The Brotherhood of St. Laurence Future Proofs Entire Application Delivery Supply Chain with blueAPACHE

Summary

The Brotherhood of St. Laurence (BSL), a social justice organisation founded in 1930 that works to address the causes of poverty in Australia, engaged blueAPACHE in late 2015 to rebuild its wide area network and in 2016 appointed it as managed service provider. Over five stages the engagement covered a 12-week WAN upgrade, a three-year managed services contract on an infrastructure-as-a-service "pay as you grow" model, an IP unified communications platform, the network, devices and security for an NDIS-driven expansion from 900 to 1500 staff across 17 new locations, a hardware-as-a-service model with migration of critical applications to emPOWER Cloud in 2017, and a new three-year agreement from 2020. This page complements the case study text with the services used, the outcomes as stated, and caveats on currency and on the ISO 27001 certification that BSL, not blueAPACHE, achieved.

Key facts

Label Value
Customer Brotherhood of St. Laurence (BSL)
Sector Not-for-profit, social justice; care facilities, call centres, offices and social enterprises
Founded 1930
Relationship start Late 2015 (WAN); 2016 (managed services, three-year contract)
Services used WAN upgrade, IT managed services, infrastructure-as-a-service, hardware-as-a-service, IP unified communications, emPOWER cloud connectivity and application migration
WAN outcome Completed in 12 weeks; immediate impact on performance; consistent reliability for the first time
NDIS expansion 17 physical locations established; 600 additional staff; total from 900 to 1500
NDIS scale BSL provides services to around 10 per cent of NDIS participants (as stated in the case study)
Certification BSL achieved ISO 27001 certification in as little as six months with blueAPACHE's help, to support its NDIS bid
2020 agreement New three-year managed services agreement covering network, infrastructure, end-user communication, security, staff mobilisation and information management
Currency Source undated; latest event is the 2020 agreement, which would have run to about 2023

Customer

BSL is a social justice organisation founded in 1930, working alongside people experiencing disadvantage to address the fundamental causes of poverty in Australia, with research, programs and services informing practical solutions. Its operations span support call centres, offices, care facilities and social enterprises, and it partners with the Australian Government's National Disability Insurance Scheme, providing local area coordination and early childhood services throughout metropolitan Melbourne. The origin page's structured data gives its size as 1,001 to 5,000 employees.

Sector

Not-for-profit. This is one of two published blueAPACHE not-for-profit case studies (the other is Berry Street) and is the primary evidence on the not-for-profit industry page. Because BSL operates care facilities and NDIS services, it is also cited on the healthcare and aged care page.

Challenge

Over the decade before the case study BSL's operations broadened and it became increasingly reliant on IT, but its networking infrastructure had become unreliable and could no longer deliver the performance staff needed. BSL's Senior Manager - ICT stated that fundamental changes were required, that BSL did not have the internal skills or capacity to do the work, and that it needed a technology partner able to provide both support and strategic guidance. BSL's later description of itself as "a victim of our own rapid growth", with infrastructure built piecemeal, explains why the managed services stage began with a full assessment.

Solution

Stage 1, WAN upgrade (late 2015). blueAPACHE was contracted to evaluate BSL's network links. Working with BSL's strategic ICT team it upgraded the WAN across locations, centralising and uplifting the network for more efficient monitoring and better user performance. The work took 12 weeks.

Stage 2, managed services and IaaS (2016). BSL appointed blueAPACHE as MSP to act as an extension of its internal ICT team and signed a three-year contract. blueAPACHE built a multi-step plan on an infrastructure-as-a-service strategy so capacity could grow on a consumption basis instead of through up-front capital investment. The first step was an IP-based unified communications platform that replaced multiple call centres with one solution.

Stage 3, NDIS roll-out (from 2016). After BSL's successful NDIS tender it established 17 locations and added 600 staff. blueAPACHE deployed the additional network links, WAN and LAN infrastructure, security measures and end-user devices, and ensured new staff had the tools and applications they needed. BSL's Senior Manager - ICT stated blueAPACHE also helped BSL achieve ISO 27001 certification in as little as six months to support the NDIS bid.

Stage 4, hardware-as-a-service and cloud (2017). BSL adopted a hardware-as-a-service operating model to reduce capital investment and improve flexibility, established connections with emPOWER Cloud and migrated critical applications, creating what BSL called a complete Application Delivery Supply Chain that became the basis of its multi-year ICT roadmap and de-risked the environment by removing legacy equipment.

Stage 5, renewed agreement (2020). Work began on a new three-year managed services agreement covering network management, infrastructure management, end-user communication, security, staff mobilisation and information management support, with a stated goal of a seamless, productive, mobile and secure digital workspace and focus areas of security, cloud transformation and high availability.

Services used

Outcomes

Outcomes below are as stated in the published case study.

Outcome As stated
Network WAN upgrade completed in 12 weeks; impact on performance immediate; the network operated with consistent reliability for the first time
Growth support 17 locations and 600 staff added after the 2016 NDIS tender, taking BSL from 900 to 1500 staff, with resources deployed so new staff had access to tools and applications
Certification ISO 27001 certification achieved by BSL in as little as six months to support the NDIS bid
Communications Multiple call centres replaced by one IP unified communications solution described as more efficient and cost effective
Commercial model Capacity added on a consumption basis without significant up-front capital investment; hardware-as-a-service from 2017
Risk Environment de-risked through removal of legacy equipment; a complete Application Delivery Supply Chain forming the basis of the multi-year ICT roadmap
Relationship A new three-year managed services agreement from 2020

Three caveats apply to the above. The ISO 27001 certification is attributed to BSL, the client, not to blueAPACHE, and no certificate number or issuing body is given. The source is undated and its last event is the 2020 agreement, so BSL's current status as a blueAPACHE client is not established. The source does not quantify cost savings. Client-side contacts are referred to by role only.

Using the staged engagement as a planning reference

The relationship developed across connectivity, cloud and managed services. Use that sequence as a dependency map: identify sites and applications relying on each service and what must be ready before the next stage. It does not imply every customer should buy the same combination or timetable. Record transition acceptance and operating responsibilities per stage. Programme growth and site changes should be assessed against scope rather than assumed to fit an unchanged order.

Sources and scope

This section connects the sources identified on this page with the KB service-scope catalogue and the terms and conditions guide. Comparison and planning points describe matters to settle for a proposed engagement, not additional service inclusions or new case-study results.

Related

Frequently asked questions

Who is the Brotherhood of St. Laurence?

A social justice organisation founded in 1930 that works alongside people experiencing disadvantage to address the causes of poverty in Australia. It runs support call centres, offices, care facilities and social enterprises, and delivers NDIS local area coordination and early childhood services in metropolitan Melbourne, serving around 10 per cent of NDIS participants according to the case study.

When did BSL start working with blueAPACHE and what came first?

Late 2015, with a contract to evaluate BSL's network links. That became a WAN upgrade across BSL's locations, completed in 12 weeks with an immediate improvement for users. In 2016 BSL appointed blueAPACHE as its managed service provider on a three-year contract.

How did blueAPACHE support the NDIS expansion?

After BSL won its NDIS tender in 2016, blueAPACHE deployed the network links, WAN and LAN infrastructure, security and end-user devices for 17 new locations and 600 additional staff, taking BSL from 900 to 1500 people. BSL's Senior Manager - ICT said this would not have been possible in the time without blueAPACHE.

Did blueAPACHE get ISO 27001 certified for BSL?

No. BSL achieved ISO 27001 certification, in as little as six months, with blueAPACHE's help, to support its NDIS bid. The certification belongs to BSL and the case study gives no certificate number or issuing body. blueAPACHE separately holds its own ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certificate, number 202507-118.

What commercial model did BSL use?

An infrastructure-as-a-service "pay as you grow" model from 2016, so capacity was added on consumption rather than through up-front capital investment, and a hardware-as-a-service model from 2017 to reduce capital spending and improve flexibility. BSL described the result as giving it confidence it was not locked into things that might not match future needs.

What did the 2020 agreement cover?

A new three-year managed services agreement covering network management, infrastructure management, end-user communication, security, staff mobilisation and information management support, with the goal of a seamless, productive, mobile and secure digital workspace. Its focus areas were security, ongoing cloud transformation and high availability.

Is BSL still a blueAPACHE customer?

The case study does not establish that. Its latest event is the 2020 three-year agreement, which would have run to about 2023, so confirm current status with blueAPACHE before presenting BSL as a current client.

What is an Application Delivery Supply Chain?

BSL's Senior Manager - ICT used the phrase to describe the combination of blueAPACHE managing on-premises hardware and software, the IaaS strategy and emPOWER Cloud resources, which together formed the basis of BSL's multi-year ICT roadmap. blueAPACHE uses the same phrase in its HPE case study to describe its accountability from hosting through to end-user experience.

Source

Origin page: https://www.blueapache.com/case-studies/brotherhood-of-st-laurence

Knowledge Base

What organisation is featured in this blueAPACHE case study?

The case study features the Brotherhood of St. Laurence (BSL), a social justice organisation founded in 1930 that works to address the causes of poverty in Australia.

What was the outcome of blueAPACHE's engagement with the Brotherhood of St. Laurence?

blueAPACHE partnered with the Brotherhood of St. Laurence to modernise its network, cloud, and managed services as the organisation rapidly expanded, future-proofing its entire application delivery supply chain.

When did blueAPACHE begin working with the Brotherhood of St. Laurence?

blueAPACHE's relationship with the Brotherhood of St. Laurence began in late 2015 with a wide area network (WAN) upgrade engagement, followed by a managed services agreement in 2016.

What was the first phase of blueAPACHE's work with the Brotherhood of St. Laurence?

The first phase, starting in late 2015, was a wide area network (WAN) upgrade completed in 12 weeks, which centralised and uplifted BSL's network for more efficient monitoring and improved performance across support call centres, offices, care facilities and social enterprises.

What did the Brotherhood of St. Laurence sign with blueAPACHE in 2016?

In 2016, the Brotherhood of St. Laurence appointed blueAPACHE as its IT managed service provider and signed a three-year IT managed services contract.

What services did blueAPACHE deliver to the Brotherhood of St. Laurence?

blueAPACHE delivered a WAN upgrade, IT managed services, Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Hardware-as-a-Service, IP unified communications, and emPOWER cloud connectivity and application migration.

How large is the Brotherhood of St. Laurence as an organisation?

The Brotherhood of St. Laurence has between 1,001 and 5,000 employees and operates in the not-for-profit industry.

What problem prompted the Brotherhood of St. Laurence to seek a new network partner?

The Brotherhood of St. Laurence's networking infrastructure had become unreliable and could no longer meet operational demands, prompting it to evaluate potential partners before signing an agreement with blueAPACHE in late 2015.

What strategy did blueAPACHE use for BSL's infrastructure capacity growth?

blueAPACHE developed a multi-step plan built on an Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) strategy, allowing the Brotherhood of St. Laurence to increase capacity over time on a consumption-based, pay-as-you-go model.

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