One of the first 10 Google Apps for Enterprise partners worldwide and initial contributor to the Google Apps Open Source provisioning tool kit, SADA Systems, Inc. has a proven track record in the implementation of Google Apps solutions. SADA works with a diverse client base to create custom, leading edge solutions that strategically meet client business objectives.
Founded in 1860, Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public, co-educational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and is the main campus of the Louisiana State University System. Enrollment is approximately 32,000 students and the staff stands at over 2,000 members including 1,300 full-time faculty members.
Challenges
Previously LSU had conducted a pilot deployment of Google Apps on a test domain. While LSU's IT staff had completed a significant portion of the deployment process, they determined that engaging a Google Apps Enterprise Partner such as SADA would more easily and effectively accomplish the provisioning and data migration component of the project. LSU's implementation encompassed 35,000 to 40,000 users in two phased deployments. The first phase migrated about 38,000 while the second deployment involved 2,200 VIP and other select users, divided into smaller groups and rolled out per a schedule provided by the client.
The successful deployment of Google Apps at LSU required SADA to do the following:
Solution
SADA worked closely with LSU to devise a deployment plan that would meet all of the client's requirements. Below is a summary of the work completed by SADA to successfully implement Google Apps.
Result
With SADA's assistance and the implementation of best-of-breed utilities for the deployment of Google Apps, Louisiana State University was able to smoothly and effectively implement Google Apps for over 40,000 users in their two groups. This implementation of Google Apps will allow LSU to dismantle their hosted Outblaze/Qmail email solution, without interruption to email service for their students, faculty, and staff. Improvements to the level of administrative overhead have made it possible for the client's IT department to free up resources and focus on critical objectives.
"We are pleased with the expertise and professionalism of SADA Systems with helping our University move legacy messages from a Linux webmail system to our Google Apps domain. There were a few hiccups due to corrupted messages but our SADA consultant identified these hold ups and fixed each incident on a case by case basis. What attention to detail!
Our University has gone through other email migration projects in the past but this one by far has been the easiest with SADA on our project team."
- Janet Shih, Migration Project Leader, Louisiana State University
Founded in 1860, Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public, co-educational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and is the main campus of the Louisiana State University System. Enrollment is approximately 32,000 students and the staff stands at over 2,000 members including 1,300 full-time faculty members.
Challenges
Previously LSU had conducted a pilot deployment of Google Apps on a test domain. While LSU's IT staff had completed a significant portion of the deployment process, they determined that engaging a Google Apps Enterprise Partner such as SADA would more easily and effectively accomplish the provisioning and data migration component of the project. LSU's implementation encompassed 35,000 to 40,000 users in two phased deployments. The first phase migrated about 38,000 while the second deployment involved 2,200 VIP and other select users, divided into smaller groups and rolled out per a schedule provided by the client.
The successful deployment of Google Apps at LSU required SADA to do the following:
- Work with the client's combined identity management environment including both a Lotus Domino Directory and Microsoft Active Directory.
- Provision accounts for all users as detailed in the scope of the deployment.
- Access the client's existing email configuration which consisted of a hosted Outblaze/Qmail server.
- Migrate email data to Google Apps from the client's Outblaze/Qmail configuration. This applied only to the second group of users in the provisioning plan.
Solution
SADA worked closely with LSU to devise a deployment plan that would meet all of the client's requirements. Below is a summary of the work completed by SADA to successfully implement Google Apps.
- Accounts were provisioned making use of a CSV file provided by the client and SADA's provisioning tools. This file included each user's first name, last name, and user name.
- For the second part of the provisioning process a schedule was established that allowed SADA and LSU to provision accounts in the second group into smaller groups, according to the requirements of the client.
- To complete the email data migration component of the project, SADA helped the client plan, and then configure and execute an IMAP email data migration process.
- Additional local email data could be migrated on a per-user basis, making use of the Google Email Uploader tool-set.
Result
With SADA's assistance and the implementation of best-of-breed utilities for the deployment of Google Apps, Louisiana State University was able to smoothly and effectively implement Google Apps for over 40,000 users in their two groups. This implementation of Google Apps will allow LSU to dismantle their hosted Outblaze/Qmail email solution, without interruption to email service for their students, faculty, and staff. Improvements to the level of administrative overhead have made it possible for the client's IT department to free up resources and focus on critical objectives.
"We are pleased with the expertise and professionalism of SADA Systems with helping our University move legacy messages from a Linux webmail system to our Google Apps domain. There were a few hiccups due to corrupted messages but our SADA consultant identified these hold ups and fixed each incident on a case by case basis. What attention to detail!
Our University has gone through other email migration projects in the past but this one by far has been the easiest with SADA on our project team."
- Janet Shih, Migration Project Leader, Louisiana State University
