2 page Case Study - Posted 5/7/2007

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Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee

Super Bowl Host Committee Scores Touchdown with New IT Infrastructure

The Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee ensures that Super Bowl host city Glendale, Arizona, meets National Football League (NFL) contractual commitments. Committee members, who travel often and use e-mail to share information, needed a centralized IT infrastructure with better remote access. The committee implemented a solution based on Windows® Small Business Server 2003 R2 and a Dell PowerEdge™ server that has helped boost productivity and save time.

Business Needs

On February 3, 2008, Super Bowl XLII will kick off at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. While 73,000 professional football fans scream for their favorite team, millions more will tune in by television to watch the most popular and most hyped annual sporting event in the world.  

Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2 keeps us connected with each other, the city, the NFL, the press, and everyone else preparing for the big game.  Bob Sullivan President Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee

The committee relies on e-mail to share contracts and other documents internally and with the NFL. It also uses e-mail to deliver location maps and press releases and to handle incoming requests for sponsorship and volunteer opportunities.

Committee members travel frequently, attending meetings with business leaders, sponsors, and NFL representatives. Unfortunately, the committee’s IT infrastructure did not offer reliable remote access, which meant that when employees worked outside of the office, they could not access important e-mails and company documents. Additionally, the hosted e-mail solution in place had restrictions on mailbox size, which was challenging to members who send and receive e-mail messages with large attachments.

Data storage was also decentralized. “We were forced to archive e-mail messages ourselves, which was time-consuming and caused us to lose important messages,” says Paul Ratkay, Executive Administrative Assistant, Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee.

Solution

In September 2006, the committee enlisted the help of itSynergy, a Microsoft® Gold Certified Partner that provides network infrastructure implementation. itSynergy deployed a standardized IT infrastructure based on the Windows® Small Business Server 2003 R2 (SBS 2003 R2) Standard Edition operating system installed on a Dell PowerEdge™ server. This comprehensive solution includes Microsoft technologies specifically designed to meet the needs of small businesses.

Committee employees also received new OptiPlex 320 business-class personal computers that are standardized on Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office Professional. Complimenting the productivity gains from the new server solution, employees now had the ability to increase multitasking performance when working on e-mail, accessing the internet, and working on large documents and files right at their desks.

With SBS 2003 R2, employees now have a more-secure way to access e-mail and shared documents stored on their internal Web sites. Users also now have full remote access to their office computers and all files and programs on their computers, even when away from the office.

Benefits

The Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee now has a standardized infrastructure that provides centralized data storage and has increased productivity for all users, whether they are working in the office or from the road, Committee members have also saved time and improved communication.

Centralized Data Storage

“Previously, nobody was sure where to find files,” says Michael Cocanower, President, itSynergy. “Now they have a central file structure, and everyone can quickly and easily locate the documents they need.” Also, the committee has a system that provides enhanced collaboration capability and an organized and centralized backup schedule for both e-mail and other company files. “Previously, there was no coordinated data backup and protection strategy in place,” adds Cocanower. “The committee now has those capabilities.”

Increased Productivity

With the new remote access features of SBS 2003 R2, committee members are more productive. Plus, the new Dell PowerEdge server offers the power and performance needed to run multiple applications without missing a beat. “We were all in Miami, Florida, for the most recent Super Bowl,” explains Daniel Vertlieb, Media & Public Relations Consultant, Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee. “While there, we had to organize a major press conference in Arizona. Having the new SBS 2003 R2 shared server allowed me to work on documents while an intern in Arizona worked on the same files. We knew we were working with the same versions, and that helped us be more productive.”

Time Savings

Now that the committee has its own e-mail system, Ratkay spends less time trying to resolve e-mail problems when they arise. “Previously, I was on the phone all the time with the company that managed our e-mail server,” he says. “I don’t need to do that anymore, and I can now spend my time on answering queries from our Web site and other important tasks.”

Improved Communication

With the new consolidated system, committee members have improved their overall communication. “While we were in Miami, we sent daily e-mail messages and press releases to about 175 media members back in Arizona,” says Vertlieb. “We couldn’t have done that without the remote access features we now have through Small Business Server.” Bob Sullivan, President, Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee, adds, “The committee’s ability to communicate and collaborate from anywhere at any time is essential to ensuring Super Bowl XLII in Glendale is a great success. Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2 keeps us connected with each other, the city, the NFL, the press, and everyone else preparing for the big game.”

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Document published April 2007