BSI, formerly Barrett‑Simpson, Inc., is a well‑established engineering and surveying firm serving the southeastern U.S. region with professional services including geomatics, planning, engineering, environmental work, and construction management. Their values of service, teamwork, and excellence underpin every client engagement. In the midst of a major rebrand and modernization of their systems, General Informatics served as a partner that aligned with their standard of excellence.
Project Highlights
- Replaced aging switches and firewalls, deployed new access points, and standardized network management for consistent performance.
- Staged transition to a new domain, minimizing downtime and ensuring seamless delivery for internal and external communication.
- Delivered pre‑configured PCs and laptops to multiple sites for new hires and existing staff.
- Conducted data integrity checks, full backups, and drive reformatting to prepare servers for reliable backup and recovery.
Transforming IT During a Critical Transition
BSI was pursuing a full business transformation, one that required technology to evolve with it. As they rebranded and shifted to a new domain, it became clear that the underlying infrastructure needed to catch up. Their environment included a mix of older network equipment, inconsistent hardware configurations, and servers that were not fully optimized for backup and monitoring.
This presented challenges:
- Everyday operations risked disruption
- Communication across sites was inconsistent
- IT visibility was limited
Without careful planning, these changes could have caused delays, downtime, and frustration for employees.
BSI turned to General Informatics for a comprehensive solution that would not just implement technology but ensure it worked smoothly across the organization. The goal was clear: keep the business running while modernizing infrastructure, improving communication, and reducing operational risk.
Getting the new domain ready wasn’t something we could just flip on overnight. We spent a couple of weeks staging everything in the background - updating mailbox settings, rebuilding DNS records, and letting those changes propagate. All that preparation meant the client could move forward knowing their new domain would go live smoothly and without disruption.”
Systems Engineer, General Informatics
Proactive Planning for a Smooth Execution
A critical factor in the project’s success was early preparation. BSI granted General Informatics access to the new domain well before the scheduled transition. This allowed GI to stage updates, configure email settings, and make backend adjustments that could take up to 48 hours to propagate.
By preparing ahead, the team ensured that when the transition date arrived, it would be a single, smooth cut‑over rather than a last‑minute scramble.
The network refresh required careful coordination. At one location, a previous technology partner installed its own switch for phones, which meant tracing and migrating connections carefully to avoid downtime. Across all sites, the General Informatics team deployed new firewalls and access points, standardized configurations, and enabled Logic Monitor for proactive alerting and maintenance.
Server management presented a particularly tricky challenge. The data drives had unusual formatting that backup software could not support. General Informatics scheduled staged downtime in a secondary environment to copy data to external drives, reformat drives to NTFS, and copy data back. Each of these server transitions could take two to four hours to complete, so they were carefully scheduled over several weekends.
Thanks to this preparation, full backups were running instantly, ensuring no data was lost and full operational continuity was maintained.
Enhancing Operations Across the Organization
Once the infrastructure and email migration were complete, employees immediately noticed improvements: new devices ran faster, standardized configurations reduced troubleshooting time, and network performance became more reliable. Collaboration improved as employees were able to access cloud resources quickly, share files without delays, and communicate efficiently across multiple sites.
The proactive IT approach didn’t just solve immediate technical issues; it gave BSI confidence that its systems were secure, reliable, and scalable for future growth. By centralizing network management and monitoring, General Informatics provided visibility that allowed for faster troubleshooting, minimized downtime, and enhanced operational efficiency.
“Working with General Informatics made this whole transition feel effortless. Everything stayed organized, we always knew what was happening, and they made it easy for us to keep operations running smoothly. Ever since partnering with them, everything just works. Collaboration feels smoother, tasks get completed faster, and we feel confident in our technology every day.”
– Chris Rogers, P.E, Vice President & COO, BSI
Outcomes and Business Impact
Minimal Disruption
BSI continued daily operations without interruption, even during major migrations.
Reduced Downtime
Standardized hardware and enhanced monitoring minimized failures and accelerated issue resolution.
Enhanced Employee Productivity
Faster devices, pre‑configured systems, and centralized access to email and cloud resources streamlined daily workflows.
Improved IT Visibility & Security
Proactive monitoring and server preparation ensured full data protection and immediate response capability.
Future‑Ready Infrastructure
Standardized networks and scalable configurations positioned BSI for future growth and technology upgrades.
Looking Ahead
he project demonstrated the value of a true IT partnership. By anticipating challenges, communicating effectively, and providing hands‑on support, General Informatics helped BSI navigate a complex transition with minimal disruption. The organization emerged with modernized technology, secure systems, and a foundation for continued growth and efficiency.
