Case Study:

Tofs – Cloud Excellence

We are delighted with our upgraded Azure platform, which offers enhanced security and robustness compared to our previous on-premise solution.
Seriun made the migration seamless, providing us with a reliable and trustworthy foundation for future growth.

Mark Acton-Grieves

3rd Line Engineer, TOFS

Overview

Founded in 1969 by Peter Blacks, The Original Factory Shop started with a single
store in Reddish, Stockport. From there, they grew across the UK, offering discounted
prices on a wide range of products, including clothing and homeware.

The Problem

TOFS had an on-site VMWare setup. Their 185 stores
connected to servers at the head office for the majority
of their trading services. The company encountered a
vulnerability stemming from reliance on a single fibre route
into their building, leaving them exposed to potential
outages from their internet service provider (ISP). In
addition, the aging hardware required a refresh, including:
VMware, HP Switching, and the nimble storage.

Facing these challenges, the internal IT team at TOFS – with
limited knowledge of Azure – enlisted the expertise of
Seriun to expedite their transition to the cloud.

About the Client

Their focus is on providing value for money, making quality
and affordability accessible to everyone.
They pride themselves on bringing great deals and a unique shopping
experience to their customers.

How we made it all come together

The Solution

To make their system more efficient and reliable across various locations, while taking into account their high
uptime and reliability requirements, TOFS moved their server environment to Azure. Some applications were
changed to a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model through different providers, while others still needed traditional
Windows-based servers. Seriun connected TOFS’ network to MS Azure using a virtual Meraki MX, creating an additional link in their
Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SDWAN) to ensure a dependable connection to Azure from all their sites.

The Benefits

TOFS now have a highly available and robust infrastructure that ensures uptime for their business. The new
environment offers flexibility, enabling them to adjust the compute resources allocated to their key applications based
on load and business needs. Their internal development team can also use the Azure Docker platform to containerise and host
in-house applications. The solution is scalable to accommodate future store expansion and includes a built-in disaster recovery system. Seriun continues to provide ongoing support to TOFS in-house team for managing and maintaining the Azure platform.