“With Windows Server 2012 Essentials, we have a modern platform that helps us deliver the services our clients and partners require and lets us take advantage of the latest technology.” Josh Smittkamp, Chief Operating Officer, Dover Consulting Group

Dover Consulting Group was running out of performance and storage room with its six-year-old server so decided to upgrade to Windows Server 2012 Essentials, Microsoft Exchange Server 2010, and an HP ProLiant ML350 Gen8 server. With the upgrade, Dover enhanced data security with encrypted email messaging and automated backups, improved application performance, and gained greater peace of mind from knowing that the business is running on a modern technology foundation with room for growth.

Business Needs more performance and take advantage Dover Consulting Group provides a full of the latest applications. range of fiduciary, investment advisory, and administrative consulting In 2006, Dover worked with its IT services to corporations, retirement provider, Total Care Computer funds, foundations, and private clients Consulting, to consolidate two servers in the Dayton, Ohio, area. For years, to a single server running Windows Dover has run its business using Small Business Server 2003 (including Windows–based servers and PCs, Microsoft Exchange Server 2003) and upgrading when necessary to gain Microsoft SQL Server 2000 software. By

This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY. Document published February 2013 2012, the company faced capacity, the Windows Server 2012 Standard expand any of these resources and can performance, and functionality limits. operating system to set up multiple also remotely diagnose hardware One of the most urgent needs was to virtual machines, or software-based problems using HP Integrated Lights provide a specialized form of email servers, inside it—multiplying the Out software. encryption called Transport Layer capacity of the one physical server. On Security (TLS), used in the financial one of the virtual machines Dover runs Benefits services industry and required by some the Windows Server 2012 Essentials By upgrading to Windows Server 2012 brokerage firms that worked with operating system, which provides Essentials and the HP ProLiant server, Dover. It was difficult to configure TLS Internet connectivity, file and printer Dover Consulting Group is enjoying and expensive to maintain using the sharing, data backup and restoration, enhanced data security, improved older software. and remote access. On another, Dover performance, and greater peace of runs Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 mind. Additionally, Dover needed to upgrade database software, and on another, it key line-of-business (LOB) applications, runs Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Enhanced Data Security such as key financial packages, but the messaging software. By using Thanks to the automated file backups newer versions were significantly more virtualization, Dover was able to provided by Windows Server 2012 data-intensive than the previous essentially get three servers for the Essentials, the TLS email encryption versions and required vastly more price of one. At the same time, Dover provided by Exchange Server 2010, the storage space than the older server acquired four new desktop computers malware defense provided by Trend could provide. Nor could Dover add running the Windows 7 operating Micro software, and the backup file new processors to the server. system. encryption provided by the removable hard drive, Dover has a robust Josh Smittkamp, Chief Operating Officer Dover uses the Windows Server 2012 technology foundation with which it of Dover Consulting Group, spent an Essentials administrative console to can meet the requirements of clients, increasing amount of time keeping the manage its user accounts and partners, and regulatory agencies. older system going. “I spent an average associated mailboxes, as well as to see of 45 minutes a day doing things like the health and security-update status “With Windows Server 2012 Essentials, juggling disk space to make room for of all PCs and servers. Employees can we have a modern platform that helps software and security upgrades,” use the Remote Web Access feature to us deliver the services our clients and Smittkamp says. “Every time we remotely access files via any browser. partners require and lets us take rearranged disk space we had to reboot By upgrading to Exchange Server advantage of the latest technology,” the server, which resulted in downtime. 2010, Dover gained TLS encryption as Smittkamp says. Some days I spent the entire day on well as many new email features such computer issues. This added stress and as enlarged mailbox sizes. Improved Performance and extra hours to my workday.” Productivity Total Care also upgraded Dover to the With a modern technology foundation, Solution latest version of Trend Micro Worry- everything works faster at Dover, Dover turned to Total Care for help in Free Business Security to provide which contributes to higher employee addressing the most urgent problem, malware protection for the server, productivity. “With our key which was implementing the specialized desktops, and email messaging applications running in their own email encryption. Instead of trying to system, and also installed a removable virtual machines, application make TLS encryption work on the older encrypted hard drive (by CRU performance is faster, the server itself technology, Total Care persuaded Dover Dataport) for backup files as they is faster, and our desktop PCs are that a new server and upgraded travel from the Dover office to an faster,” Smittkamp says. “Faster software would more elegantly and offsite location. technology means that we can get to cost-effectively solve the TLS and other information faster and respond more problems while also giving the firm The HP ProLiant ML350 Gen8 server quickly to customers and partners.” plenty of growing room. comes with a six-core processor and can accommodate a second processor Additionally, because Dover has plenty Total Care set up a powerful HP and more memory, network cards, and of storage in the HP server, Dover no ProLiant ML350 Gen8 server and used connectors. Total Care can easily longer needs to constantly reconfigure

This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY. Document published February 2013 disk space and reboot the server, which I’m not in the office,” Smittkamp says. steps ahead of where our business is results in greater server uptime. Fewer “With our new server and software, I today to make sure that we never hit a technology interruptions contribute to can trust that things are going to work. barrier,” Smittkamp says. “Technology higher employee productivity and That gives me tremendous peace of continues to advance, and data satisfaction. mind.” continues to expand. There’s no way to know what tomorrow will bring in Greater Peace of Mind Further assurance comes from terms of new devices and applications, The time that Dover spends on knowing that Total Care is there to and we feel that we’re well equipped technology issues is down to 15 or 20 answer any question and fix any to handle whatever the future brings. minutes a day. “Not only am I relieved problem that arises. “Total Care not This is a great assurance and huge of technology concerns when I’m in the only responds quickly to any issue we burden off my mind.” office, but I’m relieved of worry when have but is always thinking several

This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY. Document published February 2013