3Com-GAI Consultants

Vendor: 3Com (NYSE: COMS)
Customer: Gai Consultants www.gaiconsultants.com     
Vertical Markets: Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences

Technology Used: 3Com Router 5642, 3Com Switch 8814, 3Com Switch 5500-EI PWR,  3Com Switch 4400 PWR and Switch 3800, 3Com NBX IP Telephony system, 3Com 3101, 3102 and 3103 IP, Phones and Attendant Consoles, 3Com Wireless LAN Switch WX1200, 3Com Wireless LAN Access Point 8250, LAN Managed Access Point 2750

Solution: GAI Consultants is a multidisciplinary engineering firm headquartered in Pennsylvania. Boasting 7 main offices and several more in the field, this successful company employs nearly 600 individuals and has 130 CADD users. 

When GAI Consultants moved to its new location in Pittsburgh, the company faced a daunting challenge: establishing an IT infrastructure from the ground up. The capacity of their existing network was also reaching its limit, and had to be upgraded to support the sharing of large CADD and GIS files. GAI’s 2600 series edge routers did not support setting up conference calls involving different sites, so advanced VoIP services were needed to set up these calls and support the president’s vision of many locations working together as one company.

After considering their options, GAI Consultants decided to deploy several 3Com technologies to meet their needs. They implemented a comprehensive end-to-end IP telephony system with numerous useful features, including integrated messaging and intelligent call routing. Modular switching to handle GAI’s data and voice traffic was also implemented, as was a PoE environment and future wireless networking. 

Several benefits were realized from GAI Consultant's decision to implement 3Com technology. The company feels confident the 3Com Switch 8814 solution will be capable of handling present and future data and voice traffic. The core-to-edge 3Com network has made GAI’s IT department more efficient, enabling a new level of communication and permitting the company's IT professionals to collaborate with other offices more efficiently. Finally, GAI's advanced VoIP network has resulted in a 25 to 30-percent reduction in long distance bills.

Further details: http://www.3com.com/other/pdfs/solutions/en_US/3com_505407-001.pdf