Improving IT Reliability for Kimberwalli through Managed Services

For Kimberwalli, having reliable technology is essential to supporting the people and programs delivered across its large, technology-enabled precinct. As an Aboriginal Centre of Excellence supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people through education, skills development and community programs, Kimberwalli relied on its IT infrastructure to support a wide range of day-to-day activities.

Before working with Sydney ICT, Kimberwalli’s IT environment was managed in an ad hoc way, with limited technical expertise available internally. Since engaging Sydney ICT for Managed Services in August 2023, they have had ongoing access to technical support, regular on-site assistance and proactive management of their IT infrastructure.

 

The Challenge

Before working with Sydney ICT, Kimberwalli’s IT environment was being managed internally by a dedicated staff member. However, the role required a level of technical knowledge and experience that wasn’t available within the existing team.

This became increasingly challenging as Kimberwalli’s technology environment grew. They operate across a large precinct with multiple buildings, interconnected fibre infrastructure, communications rooms and a wide range of technology supporting day-to-day operations.

Connectivity was one of the most noticeable issues. Kimberwalli was relying on an older Telstra copper service that could provide speeds of only around 5Mbps. For an organisation operating across a large site, this created significant limitations and made reliable internet access difficult.

There was also a considerable amount of infrastructure that needed to be maintained and understood, including computer rooms, labs, 3D printers, network equipment, security cameras, access control systems, phones and other technology across the site. Whilst the infrastructure could support the organisation, there wasn’t enough technical knowledge available to manage and maintain it effectively.

Kimberwalli needed more than occasional IT support. They needed ongoing expertise to maintain their infrastructure, monitor its condition and help when issues arose.

 

The Solution

Sydney ICT provides Managed Services for Kimberwalli, combining remote support with regular onsite assistance and proactive management of their IT environment.

A key part of the service has been putting the right maintenance and management processes in place across the organisation’s infrastructure. Sydney ICT manages and services the network environment, fibre connections, communication rooms and other critical infrastructure, while also overseeing areas such as licensing and phone systems.

The support isn’t limited to fixing problems when they happen. Regular onsite visits give the Sydney ICT team an opportunity to work directly with Kimberwalli’s staff, provide hands-on assistance and identify infrastructure that may need attention before it becomes a larger issue.

Connectivity was also significantly improved. Sydney ICT upgraded Kimberwalli’s previous copper connection to a dedicated fibre service providing up to 1Gbps symmetrical connectivity, with the capacity to increase further as the organisation’s requirements grow.

Alongside the technical support, Sydney ICT has also helped improve how Kimberwalli uses its existing technology by providing training, documentation and guidance for staff. The has helped the organisation get more value from the infrastructure already in place.

The Results

Since Managed Services began in August 2023, Sydney ICT has logged 79 support tickets for Kimberwalli. Of these, 77 have been resolved, with just two currently in progress. Around 87% of resolved tickets were straightforward fixes where work was completed, with the remainder covering duplicates, informational requests or items that did not require action.

Over the last 12 months specifically, 12 tickets have been logged, with 10 resolved and two currently in progress.

Resolution times vary depending on the type of support required. Across all tickets, the median resolution time is around seven days, with 38% resolved within a week and 18% resolved within 24 hours. The longer resolution times are largely associated with larger, non-urgent projects such as meeting room setups, AV upgrades or website administration changes rather than critical outages. Day-to-day issues and urgent problems are typically handled much faster, with critical issues generally addressed on the same day.

The ongoing Managed Services approach also means Kimberwalli’s critical infrastructure is regularly maintained and serviced rather than only being addressed when something goes wrong. Sydney ICT provides regular onsite support alongside remote assistance, giving Kimberwalli access to the technical expertise needed to manage a complex IT environment.

The original connectivity limitations have also been addressed through the move from the previous 5Mbps copper service to a dedicated 1gbps fibre connection, providing significantly greater capacity for the site and its technology requirements.

 

After more than three years of Managed Services, Kimberwalli continues to have Sydney ICT supporting its IT environment, providing ongoing maintenance, troubleshooting and technical expertise as its needs evolve. Find out how expert-led Managed Services can make a difference for your business, get in touch with the Sydney ICT team today.

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