When the Server Needed Replacing
Grant's Oak Smoked Ltd are a food manufacturer based in Maryport, Cumbria, with a team of over 50 employees producing smoked salmon and other oak-smoked foods. They run a serious operation: orders coming in, stock being tracked, production schedules being managed, invoices going out. All of it runs through their server.
When their server suffered a hardware failure, it had a significant impact on the business. They needed a fast, reliable replacement, but they also needed it done properly. A quick fix that would fail again in six months wasn't an option.
What They Needed
Grant's needed a new server that could handle their workload, with a proper backup system and protection against power outages. The switchover had to happen with minimal disruption. A factory with perishable stock and tight delivery windows needs to keep moving.
How We Handled It
We designed and installed a new server built around Hyper-V virtualisation. That might sound like jargon, but in practical terms it means Grant's get more from a single piece of hardware, running multiple workloads without needing separate physical servers for each one. It's faster, more flexible, and significantly easier to maintain.
Here's what the project involved:
- New server with Hyper-V: properly specified for their workload, not an off-the-shelf box that'll struggle in two years
- Full data and application migration: every file, every application, transferred across with zero data loss. We verified everything before switching over.
- Workstation integration: all 50+ machines connected, mapped, and tested so that when staff came in the next morning, everything worked exactly as expected
- Proper backup system: not just a drive plugged into the back of the server, but a real backup solution that runs automatically and can actually recover data when it's needed
- UPS installation: an uninterruptible power supply to protect against power cuts, which are not exactly rare in rural Cumbria
The Bit That Mattered Most
We planned the entire switchover around Grant's production schedule. A factory can't just shut down for a day while IT sorts itself out. There are orders to fill, deliveries to make, and a cold chain that doesn't wait for anyone.
The migration happened out of production hours. When the team arrived the next morning, their files were where they expected them, their applications opened like normal, and the network was noticeably faster. A few people asked if we'd actually done it yet, and that's the best compliment you can get on a server migration.
What Grant's Have Now
A server that's properly specified for their workload, with room to grow. Faster file access across the business. Automated backups they can actually rely on. Power protection that keeps them running when the lights flicker. And a team at JJM Networks who knows their setup inside out and picks up the phone when they need us.
If your business is running on aging server hardware, especially if it's more than five years old, don't wait for the emergency. A planned server upgrade is cheaper, faster, and far less stressful than an emergency replacement. Give us a call and we'll take a look at what you've got.