- Case Study
West Fraser Timber HQ
- Overview
West Fraser Timber, headquartered in Quesnel, British Columbia, is one of Canada’s largest integrated forestry companies. With extensive operations requiring robust and reliable IT infrastructure, proactive monitoring, and efficient system management are critical for maintaining productivity and operational excellence.
Challenge
West Fraser Timber needed an advanced monitoring infrastructure to oversee the health and performance of its servers, applications, and databases effectively. Additionally, the existing SCOM 2012 management systems required upgrades and optimization to reduce noise and enhance monitoring accuracy. Timely alerts and efficient issue resolution were essential to minimize downtime and maintain high levels of operational efficiency.
Solution Implemented
A strategic SCOM and SCCM solution was designed and implemented, addressing key requirements comprehensively:
- SCOM 2016 Infrastructure: Deployed a new SCOM 2016 monitoring infrastructure for real-time tracking and management of IT resources.
- Database Configuration: Built and maintained SCOM databases using SQL Server 2016, ensuring robust data management and reporting capabilities.
- Optimized Management Servers: Maintained and optimized existing SCOM 2012 management servers and SQL Server 2014 databases.
- Customized Alerting and Notification: Developed tailored monitors and alerts, implementing effective notification mechanisms to promptly inform system administrators of critical issues.
- Management Pack Optimization: Configured and optimized management packs in line with Microsoft's best practices, significantly reducing SCOM-generated noise.
- System Upgrades: Successfully upgraded SCOM 2016 to the latest rollup update (UR5), ensuring enhanced performance, reliability, and security.
Personal Technical Contributions
- Built and deployed the SCOM 2016 monitoring infrastructure.
- Established and maintained SCOM databases on SQL Server 2016.
- Managed SCOM 2012 servers and SQL Server 2014 databases, ensuring smooth operation.
- Created effective monitors, alert notifications, and provided ongoing troubleshooting.
- Configured management servers, database servers, dynamic groups, and notifications.
- Tweaked and optimized management packs to align with Microsoft best practices and reduce noise.
- Upgraded SCOM 2016 to the latest rollup version UR5, enhancing system reliability.
Results and Benefits
The project significantly improved West Fraser Timber’s IT infrastructure and operational capabilities:
- Proactive Incident Management: Enhanced monitoring led to quicker issue detection and resolution, reducing downtime.
- Reduced System Noise: Optimized management packs delivered precise alerts, significantly improving incident response effectiveness.
- Enhanced Operational Reliability: Improved monitoring infrastructure increased overall system stability and reliability.
Conclusion
The comprehensive SCOM and SCCM implementation at West Fraser Timber HQ provided substantial enhancements in infrastructure monitoring, system management, and operational stability. Leveraging expert technical skills and best practices resulted in robust, streamlined, and proactive IT operations that significantly boosted productivity and reliability.
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