UniPix boosts security, speeds deployment with managed hosting solution

Intellicentre provides 24/7 availability for flagship ERP application
 

Sydney, Australia – 20th May 2005 – Leading Australian software developer, UniPix has re-launched its flagship enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, Online Advantage (formerly Online 2000) as a fully-hosted service, and has selected Macquarie Telecom's Intellicentre as its managed hosting partner.

Online Advantage is a business management tool used by manufacturers and wholesale distributors to oversee everything from financial control and stock forecasting to order processing and factory scheduling. Many companies also use Online Advantage for e-commerce transactions.

The transition to a hosted environment was a strategic move that will enable Online Advantage customers to connect to their business critical applications any time, from anywhere, at a fixed cost.

“A hosted solution opens up a whole new market for us,” said Rob Ellis, Managing Director, UniPix. “We can now offer mid-sized businesses the opportunity to access business critical applications previously only available to large organisations.”

“We have created a new business opportunity and Macquarie Telecom has played a big part in helping us realise that.”

Macquarie Telecom's Intellicentre provides 24/7 availability, reliability and security to UniPix customers, who rely on Online Advantage for their supply chain, warehousing and e-commerce needs.

The Macquarie Telecom solution includes Managed Security Services, which provides 24/7 monitoring and management, and regular, customised reporting. It also incorporates content filtering, anti-virus and anti-spam features, secure connectivity and authentication, managed firewalls and user identification.

The premium security offered by the Macquarie Telecom Intellicentre was critical in its selection, according to Ellis. “Online Advantage is a mission critical application for most of our customers,” he said. “It forms the backbone of their operations, managing tens of millions of transactions that represent many billions of dollars. Whatever solution we chose had to allay customers' fears in terms of security and protection, reliability and robustness.”

“Macquarie Telecom's BS7799 security certification and DSD Certified Gateway, together with its physical set-up, were the key reasons for going with the company,” Ellis said. “Its multi-carrier network and redundancy offers a variety of connectivity options and minimises the risk of system failure. When it came to selecting a hosting partner, Macquarie Telecom was in a one-horse race.”

Speedier deployment and always available access at an affordable price Speed of delivery, which was previously a problematic issue, is now a major selling point of the UniPix solution. “In the past, prior to implementation we spent time acquiring and configuring servers and ancillary equipment,” said Ellis. “With a managed hosting model, we can deploy in hours because it is all set up ready to go. Now, we make one change and it is replicated across all users on all sites.”

UniPix customers have access to software that can run anytime, anywhere, any place. Users can be in an airport lounge, a hotel room or on the road – all they need is an Internet-ready device to log in and use the software. “Our customers now get total accessibility, and we can deliver all those benefits without the customer having to concern themselves with the security and management of the infrastructure and service,” said Ellis.

The Macquarie Telecom Managed Hosting Solution also allows UniPix to provide fixed-price computing, on a per-user per-month basis. “UniPix customers know exactly how much it will cost to expand their system when new users come on board,” Ellis said.

“The benefits experienced by UniPix demonstrate how a comprehensive Managed Hosting Solution can help companies extend their service offering and move into new markets,” said Glen Noble, General Manager Data and Hosting, Macquarie Telecom. “It enables the company to concentrate on its core business, knowing that critical applications are being managed and monitored in a robust, highly secure environment by a team of experienced, qualified engineers.”

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For more information:
Mandy Galmes
N2N Communications
02 9213 2302
agalmes@n2n.com.au

About Macquarie Telecom
Macquarie Telecom is a leading supplier of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) solutions – including voice, data, mobile and hosting – specialising in the business and government markets. The world class Intellicentre facility offers state-of-the-art hosting and security solutions. The Intellicentre is certified to BS 7799 and DSD Gateway security standards.

Macquarie Telecom provides services to more than 2,500 of the top companies in Australia and Asia, supporting more than one million business users at work every day. Founded in July 1992, it is one of Australasia's first deregulated telecommunications companies. It expanded its operation into Asia in 2000, and holds carrier licences in Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong.