Residential property group supports growth with Microsoft Azure
Belvoir is the UK’s biggest residential property franchise group. However, despite a growing network of customers, staff and franchisees across 300-plus locations, Belvoir had just one internal server managing its entire processes and ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning). This led to everyday tasks being time-intensive, along with high disaster recovery costs, technical issues and maintenance costs.
Belvoir urgently needed a system that would support improved onboarding and remote access across all of its locations. The company also needed to adhere to stringent security regulations and compliance rules. In order to meet all of these needs, partner Microbyte recommended Belvoir adopt a Microsoft Azure-hosted hybrid cloud solution.
Microbyte planned a staged migration to take Belvoir’s server systems to the cloud, repurposing the firm’s internal server to enable it to host onsite media content and function as a backup domain controller. Microbyte set up Microsoft Remote Desktop Services (RDS), in order to migrate the company’s data off-site, enabling employees to remotely access systems securely.
As it wasn’t possible to increase the accessibility of Belvoir’s ERP through VPN, Microbyte utilised a server to house both the ERP and SQL databases.
With its Microsoft Azure solution set up, Belvoir is now able to quickly and easily onboard both staff and clients, while its IT operations are totally compliant and faster remote access to data enables rapid expansion. The system has also seen improved productivity and higher uptime for remote users.
What’s more, with the hybrid cloud solution fully managed by Microbyte (along with Belvoir’s network, internal servers and phone systems), it can now focus entirely on growth without worrying about maintenance.
Belvoir Head of IT Tom Crowther says: “We now have the infrastructure in place to effectively onboard data from any property companies we acquire.”
Yusuf Yeganeh, Managing Director of Microbyte, adds: “Our vision is to help businesses scale easily, and our partnership with Microsoft helps us deliver on that promise. Thanks to our solution built on Microsoft Azure, Belvoir can now onboard staff and clients easily.”
