Pictured above: Scott Littlehales, Account Manager at Aldridge-based Netshield Limited, which is working with one of the world's leading suppliers of stainless steel kitchen equipment to the Food Service Industry, H&K International, to implement a Virtualisation solution

One of the world's leading suppliers of stainless steel kitchen equipment to the Food Service Industry, H&K International has commissioned Managed IT Services provider Netshield Limited to implement a comprehensive and scalable Virtualisation solution at its UK operation.

H&K International has its European headquarters in Rugby, Warwickshire, with offices across the world including USA, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, China, Ireland, UK and Spain, with a global workforce exceeding 1000 staff. H&K has a long-established reputation for quality products, precision manufacturing, exceptional customer support and its delivery of flexible, value-driven restaurant equipment solutions to major customers in North America, Latin America, Europe, Australia and Asia.

Netshield, based in Aldridge in the West Midlands, planned, procured and implemented the Virtualisation project alongside H&K International's European IT Manager - Sri Karan. Netshield were awarded this project after 'proving their capabilities' on a series of projects including a system security overhaul.

This led to the Virtualisation project for which Netshield identified a range of solutions designed to enhance overall system efficiency and create a robust platform that would support H&K's global operation as it develops.

Netshield's Scott Littlehales, Account Manager to H&K International explains: "Under the latest project, the Virtualisation solution, we consolidated approximately twenty servers down to three and implemented SAN technology to consolidate storage for the local environment too.

"Our technical team worked closely with Sri at H&K throughout the project's evolution. This has ensured we understand the business, the demands and requirements it places on its IT systems, to build a Virtualisation solution that will now keep pace with the business, its growth and its operational activities."

H&K International's Sri Karan adds: "The working relationship with Netshield dates back to 2009 when I first joined H&K; a significant aspect of my role with the company is to review IT performance and I was keen to update and improve the IT infrastructure. Having established that Netshield has the skills, expertise and resource portfolio to assist with the development of the overall IT strategy, I went about testing the company's support and ability with an initial security project, which proved the company's credentials".

"H&K's CIO has long been a supporter of maximising the company's global IT infrastructure and performance and we progressed the concept of the Virtualisation project with Netshield under his consultation".

"This led to a review of the IT communication facility across the group's Global office network, and Netshield worked with me to devise and implement a new Firewall at each of our sites, which was rolled out within just ten days".

"This project demonstrated Netshield's meticulous planning, vital to the success of this type of implementation and it was critical to minimise downtime and disruption to our IT network. This was assisted significantly with the support of Netshield's pragmatic and highly experienced Senior Engineer, James Francis, with whom we had round the clock support and access throughout the projects development and critically, its implementation.

"On the strength of this exceptional performance and delivery H&K assisted by Netshield has recently implemented  the same Virtualisation solution at its Australian operation in Sydney. We are now in discussions with Netshield about the next phase in our IT strategy. This will see H&K potentially replicating the Virtualisation solution implemented in the UK, across our global office network."