Dart Group PLC

Requirement : IT Transformation Programme

When the Dart Group PLC decided to relocate their business operation from Bournemouth to Leeds the whole IT infrastructure needed to move also. Dart Group searched for an external IT services provider to manage this complex relocation, enhance their internal system and the Jet2 flight booking system. Blue Chip was selected to lead this transformation programme and take on the future management of Dart Groups' IT system.

>> The Client

Dart Group PLC is an aviation services and distribution group specialising in the operation of low cost and charter air services throughout Europe and the distribution of fresh produce, temperature-controlled and ambient products to supermarkets and wholesale markets throughout the United Kingdom.

Dart Group owns two trading subsidiaries - Jet2.com and Fowler Welch-Coolchain.

The Dart Group has 2200 users across 50 UK sites connected by an MPLS WAN infrastructure.

>> The Client Situation

In order to accommodate this large number of users and sites, The Dart Group's infrastructure was spread over 120 servers, failing to provide the level of business continuity required.

Furthermore, the Jet2.com website which offers online bookings and reservations for over 90% of Jet2.coms customers was required 24hours a day, 7 days a week. Dart Groups existing IT infrastructure failed to support this heavy demand.

>> Solution

Blue Chip used its experience in key enterprise technology areas to deliver a solution providing 100% system availability, high performance and the scalability to meet the ever growing demand of the Dart Groups businesses.

This included:

1. Virtualisation: Using VMware virtualisation technology, the servers were consolidated from 120 to 16 and distributed across 2 data centres.

2. Storage Area Networking: All data, applications and virtual server images are stored on three EMC Storage Area Networks (SAN). Two SANs are located at the primary data centre with clustering software replicating data between the two. The third SAN is located at a secondary data centre to provide site failover should the primary data centre be unavailable.

3. Business Continuity: Using a combination of virtualisation and replication technologies, including server clustering, virtual machine snapshotting and real time data replication. The whole infrastructure is able to withstand the loss of any core element as all systems are built on an n+1 model. This includes the facilities, servers and SANs through to switches, routers and firewalls.

4. Citrix Application Delivery: All users access the core servers via Citrix XenApp using a full published desktop. Users can move between offices with secure, controlled access to all the required information.

5. Microsoft Server Applications: The entire Dart Group Infrastructure is built on Microsoft Server technology and applications including Windows Server, Active Directory,Exchange Server and SQL Server. This core suite of applications provides cost effective network management and interoperability.

6. Security: As the network is so critical to the Dart Group business, gateway security was improved with the deployment of Cisco Adaptive Security Appliances (ASA). The ASAs now provide intrusion prevention, anti-X services and firewall services across the whole network

7. Website Development: The Jet2.com website was developed with the application and servers virtualised to provide full system resilience. The SQL database servers are clustered and data is replicated to the secondary data centre.

>> Implementation Success and Company Benefit

Following the implementation of the online booking solution, within 6 months Jet2.com officially became the most frequently visited retail website in the North of England. In addition, the 'spend' per visitor increased by 13% since the website launch. 

Dart Groups server consolidation is now providing tangible savings in management time and power utilisation. Initial estimates suggest a £20,000 per annum saving in electricity from the servers alone.

Blue Chip also provides an on-site 24/7 Service Desk with monitoring, full-time systems administrators, procurement services, project services and website management for Dart Group.

Paul Salmon, IT Director, Jet2.com comments "We selected Blue Chip as they had the local presence, capability and capacity to handle our critical systems. The on-going relationship has proved to be very successful and we are delighted with the positive changes made to our business. The Dart Group now has an IT infrastructure that provides the stability, resilience and performance required to meet our future business plans."

Technical Solution

• 3 x EMC SANs
• 6 x HP Blade Enclosures
• VMware vSphere
• Microsoft Windows Server
• Microsoft Exchange Server
• 8 x Cisco ASA
• Citrix XenApp

This transformation programme won the Channel Network Awards 'Enterprise IT Solution'.