Audit & Documentation Case Study
Background
Policy Studies (PSI) provides outsourcing, technology and
consulting services that assist health, human services and justice
organizations enhance performance and improve the social and
economic well-being of the children and families these programs
serve. Founded in 1984, PSI employs more than 1,700 employees
across 70 United States locations with headquarters in Denver,
Colorado.
The Challenge
PSI acquired a new company called Dental Health Administrative
and Consulting Services (DHACS), which managed government-provided
health services at the state level. DHACS, located in Chicago,
employed 100 onsite customer service representatives and an
additional 170 contractor representatives in Texas.
The new business was responsible for managing Government Health
Services (GHS) member account information for three state
government customers: Florida, Georgia and Indiana. In addition to
its state customers, DHACS had several business partners that
connected to its network, which required secure, real-time access
to the data.
Formal system documentation did not exist, making system management
difficult for PSI's technical staff. Additionally, the company was
concerned about network security and stability, as well as employee
retention. As a result of PSI's acquisition, many GHS staff were
uncooperative. PSI was considering moving the facility to another
state and did not want employees knowing its intention. The company
wanted a senior network engineer who had extensive technical
knowledge to perform a full network system audit and could be
sensitive to the situation.
The Result
Mile High Networks, Inc. performed a detailed audit of DHACS
network in Chicago, which included:
- Analysis of data circuit usage and stability,
- Review of software and hardware components used,
- Assessment of software configurations for centralized services
and equipment,
- Detailed inspection of all system event logs,
- Technical interviews with key staff, and,
- In-depth discussion with management regarding operating
procedures including security, disaster recovery, support and
maintenance.
Once the analysis was complete, Mile High Networks developed
detailed documentation to allow for increased performance in system
management, including:
- Detailed network diagram reflecting all data connections, data
warehouses and service locations,
- Documentation of key applications used for data sharing,
- Information for all server hardware and major network
components including warranty status and any current hardware
issues, and,
- Current configuration of network components including hubs,
switches, routers and firewalls.
Derived from the audit, technical recommendations included:
- Key issues of the current networks that should be addressed as
quickly as possible,
- Findings of issues and concerns with the current network
system.
- Suggestions for eliminating security and stability risks,
and,
- Recommendations for building redundancy for critical services
and connections.
By implementing recommendations from the documented audit, PSI
was able to increase network performance, stabilize vulnerable
areas, and identify network security risks.
Company Testimonial
"Our company of ~1,500 users has benefited from the
exceptional service and quick response we receive from Mile High
Networks. We have hundreds of technical vendors to choose from, but
what sets them apart is their dedication, flexibility, and
technical expertise. They have contributed to long-term strategy
planning, as well as assisting us with disaster recovery in a
crisis. The Mile High Networks team identified the best solution
and worked alongside PSI's IT department to implement the system
solutions as well as providing configuration and troubleshooting
services. As a result, PSI can rely on the technical systems Mile
High Networks has provided, which is vital to its daily business
needs. We are exceptionally pleased with the support and services
we have received from Mile High Networks!"
Catherine Watterson
VP of Corporate Technologies
Policy Studies Inc. (PSI)