Case study - Cognis

Datacenter, LAN and Desktop
Outsource: Global

We have 20,000 devices in total and our mail servers process 300,000 incoming and outgoing emails every day. We also process thousands of SAP transactions. By working with Computacenter we have confidence that these systems will remain highly available.

Ralf Stalinski
CIO
Cognis Group

Overview

Cognis is a worldwide supplier of innovative specialty chemicals and nutritional ingredients, with a particular focus on the areas of wellness and sustainability. The company employs about 6,000 people, and it operates production sites and service centers in 30 countries. Cognis has dedicated its activities to a high level of sustainability and delivers natural source raw materials and ingredients for food, nutrition and healthcare markets, and the cosmetics, detergents and cleaners industries. Another main focus is on products for a number of other industries, such as coatings and inks, lubricants, as well as agriculture and mining.

Business Challenge

In order to keep IT system downtime at a minimum, Cognis “recognised that outsourcing would make our processes more efficient and flexible therefore allowing us to respond more quickly to changing market conditions.“ states Cognis Group CIO, Ralf Stalinski. The company was keen to standardise and consolidate all areas of IT to create a simplified and flexible infrastructure whilst minimising operational costs.

Solution

Cognis chose IT services and solutions provider Computacenter to manage its entire IT infrastructure. Computacenter now provides comprehensive, end-to-end managed services to 6,000 Cognis users in 30 countries using its Outsourcing 2.0 approach. Outsourcing 2.0 embodies Computacenter’s one-to-many Shared Services Factory methodology, placing emphasis on service delivery rather than like for like resource replacement.

Why Computacenter was chosen

Computacenter’s unique shared service structure enables Cognis to take advantage of economies of scale. Transparent performance reporting and pay-as-you-use pricing ensures Cognis can adjust the service provision according to its varying business needs. Clearly defined service level agreements also give Cognis confidence that their systems will be highly available. Finally, Computacenter uses an integrated tool suite for service and system management, ensuring Cognis’s IT processes are monitored and managed effectively.

From its Network Operations Centre in Germany, Computacenter is fully responsible for the monitoring and management of the LAN with emphasis on safeguarding network availability.

How Computacenter Helps

Datacenter
Computacenter consolidated Cognis’s core business systems from three datacenters into a single shared datacenter located in Germany. This shared facility uses state-of-the-art technology and complies with information management systems requirement DIN ISO 27001 for optimal security and high-end disaster recovery — enabling Cognis to meet its legal requirements for data protection. Computacenter also supports the company’s SAP and email environments. Stalinski comments: “It is critical that the processes function cleanly and securely, irrespective of the technologies deployed.”

Global desktop support
As part of Cognis international standardisation, Computacenter is also responsible for supporting Cognis’s end-user environment. They ensure that every Cognis desktop consists of a standard hardware platform, operating system, Software bundle and security functionality. Cognis’s move to a standardised global infrastructure delivers several benefits, including the ability for Computacenter to use its central software distribution and security functions to automatically update Cognis users with application updates and security patches. Desktop management services are delivered using a single shared service facility in Erfurt on a price per workplace basis and billed using a web-based portal. Delivering desktop services in this manner provides Cognis with a real-time overview of all deployed equipment and allows the decline or increase in workplace quantities to be accounted for immediately.

Network monitoring and management
The application of Computacenter’s Outsourcing 2.0 approach also included the design and implementation of a new local area network (LAN) which is supported using per port pricing for complete flexibility. From its Network Operations Centre (NOC) in Kerpen, Germany, Computacenter is fully responsible for the monitoring and management of this LAN with emphasis on safeguarding network availability.

With Outsourcing 2.0 we have been able to reduce operating costs, optimise our business processes and take advantage best practice solutions as well as Computacenter’s expertise

Ralf Stalinski
CIO
Cognis Group

International Service Centre (ISC)
Computacenter’s International Service Centre (ISC), based in Barcelona, is Cognis’s single point of contact for all incidents and requests. The ISC supports Cognis’s users in 14 different languages and provides both first and second line support to ensure an integrated approach to service delivery.

Benefits
The modular structure of Cognis’s shared service outsourcing agreement with Computacenter allows Cognis to scale services to meet its changing needs. Cognis’s internal IT team has been relieved of day to day operational responsibility without impacting service availability. The agreement offers complete transparency and cost control via a web-based billing and accounting portal. “With Outsourcing 2.0 we have been able to reduce operating costs, optimise our business processes and take advantage best practice solutions as well as Computacenter’s expertise,” comments Stalinski.

It has also minimised downtime, as Stalinski explains: “We have 20,000 devices in total and our mail servers process 300,000 incoming and outgoing emails every day. We also process thousands of SAP transactions. By working with Computacenter we have confidence that these systems will remain highly available.”