CASE STUDY
MEP Engineering Firm
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Preactive IT Solutions Streamlines Workstation Setups for Shah Smith & Associates
Hiring Preactive Has Freed Me To Focus On The Core Of My Business
"Handling the day-to-day issues and having industry experts at my fingertips allows me to plan for future needs with better clarity. Technicians are technically savvy and tenacious when the bigger issues arise."
Joseph R. Routhier
Shah Smith & Associates
BACKGROUND
At Shah Smith & Associates, setting up workstations used to be a complex and time-consuming process, often taking days to complete. With dozens of Applications and software extensions that needed to be installed, setups were prone to errors, and often ended with missing or incorrectly installed software. Among the most challenging aspects were Autodesk products, which required custom deployment procedures. These installations were performed over a network share and involved multiple versions of Autodesk products to be installed.
Typically, the latest five years ' installation could take hours per machine. In addition to Autodesk products, Shah Smith & Associates needed to install and configure over a dozen other applications, each with its own specific installation and configuration requirements. Given that Shah Smith & Associates typically requires a few dozen workstation setups annually, this process represented a substantial amount of manual labor and wasted time.
CHALLENGE
The main obstacles in the workstation setup process were:
- Autodesk Software Installation: Autodesk products require custom deployments, often involving the installation of multiple versions over a network share, which can take several hours to complete.
- Multiple Applications: A dozen or more other applications, each with its own unique installation and configuration requirements, added complexity to the process.
- High Risk of Errors: Due to the vast number of configurations and the delicate The nature of some installations, the risk of missing software or improper installation was high.
- Time-Consuming Process: The total process could take days, consuming valuable time and resources for each workstation setup.
THE SOLUTION
To overcome these challenges, Preactive IT Solution’s IT team developed a solution by creating an image of a fully installed and configured machine. The image would include all the necessary applications, extensions, and configurations required for a typical Shah Smith & Associates workstation. Instead of installing software one by one and configuring it manually, we could now deploy the image to new workstations, significantly reducing the time spent on each setup.
Key Features of the Solution:
- Pre-configured Image: The image contains all Autodesk software, along with approximately a dozen other applications, all installed and properly configured.
- Streamlined Deployment: By deploying the image, new workstations can be set up in approximately an hour, compared to the previous method of waiting for individual applications to be installed and configured.
- Post-Deployment Configuration: While the image ensures that most of the software is installed and configured, a small amount of additional setup is required afterward, such as user-specific preferences or settings that cannot be pre-configured in the image.
- Hardware-Agnostic Deployment: The deployment process was designed to be hardware-agnostic. The image can be applied to workstations with different hardware specifications without issues. This is possible because the image includes the necessary drivers and settings to adapt to the hardware of each machine.
THE RESULTS
The new imaging solution dramatically improved the workstation setup process at Shah Smith & Associates. Here are the key benefits and results:
- Time Savings: What previously took several days per workstation now took only a few hours. While additional configurations take a small amount of time afterward, the overall process time was cut down by roughly 97-98%.
- Error Reduction: By using a pre-configured image, the risk of missing or incorrectly installed software was greatly minimized, ensuring a consistent setup every time.
- Consistency: The standardized deployment process ensured that each workstation was set up identically, with no variation in software versions or configurations.
- Scalability: With a few dozen workstations to set up each year, this solution allowed Shah Smith & Associates to scale operations and manage workstation setups without sacrificing time or quality.
TIME DETAILS & SAVINGS (ESTIMATION)
In a traditional setup, installing and configuring all necessary software could take anywhere from 3 to 5 full days per workstation (depending on the complexity of the applications and the network speed). This time included installation, configuration, troubleshooting, and testing. By switching to the image deployment process, Shah Smith & Associates was able to reduce this to 5 to 8 hour per workstation, saving approximately 30-40 hours of labor for each setup. For a few dozen setups per year, this translated to hundreds of hours saved annually, allowing staff to focus on more strategic tasks and providing faster, more reliable workstations for end-users.
THE CONCLUSION
The image-based solution implemented by Shah Smith & Associates significantly streamlines the workstation setup process, reducing labor hours, minimizing errors, and ensuring consistent and timely deployment of all necessary software. With this approach, Shah Smith & Associates saves valuable time and resources, and ultimately, improves the efficiency and reliability of their operations.
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CLIENT PROFILE
Shah Smith & Associates, Inc. (SSA) is a 100+ employee Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) consulting engineering firm with offices in Houston, Austin & Dallas. SSA specializes in design, construction management and commissioning of facilities in the areas of research, healthcare, higher education, K-12 schools, public works, aviation, and government.
SSA produces award winning projects in sustainable design and is recognized as one of the premier MEP firms in Texas. As a minority-owned business, Shah Smith & Associates is certified by the State of Texas as a HUB as well as by local and regional entities throughout the State of Texas. They are also certified as a MWBE and small business by the City of Houston.
Their services focus on striking a balance, increasing reliability, reducing life-cycle costs, maximizing energy efficiency, minimizing environmental impact, integrating complex systems, simplifying maintenance protocols, and anticipating future technological needs.
Clients appreciate their focus on performance standards and cost objectives. Architects value their willingness to look beyond the expected in designing systems to meet aesthetic and sustainability requirements. Their attention to detail makes for a smooth construction process.
The Preactive IT Difference
Tailored Services
Unlike generic IT providers, our services are built around the engineering lifecycle, from design to delivery. We're not just IT support; we're your engineering partners.
Expert Team
Our support team isn't just tech-savvy; they understand engineering. With certifications in key engineering software and IT frameworks, we bridge the gap between IT and engineering.
Cost-Effective IT for Engineering
Investing in managed IT isn't just an expense; it's an investment. Our solutions are designed to reduce costs over time through:
- Preventive Maintenance: Avoiding costly downtimes.
- Efficient Resource Use: Optimizing software and hardware use to cut unnecessary expenses.
Technology Partnerships
Our partnerships with leading software and hardware providers mean we're always at the forefront of engineering technology, offering you the best tools for your projects.
What Our Client's are Saying
Houston TX
Preactive IT Solutions, LP
1220 Blalock Road, Suite 345
Houston, Texas 77055
Phone: (832) 583-3707
Email: [email protected]
Austin TX
Preactive IT Solutions, LP
2505 E 6th St Suite C,
Austin, TX 78702
Phone: (512) 812-7227
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San Antonio, TX
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700 North Saint Mary's Street, Suite 1210
San Antonio, Texas 78205
Phone: (210) 864-2929
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Charles Swihart
Visonary & Founder
Charles has become a recognized authority in delivering IT support and solutions tailored for small to medium-sized businesses, particularly in the engineering and construction sectors. His vision for Preactive IT Solutions has always been to provide enterprise-level IT services to businesses that typically lack the resources of larger corporations.
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