Idea Integration not only offers great tools to manage the application infrastructure, they have a great deal of expertise in dealing with multiple platforms, packages and legacy systems. Idea never fails to keep up with our rapidly changing needs. It’s that flexibility that has allowed them to be successful working with our organization. 
-Harry Fratzke
Idea Integration offered us a low risk legacy strategy that was tailored to meet the needs of our organization. They have a solid team, with extensive experience. Their technology toolkit is first class and helped us transition our IT operations to a modernized platform without putting any of our business activities at risk.
-Don Hirsch
Home > Case Studies > Modernization Platform Migration
HON continues to strive for innovation and excellence in their industry. New and emerging technologies are creating opportunities to further drive the corporate directive and improve quality and speed to delivery of their products. The current legacy platform was heavily customized to meet the needs of the business, but was difficult to maintain, with many technical limitations due to its age. Client was nearing the end of a licensing period and was also beginning to exceed the processing capabilities of its legacy mainframe. Client desired a mainframe platform migration to an Open System, to address the capacity issues as well as the technical limitations. The challenge was to mitigate cost and business risks, and migrate to a new platform capable of providing the functionality to improve quality and delivery.
Experienced FirstShore resources were used to migrate existing applications from the legacy platform to an open (IBM AIX) platform. This project allowed HON to avoid the sizable re-licensing requirement from their current mainframe vendor, to move to a hardware platform that is better, cheaper, and faster than their current mainframe, and most importantly, keep their application software investment intact. All of this was achieved well below the financial parameters of the re-licensing proposal, allowing Client to realize an immediate payback for the project.
Working in partnership with the client, a Statement of Work, with scope and deliverables was developed. The FirstShore team was called upon to participate in the full project development process. The FirstShore delivery model provided a flexible methodology to achieve the desired results. Offsite FirstShore resources were utilized, along with on-site client resources throughout the project, with periodic site visits by the project manager and FirstShore management team, and as-needed on-site working sessions to address technical complexities as they arose. This approach freed existing client associates to focus on the daily production business needs, while the FirstShore team provided the expertise and resources to accomplish the migration project.
Outsourced Technical Competency relative to the following:
First Shore minimized client risk while providing the support to deliver quality technology services to the enterprise in a cost effective manner.
This national manufacturer operates a nationwide distribution network and world-class manufacturing facilities throughout the United States. They are a leading producer of many products, and are the second-largest office furniture manufacturer in North America, as well as the nation's leading manufacturer and marketer of gas- and wood-burning fireplaces. The Company has been recognized for the six consecutive years as one of the 400 Best Big Companies in America, and one of America's Most Admired Company in the furniture industry by Fortune magazine.
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