Impero Connect
Case Study: Cermaq
Leading food processor chooses Impero for internal support and securing third-party access
The high-volume help desk at Cermaq needs to manage vendor access and provide constant support to end users in a way that measures up to their internal security standards. That’s why they use Impero Connect. The Cermaq support team relies on Impero for data protection and the easy-to-use features that keep operations on track and reduce costs.
The Challenges Facing Cermaq
Headquartered in Oslo, Cermaq is one of the world’s largest commercial fish farms and top producers of salmon and trout. With locations in Norway, Chile, and Canada, the bulk of the company’s staff and day-to-day operations are in remote locations.
About 15 employees make up the central support team, which is tasked with supporting more than 1,000 remotely deployed desktops, laptops, and servers – including non-domain devices. “The biggest challenge here is that we are so busy and there is so much to do every day,” explains Rein Rudfelt, IT.
The Cermaq support team also manages multiple third-party vendors who need to remotely deliver services and maintenance. These external consultants are responsible for managing critical applications including the automated feeding systems at global production sites, making powerful and secure remote access a top priority. “Our external consultants are able to access and resolve issues which are central to our business,” says Rein. “That’s where security becomes really important.”
Cermaq requires a secure, efficient and easy-to-use remote access solution to keep the business safe and running smoothly.
The Working Solution: Impero Connect
“When we get the call for support, we use Impero Connect to resolve the issue.”
Several years ago, Cermaq dumped their previous tool and implemented Impero Connect to manage internal IT support, remote operations and vendor access. The result was stronger connectivity, improved ease of use, and overall faster issue resolution.
“Before, it would take a long time for the deployed device to react to remote control,” says Rein. “But since we upgraded to the latest version of Impero Connect, we’ve been very satisfied with our remote solution.”
Impero’s fast KVM control and Active Directory integration are especially valuable to the support team. Cermaq’s external consultants each access a unique server to deliver support to essential applications, so snapping into existing user directories allows Rein’s team to avoid a major headache. Now, Cermaq’s vendors use Impero Connect to feed large schools of salmon from remote locations.
With Impero Connect’s broad tool set for remote problem-solving, Rein and his team can handle almost any issue reported by internal staff and their managed service providers, and it helps them save significantly.
“I’m sitting in Oslo. Most of our staff is in the northern part of Norway, which is two to three hours by plane. With Impero Connect, we can provide service without sending somebody to our remote locations.”
Increased Work Performance
“Support has been awesome.”
A rock solid remote access solution isn’t all that Impero has to offer Cermaq. Rein’s team continues to receive personalized and attentive support. “Impero support staff are so easy to work with,” Rein says, “I know who is supporting our account. If I have a problem, I can call him – he’s always available, always calls me back. It’s very nice to know I can rely on somebody who knows our situation and is familiar with our environment.”
Impero support also guides Cermaq through new developments that deliver more value to their business with each release. “He called me before the last release came out and told me everything that I needed to know and what I needed to do to deploy it in our environment. All the additional documents about the release update were also quite helpful to keep me up to date.”
A Better Environment, Happier Employees
“I’d recommend Impero Connect without a doubt.”
“When we chose Impero Connect, it was about security and controlling who could access which applications. It has been very good for us.” Rein explains. “It’s quite easy to use and all the functions we need work as they should.”
Cermaq’s business-wide work flow depends on Impero Connect’s fast and effective KVM capabilities for painless issue resolution, while robust security features give them accountability and peace of mind.
Today, Impero Connect is widely used across Cermaq for production, administration, and support, and has gained yet another advocate in Rein: “I’d recommend Impero Connect without a doubt.”