing discounts. Since 1996, Data-Tech has been providing complete IT computer services in Tampa, Florida as well as nationally and globally. Data-Tech’s clients represent a diverse cross-section of industries and rely on Data-Tech for a wide variety of computer and technology services. Data-Tech believes in providing every client, big or small, with reliable IT support and services. Data-Tech has become a leading Managed IT Services company in the Tampa Bay and surrounding areas.
Data-Tech’s private cloud computing packages combine the flexibility and cost-savings of cloud computing with the security and high availability hosting needed to meet today’s stringent compliance standards. Choose from an affordable, dedicated private cloud package to a fully replicated private cloud, ideal for full disaster recovery in under an hour. Whatever your company’s needs, Data-Tech can work with you to customize your private cloud.
Data-Tech’s Private Cloud services are a cloud computing solution built on fully dedicated (not shared or multi-tenant) infrastructure powered out of its state-of-the-art data center. The private version of Data-Tech’s Cloud is the ideal solution for businesses that have heavy regulatory compliance requirements in place. With Private Cloud, you can take advantage of the benefits of virtualization, such as improved utilization and performance, but in a more secure, dedicated environment that still meets your compliance requirements.
The Private Cloud computing option is based on Hyper V; this platform allows one or more physical servers to be partitioned into multiple self-contained virtual machines, each with its own operating system and its own set of applications to meet your needs.
Data-Tech offers a variety of cloud-based email, productivity, and data backup solutions to the Tampa Bay area that are tailored specifically for your business’s needs. Not only can Data-Tech help with the selection and implementation of Cloud Services, but it also provides 24-hour support for all your cloud-based software applications.
About Bay Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery
In 1998, Bay Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery opened Bay Skin Care. Here, a professional team of licensed aestheticians works in association with Bay Dermatology physicians to promote skin health and offer a wide variety of services and medical-grade skin care products. Bay Dermatology aesthetician services are available for post-operative care for cosmetic, laser and other surgical procedures.
Bay Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery is also a teaching facility affiliated with NOVA Southeastern College of Osteopathic Medicine. Routinely, medical students, interns and residents rotate through its offices learning the most up-to-date and state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment modalities in dermatology.
In July of 2012 Bay Dermatology expanded with a Psoriasis & Vitiligo Center in the St. Pete Beach office. This one-of-a-kind treatment center offers the latest laser treatments, biologics and topical/oral medications. No longer do you have to hide from your skin disorders, Bay Dermatology is there to help.
The providers at Bay Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery are happy to see you for a consultation to discuss any questions or concerns you might have regarding dermatologic procedures.
