FacetWin Manufacturing / Computers Sequent Computer Systems, Inc. Challenge: Solution: Sequent’s corporate distributed sys- Sequent Computer Systems imple- tems computing environment con- mented a 2,000+ user license of Facet- sists of NUMA-Q & Symmetry Win at their data-center. Sequent se- UNIX systems as well as NT servers lected FacetWin because of its ease of with thousands of Windows PCs. As administration and FacetCorp’s out- one might imagine, this immense standing technical support. data center requires a significant “FacetCorp’s technical support is what amount of resources to administer. convinced us that they were our best SUMMARY Saving the UNIX System Adminis- choice for Windows-to-UNIX connec- trator’s time was a priority. Chris tivity. They are an extremely compe- Corporate Profile: LaFournaise, IS Operations Manager tent group of support engineers.” com- Based in Beaverton, Oregon, Sequent mented LaFournaise. “We have used Computer Systems Inc. is a leading with Sequent, explained, “We vendor of Intel-based data center sys- wanted to avoid having to install several competing products in the tems. Sequent provides firms world- NFS on a thousand desktop devices.” past,” LaFournaise continued, “all of wide with the technology and exper- FacetWin provides connectivity to which were difficult to install and con- tise to maximize the business benefits figure properly.” Sequent’s choice of complex open systems projects. the UNIX host by using CIFS, an easier to manage alternative to NFS. and successful deployment of this Dilemma: Sequent was impressed by the tech- product is proof that FacetWin is a Sequent needed an easy to implement nology that FacetWin used, but Se- fully scaleable solution. Moreover, & administer and well-supported en- quent also wanted to work with a FacetCorp’s technical support staff terprise-wide Windows-to-UNIX inte- company that had a responsive and has proved, again, that they are indeed gration solution. Several competitive outstanding technical support staff. a competitive advantage. products were previously evaluated, but were too difficult to install. Resolution: Sequent has installed a 2,000+ user license of FacetWin on 18 UNIX serv- “FacetWin allows the networked clients in ers. The benefits are: 1) PC users are our complex computing infrastructure able to share corporate data on UNIX servers, 2) Sys Admin time savings, to share accounting, database and other since there is no need to load NFS on server-based corporate information, with each PC client, 3) If needed, Sequent can immediately contact FacetCorp’s uncompromising security.” technical support staff. -Doug Steck CIO Sequent Computer Systems, Inc. System Snapshot: UNIX Servers: Sequent DYNIX/ptx Windows Clients: Windows95 & NT FacetWin User Count: 2,000+ .