Accenture delivers a seamless, high performance workplace transformation for Virgin Media

Executive SummaryProject Overview

Accenture completed a 15-month workplace infrastructure transformation program for Virgin Media that encompassed 19,800+ users. Scope included designing and developing a new workplace infrastructure platform (Citrix XenApp 6.5, SCCM 2010), migration from Windows XP to Windows 7, and the planning, testing and migration of hundreds of legacy applications to the newenvironment.

Virgin Media, a UK-based communications and internet service provider, faced end-of-life issues on its workplace computing environment and multiple business applications. Accenture designed, planned and implemented an upgrade that included Microsoft Windows 7, Office 2010, Citrix XenApp 6.5 for virtual desktop capabilities, SCCM 2012 to manage the desktop environment. Accenture evaluated more than 1,000 business applications, remediating 675+ to work on the Windows 7 platform. The upgrades were rolled out seamlessly, with strong on-site support for users. The new workplace infrastructure provides a compliant, consistent environment with faster performance, improved security and simpler login procedures. Customer satisfaction surveys reflect high satisfaction scores more than doubled after the rollout.

The Story

Client Profile Virgin Media provides fixed and mobile telephone, television and

broadband internet services to businesses and consumers in the UK. The company has more than 11,000 employees, with several

thousand agents working in onshore and offshore customer support centers.

Business Challenge The workstation and technology infrastructure software in use

at Virgin Media was approaching end-of-life, and the company initiated plans to upgrade the desktop operating system, along

with other infrastructure software improvements. Many existing applications were not compatible with the new platform. Additionally, the computers currently used by their customer support center personnel could not support new applications planned for multimedia and collaboration.

Virgin Media selected Accenture to design and deliver its workplace infrastructure transformation. The program would refresh the IT environment, resolve application compliance, add collaboration tools, support increased business flexibility, improve performance and enhance security.

How Accenture helped

Accenture designed the new technology infrastructure and desktop environments, including migration to Windows 7, Microsoft Office 2010, Citrix XenApp 6.5 (virtual desktop), SCCM 2012 (manage the desktop environment). Accenture

also evaluated 1,000+ business applications and worked with Virgin Media to eliminate more than 300 unnecessary applications, reducing complexity and expense. Accenture remediated the remaining applications to run on the Windows 7 platform and virtualized more than half the applications to support access from a variety of devices.

Accenture and Avanade brought a unique capability that blended technology expertise with global delivery capabilities. To help ensure a smooth rollout of the new technology, Accenture planned and held clinics to introduce new technology, created performance baselines for the environment, and used Night Watchman software for seamless deployment to workers’ machines. During rollout, Accenture provided floor walkers on site to provide support as people logged in and began using their upgraded desktop applications.

High performance delivered

Virgin Media employees now have access to a workplace environment with consistent, upgraded applications, faster performance, improved security and

new collaboration tools. The login process was simplified to one login, instead of two.

Changes in workplace management processes provide Virgin Media with better controls over the application environment. The number of servers was reduced 25 percent, providing ongoing operational savings. Licensing costs were lowered

through decommissioned applications and more targeted deployment to user groups. Virtualization platform improvements will help make future upgrades easier. Security is enhanced with more stringent access rights by job function, software upgrades, remediating gaps in anti-virus and endpoint device management, Active Directory alignment with all applications and applying updated security policies across the organization.

Customer satisfaction scores on the project are excellent, with high satisfaction scores more than doubling after the rollout.

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About AccentureAccenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with more than 358,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world’s most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. The company generated net revenues of US$31.0 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2015. Its home page is www.accenture.com.