The Client: Anglian Water Services
Anglian Water Services (AWS) is a leading water utility company, serving 4.3 million people in the East Anglian region of the United Kingdom. With a commitment to providing reliable and efficient water and water recycling services, AWS continually seeks to enhance its systems and infrastructure to meet the evolving needs of its users.
The Work – A system update
AWS identified the need to update a key part of one their systems, which was crucial to operations. The existing infrastructure and software were approaching obsolescence and therefore needed to be updated to maintain the efficiency and reliability of the services provided.
A comprehensive update was required to transition to new servers and ensure that the software was running on the latest technology stack. Specific communications requirements meant that the servers could not be cloud based and would have to be new on-premise servers. This in turn required bare-metal provisioning and integration into AWS’s current system.
The challenge was to execute this update seamlessly, avoiding any disruptions to the services provided by AWS.
The Solution – Terzo as Subject Matter Experts
Neil Tubman and Mark Davison, founders of Terzo and subject matter experts within Operational Technology and the water industry, were brought into the project in November 2021.
The initial phase involved picking up where the previous team had left off, primarily focusing on moving the design documents to a stage where a full implementation plan could be devised.
Working closely with AWS, Terzo’s responsibilities included updating and finalising design documents, writing and executing comprehensive test documents, and planning and executing the combined go-live/migration strategy.
Working with Terzo – Collaboration and Expertise
Terzo collaborated closely with AWS users, client technical staff, and key subcontractors throughout the project.
Steve Hall, Programme Manager within OT at AWS said: “Having worked previously with Terzo Digital on a number of other projects, we were very comfortable getting them involved on this system upgrade project. Their expertise played a crucial role in ensuring that all technical aspects of the update were carefully addressed”.
Terzo’s involvement in updating and obtaining sign-offs for design documents showcased their commitment to delivering a robust solution. Additionally, their role extended to planning and executing the go-live/migration, minimising the risk of service interruptions.
Terzo’s involvement covered the critical phases of the implementation.
Steve Hall said: “Mark Davison of Terzo Digital played a key part in the successful delivery of this project. In his role as an SME, he pulled together all the technical aspects of delivery with suppliers, sub-contractors, AWS partners, AWS OT staff and stakeholders from across the AWS business”.
The Outcome – Seamless System Update and Enhanced Efficiency
The collaborative efforts of Anglian Water Services and Terzo Digital on this project, which completed in February 2023, resulted in a successful and seamless update of the key system.
The transition to new servers with updated software was executed without any loss of service for AWS customers. The new system was installed on-premise at two sites within AWS for resilience reasons. The physical Windows servers on which the system ran were fully integrated into the local domains, with Windows update, backup, AntiVirus and security all seamlessly integrated.
Terzo’s expertise in updating design documents, meticulous testing, and strategic planning for the go-live/migration ensured a smooth and efficient implementation.
The outcome of this project not only addressed the immediate need for system updates but also positioned AWS for enhanced operational efficiency and reliability in the years to come.
Steve Hall who oversaw the implementation from an OT perspective said: “We were very happy with the work undertaken by Terzo Digital. They worked very effectively with the teams at AWS and with the contractors managing the programme. I could certainly recommend them for this type of work in the future.”
The successful collaboration between Anglian Water Services and Terzo serves as a testament to the importance of engaging subject matter experts in complex system implementations.