VIDEO: World-Class Technology Services by WEI

Todd Grubbs:

The Integration Department here at WEI takes in the equipment that we get from the different OEMs. They test it, burn it in, integrate all the parts of course, and then upgrade the bios in the firmware to the latest levels, or the custom levels that the customer might require. The entire goal is that it arrives at the customer site exactly how they want it ready to go from day one.

A key component that WEI does that not a lot of other VARs do is at the end of every integration, after everything's tested and burned in, we take a complete survey of everything we just did. That means we have the part numbers and serial numbers of everything in the solution stack. We have the firmware, the slot numbers, where the nicks are in the HBAs, the warranty start and end dates. Everything is recorded. That equipment and all that information that goes with it is made available to customers, archived forever after. And that investment and effort is really appreciated by our customers.

We've been told over and over again, that is very different than other VARs. When it gets there, the equipment is working. All that information, that it's archived and available to them through the years, is the right way to do it.

After the integration has done another area that customers ask us to invest in and help them out with is deployments out in the field. What we make available is our guys can go out into the data centers, they deploy your new servers, they install upgrades, they update bios in firmwares, check the amber lights in all the trouble areas, and so we have that real boots on the ground type of managed services that is greatly appreciated.

Frequently we get asked to help with roll-outs, or refresh cycles that customers have, mostly on client devices, but sometimes on servers or other parts of the data center. What we offer for roll-out services is we can enter into warehouse agreements. Everything's in a cage, controlled entry, closed circuit TVs, so everything is controlled in a secure, climate controlled environment dedicated right for that customer. Then as we receive tickets for roll-outs, we'll deploy that gear out there to the field. Custom installations, custom deliveries inside deliveries, but when that equipment gets there it is already imaged and asset tag precisely the way the customer wants it. So the very tedious nature of a roll-out or a refresh cycle is made easier by the services those guys perform.

Imaging services at WEI is a little different than it is in a typical VAR. A typical VAR is just simply going to load an image that you might've sent to them. In our case, our subject matter experts are going to collaborate with your business units in the IT professionals and come up with the perfect golden image that represents exactly what you want the device to go out with. We'll bring that here and in a secure way we'll keep that and you might have a performance configuration, you might have your standard configuration. Whatever you dictate to us you'd like to see on your devices, the devices will go out exactly that way.

The part that we do that we don't see everywhere that is really appreciated by our customers is, we can validate on your network all of that data. We set up a secure VPN, we have a secure room here with controlled entry, facial recognition to get in. Everything's secure by the latest compliance standards, but that user's information will be loaded on that device, validated on your network. When he gets that at his desk or at his home, it's ready to go from day one.