Setting up and maintaining a future-proof it infrastructure meeting the highest levels of security, data protection and efficiency needs

Ceská Advokátní Komora (CAK), the Czech Bar Association, is the biggest legal professional organisation in the Czech Republic. It represents more than 11,000 active lawyers. CAK is a self-governing organisation performing public administration in the area of the legal profession. As such, it protects and guarantees the quality of the provision of legal services by lawyers. When it came to updating the organisation’s IT infrastructure, internal information system and communication services, CAK partnered with Konica Minolta to ensure the new system provided the highest level of safety while enabling highly efficient and simplified workflows.

An all-round secure and future-proof IT

An organisation in the judicial system must be absolutely uncompromising in ensuring the safety and reliability of its data. This is particularly true for the national bar associa­tion of Czech lawyers, Česká Advokátní Komora (ČAK). And when their existing IT infrastructure as well as internal information system no longer met their high standards for security and efficiency, they sought an IT partner to overhaul their entire IT and communication system –not only to update it but also to make it future-proof.

Konica Minolta, as a single point of contact, provided the entire package. The project covered the servers and end-user workstations of the association. For the servers, Konica Minolta installed new hardware to provide a platform for building fully virtual servers to accommodate all required systems. They replaced the old servers that were still operating with Windows 2003, for which support had expired. This virtualis­ation ensures a high level of security, as in the case of a crash of one virtual server, a new one can start immediately, limiting the downtime to an absolute minimum. Further, a GEO backup was set up in Prague and Brno as an additional safety measure, thus eliminating the previously existing potential risk of significant data loss. This server solution is also financially attractive: only the operating system actually running incurs costs, since it is provided as a service. End-user hardware from PCs to workstations were replaced as well, ensuring both a high level of security as well as significantly improved usability.

Usability and process improvement was also key in substituting the old proprietary internal information system with a modern comprehensive information system (CIS): The previous system had been based on approximately ten modules that were not connected. This made processes requiring the transfer of infor­mation from one system to another a complicated and time-consuming endeavour. Running with MS Dynamics 365 at its core, the new solution provides a file service to cover all necessary agendas integrally and is connected to the surrounding systems. And, thanks to a SharePoint solution and the installed K2 Blackpearl system, a software platform to build and run business process applications, access to information and its management is made very easy and intuitive. Besides the installation of new multi-functional printers (MFPs), four scanning stations were set up. Together with the ABBY Flexicapture and Recognition server, this system takes care of invoice data capturing – further boosting the efficiency of this process for the organisation.

Additionally, to ensure the highest level of access control and ease of use, a new identity management system was installed, bringing together all systems. Communication services were also to be renewed, including an improvement in data connectivity between branches, a unification of the association’s communication and updated teleconferencing, voice over IP (VOIP) and mobile services.

A thorough analysis leading to the best solution package

In order to provide ČAK not just with a solution but the solution it truly needs, Konica Minolta followed its proven approach of carefully listening to the customer both before and after winning the tender and conducting a thorough analysis on premises. On the basis of this process, Konica Minolta gained a deep understanding of the true requirements the new hardware, software and services set-up would have to meet.

“We were impressed by the thoroughness of how Konica Minolta approached this – and really convinced by their findings and solution drawn up,” Josef Fiala, CIO at ČAK remembered, adding: “We quickly came to see Konica Minolta as a partner that is not only interested in selling us hardware and a service contract, but one that is really keen on building a holistic solution that really moves our organisation forward.”

Quickly adapting to new regulatory realities and needs

Particularly in the field of legal services, organisations quickly need to adapt to new regulatory guidelines, frequently with implications for the IT infrastructure as well. The introduction of the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was one example. Here Konica Minolta made several adaptions to the solution to ensure maximum compliance with the new legislation. Konica Minolta was also fast in tackling further adjustments with regard to changing needs and requirements and finding suitable solutions.

Turnkey contract and high-level SLA

The implementation of the entire project was managed by Konica Minolta, providing the association with a true turnkey solution and a single point of contact. It also entails a high-level service level agreement (SLA) that, in contrast to the previous contract, not only included the hardware but also the software. It encompasses phone support, product surveillance (K2 system) and problem resolution – ensuring skilled Konica Minolta experts are quick to resolve any issues that may arise. The administration of ČAK’s entire web domain and webservices management is also covered by Konica Minolta – and this at a price below the service contract ČAK previously had.