The Integr8 Group, the largest privately owned BEE ICT managed services company on the African continent, has been appointed as ICT services provider and support partner to Curro Holdings, the parent company of all Curro Private Schools. First on the list of projects has been the integration of technology to enhance the institution’s communication infrastructure, strategy and management.

Curro Holdings is a recognised provider of private school education in South Africa. The company operates and manages an established national network of private schools that includes Bankenveld in Witbank, Durbanville, Hazeldean in Pretoria, Hermanus, Langebaan, Roodeplaat in Pretoria, Serengeti Academy in Serengeti Estate near Kempton Park and Helderwyk in Brakpan.

The Curro model is characterised by a high curriculum standard from pre-primary to Grade 12 and is designed to create a child-friendly environment conducive to creativity and positive discipline.

This model caters for both English and Afrikaans speaking learners, who are placed in separate classes. Learners who are in their final year complete their Matriculation examination in accordance with the Independent Examinations Board.

The focus of Curro Holdings is to establish new schools and to continue to provide this growing network of private education institutions with the support of an experienced management team.

Part of this focus includes information communication technology strategy and application. This is where Integr8 has come on board as a trusted and experienced service provider.

Management at Curro Holdings required a secure, cost effective solution that would link all schools onto one network. Additionally there was also a requirement for a centralised co-located hosting solution to remove dependencies on their Telkom infrastructure at Head Office.

The success of the project hinged on a proactive response from a service provider and the integration of a holistic, comprehensive technology solution. Curro Holdings required a platform that would address a number of critical issues including email management, as well as offer the benefits of active directory services and a virtual private network.

Experts at the Integr8 conferred with client management and immediately set about linking the education institution to the Nerve Centre® operation. This high-tech remote service and support centre ensures that Integr8 is in a position to offer 24/7/365 managed ICT service and support.

This company epicentre offers all technical staff and client managers with a panoramic view of all clients and their infrastructure. This means that Integr8 team members are constantly connected to clients and can therefore troubleshoot and solve any challenges or issues before they impact on operations.

Flip Vorster, National IT Manager at Curro Holdings, said that from the outset the institution was impressed with Integr8’s professional and structured approach in putting solutions forward.
“It was clear from our first meeting that this was a company that knew their business and could immediately match up our requirements with credible solutions,” he said.

Experts from Integr8 suggested the application of a combination of technologies that encompassed several key solutions. This includes an MPLS VPN solution, co-located hosting, Microsoft Exchange, an anti-spam solution, an email archiving solution and offsite backup solution.

“We are in the process of implementing an MPLS VPN solution via MTN Business. Our client’s current email solution, a POP mail solution, is limited in functionality and does not provide them with adequate security or protection from spam, explains Robert Sussman, joint CEO, Integr8.

“We are busy with the integration of a complete Microsoft Exchange e-mail system together with Active Directory, as well as MailG8 Enterprise solution to address these issues. It offers complete email content filtering and a ten year email archiving solution,” he adds.

Management at Curro Holdings has been pleased with both with the level of service as well as the quality of the solutions that are being integrated.

“To date Integr8 has been committed to the project and has more than justified its selection as services partner. Our investment in new solutions has ensured that we can communicate across our network instantly, effectively and will also eradicate spam and other security threats that have the potential to slow down or play havoc on our internal systems. Managed information and communication technology service is inextricably linked with the effective operation of any business today and this investment has reinforced our ability to compete in the market and continue to deliver education of the highest quality to communities throughout South Africa,” said Vorster.

PUBLICATION:  HR HIGHWAY
DATE:  02 SEPTEMBER 2010

Joint CEO Rob Sussman was featured in Maverick magazine’s feature – The Automators

Technology service companies used to have it easy: hire the talent, then hire it out and take a cut.  That worked fine until the first hint of competition appeared and cleaved margins to the bone

People are increasingly choosing to access their e-mail over mobile, a full quarter of Facebook users are updating their profiles via mobile phones, and m-banking is even beginning to take off among the banked in Europe and the US.

For Africa, the mobile phone remains the simplest, fastest and most affordable means of communication. Mobile penetration in SA is now a little over 100% and continues to grow. This places a mobile device in every household.

Add to this the raft of legislation we now have governing mobile phones – particularly RICA, which requires the network operators to know the identity of each SIM owner, and it is clear that mobile phones are now the most powerful tool for mass communication.

Yet, we are still not seeing a significant rise in mobile delivery in government. So much could be done to make use of the mobile device. M-learning is growing, but not very fast. M-payments have yet to take off in any kind of significant way and very few departments are even considering mobile as part of their integrated delivery mechanisms.

Technologies such as context-aware computing, augmented reality and other location-based technologies will have a phenomenal impact on mobile functionality, taking the small device we have in our pockets and turning it into a powerful computer. Near field communication will turn our phone into a wallet and cross border mobile remittance will effectively sweep away borders for migrant workers.

It seems foolhardy for the South African government to give m-government such a low priority, particularly when we could be learning so much from other countries, many of whom have quickly grasped the potential of mobile and are rolling out new services almost every month.

It is time for our leaders to wake up and realise: the future is calling.

PUBLICATION:  ITWEB BIZ ENEWS BEAT
DATE:  10 AUGUST 2010

Amadeus, as an established global provider of marketing, distribution and IT services to the travel industry, employs in excess of 9 000 people and facilitates bookings for 104 400 travel agency locations and 36 600 airline sales offices.

This latest development within the alliance follows a stringent request for proposal process, by Amadeus Southern Africa and the company’s Europe-based central office, initiated to review the company’s market engagement strategy. This would facilitate expansion with a strategic ICT partner going forwards.

The agreement represents a renewal and expansion of the current service level agreement and partnership in place between the two companies. It is also an outsource agreement that effectively extends the partnership beyond South and southern Africa and into the rest of the SADC region.

Peter Long, General Manager, Amadeus GTD Southern Africa, said the decision to partner with the Integr8 Group was based on the managed ICT services company’s exemplary track record in service and support, proven expertise in the market, and sustained presence within the domestic and international marketplace.

The Integr8 Group has an established footprint within the Africa market with regional offices that continue to provide managed ICT service and support in Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Nairobi, Nigeria, Zambia and Zimbabwe, among others.

Furthermore, the Integr8 Group held appeal as a prospective partner to Amadeus, having provided important technical services and support over a period of 10 years. This level of service and support is instrumental in reinforcing existing systems designed for the competitive travel services sector.

The travel vertical is viewed by the Integr8 Group as being highly strategic in value and one that continues to hold a great deal of opportunity for the right service provider.

“We have known the Integr8 Group for many years. We have entrusted the reliability and efficiency of our core operational network and ICT services infrastructure to the management of this group and they have, to date, performed exceptionally well and have always delivered on target,” says Long.

“Due to the fact that Amadeus is a very dynamic company delivering services to a dynamic and unique industry, it was important for us to identify an ICT support partner that is able to adjust and perform accordingly to our customer market. Our choice in supplier would need to be flexible regarding services and committed regarding deliverables, as well as have a healthy, proven track record within the ICT services industry. The proposal submitted by the Integr8 Group was by far the best solution and costing for which the RFP was issued. As such, Amadeus will be outsourcing all its ICT services for the entire African continent, including an additional nine countries to the Integr8 Group,” he continues.

Executive management at the Integr8 Group believes this latest development in the partnership represents a significant achievement for the company and strengthens its Africa expansion strategy.

“We are very pleased with the results of this critical RFP process initiated by Amadeus. They are the leading global ICT travel service, with an established and firm reputation throughout the world. We are delighted to be a part of the expansion process, to continue to support key ICT services in South Africa and now expand via our footprint in Africa. Our strategy will remain to grow with them locally and abroad, and within international territories remains a priority on our agenda. At the same time, we are also encouraged by the additional level of credibility this development offers our growth strategy within Africa. The region remains a strategic market for the Integr8 Group,” says Robert Sussman, joint CEO, The Integr8 Group