Booking server
The business-critical system. Designed for stable site connections, low latency and reliable database and application communication – so that bookings stay up to date across all sites.
Case study · Site networking
Several sites, one central IT – managed from Cologne
A business with several geographically separate branches works with one shared booking system. A booking made at one site has to be available at the others promptly. INFONET designed and built the central server, network and security architecture for this, and has managed it ever since.
Six server roles Live synchronisation SonicWall firewall Central administration
Starting point
Connecting the sites was the easier half of the job
The branches need access to shared company data and, above all, to a booking system whose data has to be kept in sync between the sites at all times. So the challenge was not to connect the sites somehow – it was to design the entire infrastructure so that the central applications and the booking data are available reliably and securely.
For the business, this is the crucial point: a booking made at one site must also be available promptly to the other systems involved. A connection that works "most of the time" is not good enough.
At the same time, administration was not to be done separately at each site, but centrally from Cologne – right down to the Wi-Fi access points.
The solution
Six server roles, deliberately kept separate
Instead of one machine doing everything at once, each task was assigned to its own system. If one role fails or needs maintenance, the whole business does not grind to a halt.
File server
Provides shared company data to authorised staff and sites. Permissions and data structures are maintained centrally instead of each site keeping its own copies.
Microsoft Exchange Server
Central email communication: mailboxes, distribution lists, shared address information and mobile access, all managed in one place.
Email archiving server
Deliberately separate from the Exchange server. A production system and long-term retention have different requirements – keeping them apart above all makes it easier to find old business correspondence again.
Terminal server
Delivers applications centrally. The software does not have to be installed, run and updated separately at every remote site – one update applies to everyone.
Proxy server
Controls internet access centrally according to company policy, regardless of which workstation someone is using.
Security and network
One central SonicWall firewall instead of one per site
The firewall controls network access and secures communication between internal and external networks. The design covered:
- Firewall rule sets maintained in one place
- Site-to-site connections and how they are secured
- Access control for the central servers
- Controlled external access instead of open ports
- Monitoring of network communication
- Central Wi-Fi management with uniform security policies
Wi-Fi
A configuration change, not a technician call-out
The sites' Wi-Fi infrastructure was also brought into central management. The access points are managed centrally, security policies apply uniformly, and a change is entered once rather than separately at each site.
The practical difference shows in everyday work: an adjustment that used to mean a trip to the site is now a configuration change. Troubleshooting, too, no longer starts with a drive but with a look at the configuration.
Backup
The booking data carries special weight in the backup concept
The central server systems and the business-critical data were integrated into a structured backup concept. It covers:
- Server data and company data
- Booking data, considered separately
- Defined backup intervals
- Fixed retention periods
- Tested restore options
- Monitoring of backup jobs
Result
One platform, managed from one place
The result is a centrally administered IT platform that connects several sites and is managed from Cologne. In many cases, faults and necessary changes can be dealt with centrally, without anyone having to travel to the site.
INFONET manages the environment in day-to-day operation: server administration, Exchange, booking server, terminal server, email archive, file server, proxy, firewall, site connections, Wi-Fi, backup, user management, patch management, monitoring and fault analysis.
- Several sites connected centrally
- Cross-site booking system with continuous synchronisation
- Six server roles run separately rather than bundled
- Central firewall and centrally managed Wi-Fi
- Central backup with a focus on the booking data
- Administration from Cologne instead of at every site
Project facts at a glance
Several sites · central control from Cologne · file server · Microsoft Exchange Server · booking server · email archiving server · terminal server · proxy server · SonicWall firewall · central Wi-Fi management · cross-site synchronisation of the booking system · backup · ongoing managed IT services
Frequently asked questions
What prospective clients usually ask
Why six servers instead of one big one?
Because the roles have different load profiles, maintenance windows and security requirements. An Exchange update must not stop the booking system, and an email archive needs different retention rules from a file server. Separate roles take a little more effort to set up and save a great deal of trouble in operation.
Is a terminal server really necessary, or would VPN do?
Both have their place. A terminal server pays off when the same application has to run at many sites and the data needs to stay close to the server – then only the screen image travels over the line, not the data itself. For individual workstations with little data traffic, VPN is often sufficient.
How quickly does a booking show up at the other sites?
That depends on the interplay of the line, the latency and the application itself. So the first question is what the business application actually requires – and the site connections are designed around that, not the other way round.
Could something like this be built with cloud services?
Partly, yes – for this client the focus was on their own servers, because the booking system needs a classic Windows Server environment. In other projects, email and file storage move to Microsoft 365 and only the business application stays on a server. Our case study on cloud migration shows what such a hybrid solution looks like.
A note on confidentiality
For reasons of confidentiality, we only publish client names and contact persons with their express consent. If you have a specific interest, we will be happy to put you in touch personally after checking with the reference client.
Free initial consultation
Several sites, but no shared IT?
We look at which systems your sites really need to share – and what can be centralised without a fault on one line bringing the whole business to a standstill.
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