Tenable FEC transforms connectivity and collaboration with Azure Virtual Desktop

Tenable Fire Engineering Consultancy (FEC) is a key player in the building industry, specializing in combining innovative fire engineering techniques with local codes and laws for optimized, cost-effective, and safe builds. With multiple locations and clients from across the globe, the company needed to create a secure and collaborative platform for smoother operations. Since deploying an Azure Virtual Desktop, employees can easily and securely access their desktops from anywhere, on any device.

Founded in 2010, Tenable FEC is committed to delivering the highest safety standards utilizing the latest fire engineering technology. The company offers a range of fire and life safety services for large residential projects, malls, hospitals, and airports across the globe. With four offices across Asia and Europe, Tenable FEC identified a need for seamless connectivity and collaboration between its branches. The solution was an Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) deployed by Microsoft partner Salama Integrated Solutions (SIS), which has revolutionized how the company operates.

“You can use any screen and have the latest version of Microsoft and all the power that comes with it. We’ve moved from being local to being globally present, which sets us apart from our competitors,” says Sultan Al Maskri, founding director at Tenable FEC.

Working on any device from anywhere

Tenable FEC’s previous IT system relied on multiple physical servers connected via VPNs and clunky hardware, which made working outside the office frustrating for its people. “Before the AVD, there were individual servers connected via VPNs which caused delays. Getting information from the server was a nightmare,” says Al Maskri. Now the company’s offices work together as one cohesive unit with highly skilled resource personnel collaborating on all the projects.

“With the Azure Virtual Desktop, a number of our employees in Oman and Dubai have returned home to India and work from there. That saves us about $15,000 to $20,000 monthly on architectural software,” says Al Maskri. “Plus, we can bring in experts from anywhere in the world. There’s a principal engineer who can now sit in Malaysia and consult easily without having to come to Dubai.”

“With the Azure Virtual Desktop, a number of our employees in Oman and Dubai have returned home to India and work from there. That saves us about $15,000 to $20,000 monthly on architectural software.”

Sultan Al Maskri, Founding Director, Tenable FEC

One of the key benefits of the AVD is the flexibility it offers since employees are no longer tied to one device. “I was traveling last November, and there was an issue with my laptop. I just logged in using a family member’s laptop, and had access to my work desktop,” says Claudia Shajaie, Marketing & Proposal Manager at Tenable FEC.

Storing big data securely

The AVD has also affected change behind the scenes since most issues can be fixed via a quick software update. “Earlier it took up to two days to source a new laptop and update the necessary data. Now, if any user complains about a slow machine, it takes a few minutes to change the RAM or assign more hard drive space on their cloud,” says Vimal Patel, Business Head for SIS.

“Earlier it took up to two days to source a new laptop and update the necessary data. Now, if any user complains about a slow machine, it takes a few minutes to change the RAM or assign more hard drive space on their cloud.”

Vimal Patel, Business Head, SIS

Since the company works with large architectural plans for massive projects, increasing data capacity was essential. With seamless data integration, there are no longer technical delays.

“Our employees can easily access any file on the virtual desktop without a VPN. It makes everything faster,” says Sam Alcock, Director of the UAE branch of Tenable FEC. “There’s no fear of running out of storage. We can just upgrade the server capacity online.”

The solution answered the company’s bandwidth needs, but it also didn’t compromise safety. SIS implemented a built-in intelligent security within the AVD system, with a two-factor authentication process.

Working smarter and efficiently

Tenable FEC has streamlined its IT budgets more effectively since the switch to AVD. “We no longer need to purchase additional hardware so it’s quite cost-effective,” says Alcock.

It has also helped the IT expenses become more predictable. “IT isn’t a capital expense anymore. It’s an operational one. It’s calculated at the beginning of the year and remains fixed which helps business continuity,” says Patel.

Tenable FEC hopes to continue to affect organizational change, with plans to bring in additional protocols in the future. They’re looking at possibilities like restructuring offices to work smarter, virtually bringing in more skilled workers from around the globe, and exploring device mobility for flexible remote working options. “The AVD is the easiest and best solution for us. I can’t see doing our business differently,” says Al Maskri.