Software-specialist ORDAT counts on the Data Center Group

An appealing building facade that hides a long and solid history: The software-specialist ORDAT with headquarters in Gießen has been a flexible and efficient provider for solutions in the area of ERP and CRM for more than 45 years. ORDAT offers customized solutions for different sectors and a wide range of services. Currently, there are 130 employees working for the company. “We are a down-to-earth company and a reliable service provider on an equal footing,” says IT-manager Jochen Domesle. 

This philosophy is being lived by at ORDAT. The company is constantly changing and keeps up with the times. After all, if you do not go forward, you go backwards. However, modern work processes also bring new challenges. That is why a renovation of the entire building structure started two years ago. The construction of a new data center was also discussed in this context. For the new data center ORDAT was looking for a partner on an equal footing. “We certainly found one in the Data Center Group,” emphasizes Domesle. 

 “Our data is our DNA. Its security is our priority.”

There are numerous photographs in the hallways which testify to a colorful history. It is the history of a company with great expertise and experience. As one of very few manufacturers of ERP-systems ORDAT offers reliable and applicable solutions and individual service from a single source. Profound area and process experience as well as a long-time developmental know-how are features of the traditional company in Gießen. And in this case, a functioning IT is indispensable for ORDAT. That is combined with a constant availability and maximal safety. “Our data is our DNA. Security is our priority,” stresses IT-manager Domesle. For the last two years, the building structure of the headquarters has been entirely renovated. The newly created infrastructure meets the requirements in many ways: bright, acoustically shielded work areas promote concentrated work. Modern conference rooms are available for team meetings and group work and offer a place for exchange and discussions. The modernization is done gradually through all floors. 

The former data center was situated on the second floor of the building. “We were looking for an energetically ideal solution to place our new data center and were also trying to make more room for our employees. Hence, the concept of a holistic solution was very important to us. We needed a contractor that could answer our questions competently regarding IT-planning, IT-consultation, and IT-security,” emphasizes the manager. Together with the experts of the Data Center Group a concept was developed based on the actual state and it perfectly met the individual requirements of the customer. At the start, different alternatives were examined and Jochen Domesle looked at previous projects of the Data Center Group to get an impression of their work. The comprehensive services, the great know-how and the cost-benefit ratio convinced him. 

The personalized concept was developed based on the actual state: A cellar room that had previously been used as a storing place is now the location for the new data center and the former data center area on the second floor provides space for 12 additional employees. Hence, already existing resources were ideally used, and new space was created. During the planning and developing process everyone worked hand in hand and the further requirements that appeared were competently met, like the realization of an additional safety fence for the cooling unit. The solution is composed of a DC IT Safe-Triple-Linking (62 HU). To this end, three mini data centers were linked, becoming a small and scalable data center which takes up a lot less space, offers comprehensive security and ensures constant availability. 

An automatic rack fire alarm and a fire-extinguishing system guarantee protection from fire. The ongoing surveillance is regulated by the integrated monitoring solution DC IT Monitoring Agent with redundant transmission units via Ethernet and GPS. The DC IT Monitoring Agent sends a fault report via e-mail or SMS in case of temperature fluctuations, relative humidity, water inlet, smoke, or motion notifications as well as abnormalities with access control or power surveillance. The data center can be autarchically powered for 48 hours in the event of a blackout. The new data center is entirely efficient, sustainable, secure, and modularly expandable. The holistic aspect is very important to ORDAT. “We got exactly what we were promised, and all services came from a single source,” summarizes a satisfied Jochen Domesle. “And I am now able to sleep easy again,” he adds.

The project was quickly realized due to the professionally implemented procedure and good communication. According to Domesle, the communication worked very well during the planning phase and on the construction site. “The services of the Data Center Group impressed us from the beginning and throughout the entire planning process. We are talking to real people, and we also demand these standards of our business partners. The experts of the Data Center Group were available for us and all our questions regarding the project. The goal-driven and competent consultation, the development of the solution and the direct communication with the experts on site accompanied the process. The entire package simply convinced us, and we are perfectly set for the future with this new data center.”