Novi, Expert

Novi completes €200k Expert Electrical upgrade

Trade
George O'Dowd, Novi and Kate Tierney, Expert Electrical

8 January 2018

Managed service provider Novi has completed a €200,000 upgrade of retailer Expert Electrical’s IT infrastructure and Wi-Fi networks.

Expert Electrical is Ireland’s largest electrical retailer boasting a network of 67 stores nationwide.

Every Expert Electrical store houses hundreds of Internet of Things (IoT) capable devices such as smart TVs, games consoles and other connected appliances, which need to remain connected to the internet to download the latest updates. This left the retailer’s systems vulnerable to intrusion from cybercriminals. Further exposing Expert to the risk of a data breach was the fact that it had not upgraded its IT infrastructure in a number of years.

To manage this threat, Novi implemented the off-site data recovery service AirGap and installed separate Wi-Fi networks to manage in-store demonstration and point of sale devices.

Further measures included the addition of a Fortinet Firewall cluster to facilitate network segmentation. In the event of a cyber-attack or data breach this will enable Expert to isolate its core systems from any affected devices.

Finally, Novi brought in monitoring platform CyberView to present Expert’s team with cybersecurity activity in a user-friendly form.

Kate Tierney, financial controller, Expert Electrical, said: “Prior to working with Novi we were concerned about the reliability of our IT infrastructure and our vulnerability to an attack by cybercriminals. However, this project has eased all of our concerns. We now have a secure, reliable and high-performance setup that ensures that we remain up and running at all times and which will serve our needs for years to come.”

George O’Dowd, managing director, Novi, said: “As Ireland’s leading electrical retailer, Expert Electrical wanted to lead by example when it came to its own IT systems and processes. However, the company was reliant on an outdated IT infrastructure that put it at risk of experiencing a data breach or significant downtime.

“Novi designed and implemented an all-new IT infrastructure for Expert, providing it with a reliable and secure framework on which to do business. Expert also now receives a scheduled weekly site visit from one of our engineers to monitor any potential issues and help the company to maintain a high-performance infrastructure. With over 15 years’ experience in helping companies to avail of the most advanced IT solutions, Novi was uniquely placed to steer Expert Electrical through this complex project and install an IT foundation that will enable it to continue to grow and develop its business.”

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